Tag: Mgahinga Gorilla NP /Uganda/
area: 34 km2/13 mi2
The smallest yet possibly greatest of all the region’s national parks encompasses three Virunga volcanoes: Muhavura (4,127 m/13,540 ft) with a lake at the top, Mount Gahinga (3,474 m/11,398 ft) with a swamp-filled crater, and Sabinyo (3,669 m/11,959 ft) where three countries meet.
If you track mountain gorillas here you are a member of a special club — one habituated gorilla group means only eight visitors per day! The park’s closeness to Kisoro makes it particularly interesting for budget travellers.
For our main Gorilla National Parks page with travel advice please click here.
Our Stories:
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Three Silverbacks, One Happy Gorilla Family
If you are advised by the Gorilla Highlands team, your gorilla tracking adventure in the Virungas will most likely introduce you to the Nyakagezi family in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Forget what old books or Google tell you, these friends of ours haven’t left Uganda for over a decade! They are usually found in the…
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Mt Gahinga, the Volcano for Families & Beginners
If there’s a neglected child in the Virunga family of volcanoes, it’s Mt Gahinga. This “pile of stones” — as its name translates — is an ancient offshoot of Mt Muhabura, dating back some 100,000 years. At 3,474 metres (11,398 feet), it’s a proper mountain by any measure. But Gahinga sees remarkably few hikers. It…
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Virungas vs Bwindi: Where to Track Gorillas in 2025?
If you’re not a huge fan of crowds, wrestling through dense bushes or sweaty hikes, you may find that the Virunga volcanoes offer a more enjoyable gorilla tracking experience than the better-known Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is Uganda’s go-to spot for seeing gorillas, but the Virungas — linking DR Congo, Rwanda and Uganda —…
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End of an Era — Don’t Miss!
Quarterly newsletter for Gorilla Highlands lovers It’s been an extraordinary time. Over 60 people from four continents have stepped forward to help shape the next chapter of Gorilla Highlands — while war rages on the western shores of Lake Kivu and our planet increasingly resembles an ancient world where raw power reigns supreme. Are we…
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Katie’s Last-Minute Gorillas in Mgahinga National Park
Katie Savitz travels differently; some might call it bold. A solo female traveller in East Africa, she avoids big tour companies, preferring to improvise along the way. It’s not about budget — she’s the co-founder of a fintech company — but about the simple, grounded lifestyle she values. She also does her homework, researching thoroughly…
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The Joys & Trials of Visiting 14 Kisoro Accommodations
Imagine enjoying breakfast on a little island bathed in gorgeous morning sunshine — who wouldn’t love that? The tasty eats on Gahiza Island were the absolute highlight of our familiarisation trip in Uganda’s Kisoro District last week. Sasha, our 22-year-old Rwandan team member, and Maani, a 17-year-old Slovenian/Ugandan, had a blast. As our tour arrangers…
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Go-To Guide: Track Gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda & DR Congo
Better late than never! Because we tend to emphasise the intriguing human side of our region, we have never had one dedicated source that brings together all the facts that matter to a gorilla enthusiast. Here it is, and we shall update it and improve it over time! If you fancy more in-depth coverage by…
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Border to Border — From Our High Season Months
On Uganda’s border with South Sudan, Kidepo Valley NP is a phenomenal destination that is not a common part of our itineraries. (It’s kinda far …) But when Ramon from Slovenia requested Kidepo, we were happy to oblige, and also added Semliki on Uganda’s boundary with DR Congo. (He had over 3 weeks at his…
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10 Cool Accommodations in the Gorilla Highlands Region
We believe that what you do is the heart of any tour. But not everybody is like that. Many people prefer to start with where to stay … So let us take you to some accommodations we have recently used for our guests, presenting a true rainbow of price points and locations in Rwanda and…
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