Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Where gold meets silver: dramatic Virunga volcanic peaks protecting the Nyakagezi mountain gorilla family and endangered golden monkey troops.
Volcanic Peaks
Muhabura, Gahinga, Sabyinyo
Elevation
2,227m to 4,127m
Key Wildlife
Mountain Gorillas & Golden Monkeys
Signature Experience
Volcano Hiking & Primate Tracking
The Three Conical Volcanoes
Uganda’s smallest national park covers 33.7 square kilometres encompassing the northern slopes of three dramatic extinct volcanoes: Mount Muhabura (4,127m), Mount Gahinga (3,474m), and Mount Sabyinyo (3,669m).
The summit of Sabyinyo represents the exact tri-border meeting point where Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo converge.
Endangered Golden Monkeys
Mgahinga is Uganda’s only habitat for the endangered golden monkey (Cercopithecus kandti). These energetic primates live in habituated troops of 60 to 80 individuals in the high-altitude bamboo zones.
Trekking starts early from Ntebeko visitor centre, winding through montane woodland before entering dense bamboo groves where monkeys leap through the canopy.
Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga
Mgahinga is home to the famed Nyakagezi gorilla family, renowned for having multiple mature silverbacks co-existing peacefully within a single troop.
Because the park receives only one tracking group per day (maximum 8 visitors), gorilla treks in Mgahinga offer exceptional exclusivity and open bamboo trail visibility compared to dense primary rainforest.
The Batwa Cultural Heritage Trail
Led by original Batwa forest elders, the Batwa Trail takes you inside Garama Cave (a 342-meter sacred lava tube) and demonstrates traditional hunting techniques, herbal medicine, and honey gathering.
It provides direct community financial benefit while preserving the ancient oral traditions of Uganda’s first forest dwellers.
Private Safaris Featuring Mgahinga
Explore published private routes from the Empathy Tours team, fully customizable around your dates and travel pace.
Private safariRwanda2-day Volcanoes National Park gorilla trekking safari
2 days
Two days works here because Volcanoes National Park can be reached from Kigali in a few hours. The first day combines a city visit with the transfer north, and the second is almost entirely built around the gorilla trek before the drive back. It is a compressed itinerary for travellers whose schedule does not allow a slower stay around the park. Volcanoes National Park covers about 160 square kilometres within the wider Virunga Conservation Area. Karisimbi, Sabinyo, Muhabura, Bisoke and Gahinga are five of the eight main Virunga volcanoes, and the park also supports golden monkeys, forest elephants, buffaloes and more than 178 bird species. Dian Fossey's research and anti-poaching work are closely tied to this landscape. The itinerary includes Kigali, the Gisozi Genocide Memorial and one gorilla trek. The $1,500 permit fee shown here should be reconfirmed for the intended travel date.
Private safariRwanda3-day Rwanda gorilla trekking safari
3 days
Volcanoes National Park is close enough to Kigali to make a focused three-day gorilla trip practical. The itinerary uses Day 1 for Kigali and the road north, Day 2 for the gorilla trek and Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village, and Day 3 for the return to the city. Five of the main Virunga volcanoes rise within the park: Muhabura, Karisimbi, Sabinyo, Bisoke and Gahinga. The park is also closely linked to Dian Fossey's gorilla research and supports golden monkeys and other forest wildlife. Kigali remains the arrival and departure point throughout the trip. The $1,500 permit fee shown in this itinerary should be reconfirmed for the intended travel date.
