This amazing park is located in the south western part of Uganda and it borders, DR. Congo and Rwanda for which it shares with the Virunga ranges. The park has got three extinct volcanic mountains with an extensive swamp in between the volcanoes and it covers a total land area of 33.7km², these mountains can be climbed from the park headquarters, this makes it to be the Uganda’s smallest national park.

The park is around 540km from the capital city of Uganda that’s Kampala and this can take around 8 hours by road, to those who cannot afford traveling by road can also fly from Kajjansi airstrip to Kisoro or by Eagle Air from Entebbe.

This park derives its name from a local word “Gahinga “meaning a pile of volcanic stones at the foot hills of the volcanoes, the park has got one habituated gorilla family known as the Nyakagezi gorilla family which is found high in the mountain ranges. Gorilla permits are bought at USD 600 and this is the best activity attracting many visitors to Uganda and it offers the best experience forever.

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park starts early in the morning and this is because it is an uncertain activity which needs time, at exactly 8am visitors embark on tracking via the trails that were designated all over the park, these paths. All tourists taking gorilla safaris are escorted by the park rangers who take visitors through the park history, visitors to the park who performs gorilla tracking are entitled to use 1hour f enjoyment where as those on habituation activity enjoy the gorillas throughout the day.

Visitors are encouraged to move with all trekking gears including some snacks for lunch since the time taken to track these beautiful Apes is uncertain as they keep on moving from one place to another in the process of looking for food, this also requires one to be healthy since tourists suffering from flue and yellow fever plus other transferable diseases are discouraged from track gorillas since they share almost the same DNA with those of human being hence being easily infected with human diseases.

Besides gorilla tracking, visitors may encounter over 76 mammals including buffaloes, bush bucks, elephants, other small primates include the golden monkeys that shout around up on the tree canopy. The park has also got different bird species including the Rwenzori Turaco, yellow-billed kite, crowned horn bill and the grey crowned crane and this is the greatest point for photography.

The park is also of high cultural significance and this is where the Batwa pygmies are found within the forest, these are said to be the first people to settle within the forest. Tourists here can join these local people to perform a number of activities including, traditional dances, brewing the local beers, cooking the different cuisines of foods and sauces all this at US$80.