Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the volcanic borderlands of Kisoro

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a compact mountain park on the Ugandan side of the Virunga volcanoes near Kisoro, where steep volcanic slopes carry dense forest and rare primates in a relatively small area. Created as a national park in 1991 and long protected before that as a game sanctuary, it concentrates dramatic highland scenery and wildlife into just over 33 square kilometres on the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Created in 1991

Volcanic slopes at the meeting point of three countries

The defining feature of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is its setting on the Virunga volcanoes, a chain of steep, forested peaks that straddle the frontiers of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.The park includes three Virunga volcanoes Within the park boundaries rise Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabyinyo, each a separate volcanic cone with its own profile and altitude, climbing to over 4,000 m (13,123 ft) at Muhabura’s summit.Altitude between 2,227 m and 4,127 m

The Ugandan section of the Virunga range covered by the park lies in Bufumbira county of Kisoro District and forms part of the wider Virunga Conservation Area alongside Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Part of the transboundary Virunga Conservation Area The boundary follows high ridges and international frontiers, so that on higher paths and summits the view opens across cultivated hillsides in Uganda and into neighbouring countries, with the dark mass of other volcanoes rising beyond.

A small park with mountain gorillas and golden monkeys

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s smallest national park, with an area repeatedly stated around 33.7 km², and it was gazetted primarily to protect mountain gorillas on these slopes.Smallest park with 33.7 km² The park holds one habituated mountain gorilla group that ranges across the border region, along with other gorillas that move between the Ugandan, Rwandan and Congolese sides of the Virunga massif.One habituated transboundary gorilla group

Alongside gorillas, Mgahinga protects endangered golden monkeys, which live in the bamboo zones and mixed forest and are one of the species that have helped give the Virunga range its conservation importance.Habitat for golden monkeys Broader surveys list several dozen mammal species in the park, reflecting the range of habitats that fit into its small area, from montane forest at lower levels to alpine vegetation on upper slopes.Home to many mammal species

Forest, bamboo and high-altitude trails

Within the park, vegetation follows altitude, with dense montane forest and bamboo on the lower slopes and more open vegetation higher up, giving way to alpine plants near the summits of the Virunga cones.Forest and high-altitude habitats Trails climb through these zones, some leading to the crater areas on the peaks, others following ridges or traversing forest where primates may be seen moving among the trees.

The park headquarters at Ntebeko lies below the main slopes, and routes from there rise steadily into the mountains, so that a visit involves extended walking, steps cut into steep ground and time spent at elevations well above 2,000 m (6,562 ft).Ntebeko park headquarters below the slopes The compact size means that forest, bamboo stands and views of volcanic ridges fall close together, and on clear days the conical forms of Muhabura and Gahinga are prominent from paths and rest points.

Visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Mgahinga Gorilla National Park lies in Bufumbira county in Kisoro District in south-western Uganda, on the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with Kisoro town as the nearest urban centre.Situated in Kisoro District near Kisoro town
• The park is reached by road from Kisoro, with the Ntebeko gate serving as the main entrance for visitors and access routes climbing towards the Virunga volcanoes from there.Ntebeko gate as main entrance
• The terrain inside the park involves sustained uphill walking on volcanic slopes, sections of narrow paths and ground at altitudes above 2,000 m (6,562 ft), which can make exertion more demanding than at lower elevations.Altitude range on the slopes
• English is an official language in Uganda and the national currency is the Ugandan shilling.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Where is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park located?

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is in Bufumbira county of Kisoro District in south-western Uganda, on the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Location in Bufumbira county, Kisoro District

What should visitors expect on a visit to the park?

A visit involves time on steep volcanic slopes with dense forest and bamboo, walking at high altitude and the possibility of encountering mountain gorillas or golden monkeys in their natural habitat.Mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in montane habitats

What makes Mgahinga Gorilla National Park distinctive among Ugandan parks?

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park combines Uganda’s smallest park area with protection of mountain gorillas on the slopes of three Virunga volcanoes in a compact borderland landscape.Small area on Virunga volcano slopes