Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was gazetted in 1991 after being declared a game sanctuary to protect mountain gorillas that kept roaming in the region in the 1930s. The thick green forest with a variety of tree species having a diverse ecosystem is one place to find Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is the smallest conservation area of Uganda covering an area space of approximately 33.7 square kilometres. The peak Gahinga, which is also known locally as a pile of volcanic stones, gave the national park its name. The forest is home to three of the main volcanic summits of the vast Virunga volcanoes. The national park is located at a height of 4127 and 2227 metres above sea level in the highlands.
One habituated gorilla family, the Nyakagezi gorilla group, might easily drift to the Rwandan side or be in Uganda at the time of the visit. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to this gorilla family. The gorilla family, the only habituated group with nine individuals, is well known for migrating to Rwanda or the Congo. However, because it likes a restricted eating schedule, engages in extensive nesting, and relaxes, the family is one of the simplest to follow. More recent additions to the organisation include individuals from Rwanda.
Mountain gorillas are one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla and are one of the critically endangered species listed on the IUCN Red List. The gentle species is thought to be very intelligent and has the ability to use tools like any other ape and communicate using vocal sounds. They are among the strongest primates, may weigh up to 180 pounds on average, don’t survive in captivity, and have a lifespan of more than 40 years in the wild.
The critically endangered Golden monkeys, which reside in the bamboo-forested region of the park and are extremely beautiful creatures with black and golden brown fur, round cheeks, and outstanding noses that face upward, are not to be missed on a trip to the park. The conservation area is an important area for the golden monkeys. The Batwa population calls the surrounding territories home. Before being forced out of the forest for conservation purposes, they coexisted peacefully with other forest species.
Gorilla trekking is one of the national park’s most well-liked activities. The experience starts early in the morning with a briefing from the park rangers who will lead you to the friendly monkeys. During the journey, there are several guidelines to follow about the gorillas. For instance, following the 7-meter limit, people with infectious diseases cannot hike, dining is not permitted close to mountain gorillas, and tracking periods can take up to two hours, depending on how far the gorilla families have travelled.
The magnificent bamboo forest area of the park is where the golden monkeys and gorillas are monitored. Uganda wildlife rangers lead through the forest and are quite educated about it. There is a chance to do mountain hiking in the national park because the area is dominated by three unique mountains. The Uganda wildlife authority crew leads every walk.