Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one of Uganda’s national parks habitat for the endangered mountain gorillas. Located in south western Uganda kisoro district was gazetted in 1991.This Park is bordered by the Republic of Rwanda to the south and Democratic Republic of Congo to the west and part of the great virunga conservation area. The majority of the ethnic groups surrounding this park are Bafumbira and Bakiga.
The partly forested slopes of Mgahinga consists of of the three extinct volcanoes namely Mt .Sabinyo (3669m), Mt.Gahinga (3474m) and Mt.Muhavura (4127m).With afromontane kind of vegetation characterized by cool climate makes it favorable for the mountain gorillas.
Apart from mountain gorillas, there are other animals like bush bucks,gaint forest, duikers and the threatened golden monkeys. Birds of different species include crowned crane, rwenzori turaco, black kite, crowned hornbill.
This park is popularly known for gorilla tracking though these exciting gorillas keep migrating to Rwanda.Therefore tracking depends on whether the gorillas are around.
Volcano climbing and hiking to the 3 peaks of Sabinyo, Gahinga and Muhavura provides some of the best views in the country. Nature guided walks, bird watching, and golden monkey trekking and viewing of the Garama cave where the Batwa once lived.
Nyakagezi Group
Family size: 9 members (incl. 3 Silverbacks)
Location: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
There are 36 different gorilla groups in the Virunga Volcanoes Massif. Of the 480 Virunga Volcanoes Massif gorillas 352 (73%) are habituated (349 in groups; 3 solitary males), while 128 are un-habituated (117 in groups; 11 solitary males). With the addition of the 2 newly habituated Bwindi gorilla groups approximately 50% of the Bwindi gorillas will be habituated throughout the 28 Bwindi gorilla families.