Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Uganda’s smallest national park is situated in Kisoro district in southwestern Uganda, bordering both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was established in 1991 and now encompasses approximately 33.7 square kilometers of different vegetation series, such as montane forest, bamboo, montane woodland, and afro-montane. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park animals include mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, forest elephants, bushbucks, buffaloes, duikers, bush pigs, and big forest hogs.

Gorilla trekking is a major tourism activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, where visitors get a chance to trek on foot in the forest searching for habituated mountain gorilla families. Once gorillas are seen, travelers spend an hour with these mountain gorillas in their natural environment. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park houses one gorilla family. Mountain gorilla trekking begins with an early morning briefing regarding the rules and regulations at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park headquarters. After the briefing, travelers are assigned a Uganda Wildlife Authority park guide who has experience with mountain gorillas, and then your trekking in the jungle while searching for mountain gorillas begins, which takes approximately 30 minutes to four hours depending on the location of gorillas. 

During your mountain gorilla trekking, you may be able to spot other primate species such as golden monkeys, mammal species such as giant forest hogs, bush pigs, forest elephants, buffaloes, bird species, plants, and tree species.

A mountain gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park can be booked through the Uganda Wildlife Authority directly or through a trusted tour operator like Devine African Safaris. The Uganda Wildlife Authority issues permits for mountain gorilla trekking to anyone over the age of 15. You are kindly advised to book your gorilla trekking tour six months before your travel date.