Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Where Volcanoes and Primates Meet
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s smallest national park at just 33.7 square kilometres. Located in the southwestern corner of Uganda, Mgahinga forms part of the Virunga Conservation Area, which is shared with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It incorporates three inactive volcanoes: Mt Muhabura, Mt Gahinga, and Mt Sabinyo.

Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trekking
Mgahinga is the second place in Uganda where visitors can track mountain gorillas, offering a less-crowded alternative to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The park is also the only place in Uganda where visitors can track golden monkeys, hence its slogan ‘Where Gold Meets Silver’. Visiting the park offers a rare opportunity to track both colourful, acrobatic golden monkeys and mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Volcano Hiking. Mgahinga’s volcanic landscape, dominated by inactive volcanoes, offers excellent hiking opportunities. Climbs can be tailored to suit different fitness levels, with options ranging from day hikes to multi-day adventures.
Batwa Cultural Experiences
The Batwa Cultural Trail, starting from Ntebeko Visitor Centre, is one of the park’s most compelling experiences. Led by Batwa elders, this immersive guided journey takes visitors into a “living jungle museum” where they can learn and experience the day-to-day lives of the Batwa, such as forest hunting and fruit gathering, medicinal plants, traditional fire-making using sticks , and sacred rituals. The trail includes a visit to Ngarama Cave, a dark and powerful place where Batwa lived and ruled .
How to Get There
Travelling to Mgahinga by road from Kampala is approximately 500 kilometres and takes 9-10 hours. However,  many visitors combine it with Bwindi, which is relatively close. Domestic flights to Kisoro airstrip are available, and these take 1 and a quarter hours, followed by a 45-minute ground transfer to Mgahinga National Park gates.
When to Go
The dry seasons (June-September and December-February) offer the best conditions for trekking and volcano hikes. Just like Bwindi, gorilla trekking permits in Mgahinga should be booked months in advance since they are always limited.