Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s smallest national park, covering just 33.7 km², yet it packs an incredible punch of biodiversity and dramatic scenery. Located in southwestern Uganda in Kisoro District, it protects the Ugandan slopes of the majestic Virunga Mountains (also known as the Virunga Volcanoes), sharing borders with Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda to the south and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. Together, these three parks form the transboundary Virunga Conservation Area, a critical stronghold for endangered wildlife.

The park encompasses the lower slopes of three extinct volcanoes: Mount Muhavura (4,127m, meaning “the guide”), Mount Gahinga (3,474m, meaning “small pile of stones”), and Mount Sabinyo (3,645m, meaning “old man’s teeth” due to its jagged, tooth-like peaks). These towering peaks create a stunning, misty backdrop of alpine meadows, bamboo forests, and montane rainforest, with elevations ranging from about 2,227m at the park headquarters to over 4,000m at the summits.

Wildlife Highlights

Mgahinga is renowned for protecting the critically endangered mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). While the park hosts only one reliably habituated gorilla group (the Nyakagezi family, though groups can occasionally migrate across borders), it forms part of the Virunga massif that supports roughly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas (around 400–500 in the Virungas overall). Gorilla trekking here offers a more intimate, less crowded experience compared to larger sites like Bwindi.

Another star attraction is the rare golden monkey (Cercopithecus mitis kandti), an endangered primate found almost exclusively in the bamboo zones of the Virungas. The park is also home to other mammals such as buffalo, elephant, leopard, giant forest hog, bushbuck, and various duikers—though dense vegetation makes sightings of larger animals rare. Birdlife includes around 115 species, with Albertine Rift endemics like the Rwenzori turaco adding colorful highlights.