Can I trek Mgahinga gorillas twice?

Can I trek Mgahinga gorillas twice?: Wondering if you can trek the mountain gorillas of Mgahinga national park twice, the answer is yes. Yes, travelers can trek the mountain gorillas of Mgahinga national park twice. To trek the mountain gorillas of Mgahinga national park twice, you simply need to have two gorilla trekking permits and you must be physically fit to complete two treks.

Mgahinga national park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda neighboring Virunga national park and volcanoes national park which are also homes to endangered mountain gorillas. Mountain gorilla trekking is the main activity done in Mgahinga national park and on only one mountain gorilla family named Nyakagezi.

Nyakagezi mountain gorilla family was habituated in 1991 and opened for trekking in 1994. This gorilla family is famous for having the highest number of silverbacks that are 5 in number. The gorilla family has one of the oldest mountain gorillas and this is called Bugingo with over 54 years. Bugingo gorilla family was the initial leader of Nyakagezi family but his son Mark took over the leadership of the group.

Travelers that are interested in double trekking Nyakagezi gorilla family must know that two gorilla trekking permits are needed. When booking you will be asked two different days you are interested in trekking on your safari and your permits shall be booked. Double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park is the best way to have enough time with endangered mountain gorillas.

Double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park

Double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park means trekking mountain gorillas twice. Mgahinga national park has only 1 mountain gorilla family and in this case, tourists that want double trekking will get back to the same group. Done on different days, double gorilla trekking starts with a briefing that helps tourists get to know the rules and regulations of trekking and what to expect on the trek.

The gorilla trekking permits must be different with different dates of the month and year. The gorilla permits should be from Uganda Wildlife Authority which controls and manages gorilla trekking activities with Mgahinga. With double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park yes you visit the same gorilla family named Nyakagezi but the experience is never the same.

Searching Nyakagezi is led by armed ranger guides who have firearms and these take you to different areas where the mountain gorilla family could be. The search goes through different trails for 2-7 hours and comes with opportunities of meeting different wildlife species that live within the park.

The moment Nyakagezi gorilla family is found, trekkers are able to be around the members for a maximum of 1 hour. Tourists that are to do double gorilla trekking can use the first trek for learning about the gorilla habits, and watch them do daily activities. The next trek could be for photography and videos and even getting to know more about the members of the group.

Things to know about double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park

 Double gorilla trekking is not done with one gorilla permit but rather two. A gorilla trekking permit has dates of the month and year it must be used and is used for once. Tourists that want double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park therefore need to save money for two gorilla trekking permits. When buying gorilla trekking permits, you must make sure they are of different dates that you want to trek.

Tourists also need to know that double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park cannot be done in one day. Trekking mountain gorillas twice is carried out on two different days according to the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking. Uganda wildlife authority says that visiting a mountain gorilla family should be done once a day to allow mountain gorillas have enough time to carry out their day to day activities.

What are the advantages of trekking Mgahinga mountain gorillas twice?

One of the reasons as to why tourists need to trek Mgahinga gorillas twice is that they get an opportunity of having enough time with these endangered species of primates. There is no mountain gorilla habituation in Mgahinga national park therefore to get enough time with the apes you need to do double gorilla trekking. Each gorilla trek has got you 1 hour around the apes therefore when you do it twice those are two hours.

Tourists who do trek the mountain gorillas of Mgahinga national park twice do get enough time to learn about their habits. They can ask the rangers different questions about the mountain gorillas and even ask more they had forgotten the next day. Tourists do get enough time to carry out gorilla photography and videography. The first trekking can be for studying gorillas and watching them do daily activities and the second trekking can be more of photography and videography.

How much is double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park?

To do double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park you need two gorilla trekking permits. A single gorilla trekking permit for Mgahinga national park costs $700 for foreign non residents, $600 foreign residents, UGX250,000 for East African residents. Travelers that are interested in double gorilla trekking will need two trekking permits and about 2 nights in the park.

Best time to trek do double gorilla trekking in Mgahinga?

Mountain gorillas of Mgahinga national park can be trekked all throughout the year but the most recommended period is the two dry seasons that occur from June to September and December to February. During the dry season, the trekking trails are dry and easier to navigate, vegetation is short and thin with good views of mountain gorillas, and lastly, the roads leading to the park are in good condition.

Tourists especially budget travelers can trek the mountain gorillas of Mgahinga twice in the rainy season to enjoy huge discounted lodges and tour packages. There are two rainy seasons happening from March to May and October to November and these are characterized by too much rainfall that makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, vegetation is tall and thin with unclear views of wildlife while roads leading to the park are in a very poor state.