Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park from Canada

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park from Canada: Gorilla trekking in the world is carried out in not so many places because mountain gorillas can’t survive in captivity like low land gorillas. One of the few areas where mountain gorillas do live is Mgahinga national park in Uganda. Tourists from Canada that are interested in spending time with mountain gorillas can always visit Mgahinga national park.

Mgahinga national park is located in southwestern Uganda harboring some of the left mountain gorillas surviving in the world. It’s the smallest national park of all those harboring mountain gorillas and above 100 of these primates live in the bamboo and afro-montane forests of Mgahinga. Travelers visiting Mgahinga national park from Canada will have only one mountain gorilla family to visit and its name is Nyakagezi.

Nyakagezi is so far the only gorilla family found in Mgahinga Gorilla park and its members were fully habituated and open for trekking in 1993. The members of Nyakagezi mountain gorillas are used to human presence around them which means tourists from different parts of the world including those from Canada can spend time around them.

Tourists that are visiting Mgahinga Gorilla park from Canada should prepare knowing that a person needs a gorilla permit to encounter Nyakagezi mountain gorilla family. 8 gorilla trekking permits are available in Mgahinga national park and each costs $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents, and UGX250,000 citizens of East African member states.

Gorilla trekking exercise in Mgahinga national park

Gorilla trekking exercise in Mgahinga national park starts very early in the morning at Ntebeko Visitors Center. Here is where all trekkers for the day gather to be briefed about the activity. During the briefing, tourists learn about the rules and regulations of the trekking activity from the rangers. After the briefing, a group of trekkers not exceeding 8 people is led by rangers who have firearms.

The rangers lead trekkers into the jungle using different trails looking for where the mountain gorillas could be. The trekkers during the search have an opportunity of meeting different wild animals that live in Mgahinga Gorilla park. The search for mountain gorillas goes from 1 hour to 6 hours depending on the movement of the trekkers as well as the location of Nyakagezi mountain gorilla family.

When the trekkers locate the mountain gorilla family, rangers give 1 hour to be around the apes and this is enough for one to learn about the different habits of the apes, take photos and videos as well as watch them do daily activities among which include nesting, coupling, breastfeeding, hunting, playing and grooming among others. After spending 1 hour with the mountain gorillas, trekkers get out of the jungle and move back to Ntebeko Visitors Centre where they pick up their trekking certificates.

What to pack for mountain gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park from Canada?

To have the best of gorilla tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla park from Canada you need to pack the right items when flying to Uganda. There are a few items needed for one to enjoy gorilla trekking in the jungle and they do include waterproof hiking boots, long cotton stocks, a pair of gaiters, a hat, a rain jacket, a light backpack, long-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shorts, a camera, a pair of binoculars, insect repellents, a drinking water bottle and energy giving snacks among others.

Where to stay on a gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga national park from Canada?

Tourists that are intending to visit Mgahinga national park from Canada have a lot of accommodation facilities where they can stay if they want to spend a night or more in the park. The accommodation facilities do range from budget to mid-range to luxury options for example Mgahinga Gorilla Triangle Lodge, Musasa Mountain Triangle Lodge, Tiloreza Volcanoes Lodge, Mgahinga Safari Lodge, Mountain Gahinga Rest Camp, Mount Gahinga Lodge, and Mutanda Safari Lodge to mention but a few.

When is the most appropriate time to visit Mgahinga national park from Canada?

Tourists coming to Mgahinga national park for gorilla trekking from Canada need to know that there are two seasons in the park. The national park experiences two rainy seasons and two dry seasons every year. The two dry seasons which occur from June to September and December to February are the best to come from Canada and do gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park.

The dry season has been proven to be the best time to visit Mgahinga national park from different parts of the country including Canada. This is because the park is always experiencing little or no rainfall which leaves trails dry and easier to navigate, vegetation is always short and scattered with good views of wildlife, and roads leading to the park are in good condition.

Tourists coming from Canada can still visit Mgahinga national park during the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November because the park is always open. We can’t say gorilla trekking gives out the best experience in the rainy season and this is because the park is receiving a lot of rainfall which makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, the vegetation is so tall with unclear views of gorillas and roads leading to the park are in poor conditions.

Getting to Mgahinga national park for gorilla trekking from Canada

Mgahinga national park is located in Uganda which is located in the eastern part of Africa. To get to Mgahinga national park from Canada, you will have to fly to Entebbe international airport in Uganda or Kigali international airport in Rwanda. From Entebbe to Mgahinga national park you can either fly or use road transport.

By road transport, tourists coming to Mgahinga national park from Canada will be picked up at the airport by the safari guide who first briefs you about the trip and the routes to be used. From Entebbe, tourists will drive through Kampala via Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Ntungamo, and Kabale to the park. The road trip journey to Mgahinga national park takes 9 to 10 hours and tourists are able to have a view of different attractions along the way.

By air transport, luxury travelers from Canada or those that hate traveling for long distances can fly to Mgahinga national park. Kisoro airstrip is the closest to Mgahinga national park and different airline companies have flights going there. Bar Aviation Uganda and Aerolink Uganda have daily morning flights to Mgahinga national park. Flights begin from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe international airport and land at Kisoro airstrip in 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Tourists that are coming from Canada and using Kigali international airport can still get to Mgahinga national park. Kigali international airport and Mgahinga national park are located not so far from each other because it takes 4 to 5 hours using road transport. Travelers from Kigali will need to cross to Uganda using the Cyanika border in Kisoro and then drive to the park.