Tracking In Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area

Tracking In Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area, Mgahinga gorilla national park is situated in southwestern Uganda, Kisoro district. And it is recorded as the smallest national park in Uganda covering 33.9sqkm. The park was established to protect the highly threatened gorillas in 1991 as the name of the park advocates.

Mgahinga National Park is of the Virunga massif that is composed of three parks which include; Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, Virunga national park, DRC, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.

It is only a 3-hour drive from Kigali Rwanda to Mgahinga gorilla national park and it’s about an 8 or 9-hour drive from Entebbe to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Therefore, one saves 5 to 6 hours having flown to Kigali than flying to Entebbe. The Nyakagezi Gorilla group exists as the only habituated gorilla group in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Tracking In Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area

Nyakagezi gorilla group was named after a place in Mgahinga which has got plenty of food attracts mainly gorillas to reside in this area, called” Nyakagezi” thus the name Nyakagezi gorilla group.

This group of Mountain Gorillas consists of 9 members including the silverback (reigning silverback), Bugingo (the former leader), dugouts and Rukundo (blackbacks), Mathew and MAFIA (silverbacks), Mutagamba (infant), named after the former Minister of tourism, Nkanda and Furaha (juvenile).

Nyakagezi gorilla group In Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area

The Nyakagezi area in Mgahinga extends up to the national frontiers with DRC and Rwanda at times the above group visits the other groups in Volcanoes and Virunga National Parks.

Mark (the reigning silverback) still co-exists with Bugingo (the dormant silverback). Who is about 45 years of age in harmony without clashes. Mark took over from his father Bugingo from then they lived together in the same group unlike in the other gorilla families where when a dominant gets old and weakens its usually dethroned, and isolated thus forced to seek refuge in other groups. For example, in the Mubare gorilla group, when Kanyonyi took over the leadership, from Ruhondeza, he left the group and lived a single life until his death.

Nyakagezi gorilla group is a pleasant group to visit, it is the only group in Mgahinga national park, therefore, there is no congestion of visitors. This is a charming group that no one should miss out on while on a Ugandan safari with two silverbacks co-existing in harmony.

The amalgamation of gorilla trekking and volcano hiking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The three sets of extinct volcanoes are situated in a park where the Nyakagezi gorilla group lives. Therefore, this gives one a chance to meet two activities in the same place. Thus one may choose to attend both activities in one day or may decide to lodge for a night and run the activities in two days.

Uganda wildlife authority (UWA) sells 8 permits for the nyakagezi gorilla family in Mgahinga gorilla national park a day. These permits can be issued by the UWA branch office in Kisoro town along Bunagana road. Or at the Ntebeko briefing center in Mgahinga.

What is the Cost of a Gorilla Trekking Permit

A gorilla permit for foreign nonresidents costs $800, $700 for foreign residents, and 300,000 UGX for East African citizens.

UWA works hand in hand with Rwanda and DRC to improve wildlife management. In addition to conservation as well as tourism activities in the region. Mountain gorillas usually move across international borders. Hence international conservation efforts are aimed at managing these mountain highlands as one unit.

Before 2013, this group was very mobile and it used to cross to Rwanda and DRC. However, since then it has settled as they prefer a small range for nesting, feeding, and relaxing. Also there is plenty of food to feed on.

NOTE; It is only in Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable forest national where gorillas can be tracked. While other tourist activities may include