Mist drifts through the slopes of towering volcanoes as the morning sun glints off the lush rainforest. Somewhere in the dense undergrowth, a silverback gorilla leads his family through the trees, not far away, a troop of golden monkeys leaps gracefully from branch to branch. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda’s smallest national park, is where the rare mountain gorilla and the endangered golden monkey share a home, offering visitors the unique chance to track both in one breathtaking destination.
Located in southwestern Uganda in the Kisoro District, Mgahinga covers just 33.7 km², yet it’s part of the larger Virunga Conservation Area, which spans Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its landscape is dominated by three extinct volcanoes, Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabyinyo whose slopes are carpeted in montane forests, bamboo stands, and Afro-alpine vegetation.
Although small, the park is a biodiversity hotspot and a cultural treasure, home to the Batwa people, the region’s original forest inhabitants.
Primates: Mountain Gorillas, Golden Monkeys, Black-and-White Colobus Monkeys, Blue Monkeys
Mammals: Bushbucks, Giant Forest Hogs, Forest Buffaloes, Leopards (rare)
Birds: Rwenzori Turaco, Crowned Hornbill, Paradise Flycatcher, Dusky Turtle Dove
It’s the only park in Uganda where you can see both the “silver” of the mountain gorillas and the “gold” of the golden monkeys. With its dramatic volcanic scenery, cultural depth, and intimate wildlife encounters, Mgahinga is a perfect complement to a Ugandan safari, small in size, but mighty in experience.
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