A combination of Gorillas and Golden Monkeys safari is one of the outstanding experiences boosted both in Uganda and Rwanda. Gorilla trek safari and Golden monkeys trip is an incredible experience in totally welcoming countries, Uganda and Rwanda. As an American, I think there’s always a bit of apprehension when traveling so far away, I would say, however that I have never felt so comfortable, safe and welcome in a country more than in Uganda. We did a lot of driving from location to location and sometimes very remote areas.  Then gorilla safaris tours is a welcoming, friendly, informative and helpful with all of our planning. I was communicating with Jackie throughout the entire process as I had many questions and l wanted to make sure we experience as much as possible while there. She was extremely patient and answered all of my questions with much detail.

Take a unique primate safari in Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in search of mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in their natural habitat. The ultimate highlight is trekking gorillas in Mgahinga National Park located in the southern part of Uganda on the border with Congo and Rwanda. Covering an area of about 33.7 sq. kilometres, the park is a habitat for man’s closest, the mountain gorillas which roam about the whole forest in search for food. This park is one of the few places in the world where the endangered mountain gorillas live and it attracts people from different countries to come on gorilla trek safaris. There is no doubt that Mgahinga Gorilla national park is one of the leading tourism sites in Uganda since it harbours these rare primates.

One may wonder why gorilla Safari should be done in Mgahinga and not in other places, but the secret behind it is that this park has a dense rain forest with a wide variety of tree species and gorillas are known to be vegetarians. There is enough food for them in the park and this is the reason why some even migrate from Congo and Rwanda to this place. Though not in large numbers, gorillas of Mgahinga are easily seen in their natural habitats and this makes tracking more easy compared to other parks.

By road, one can access the park by driving from Kampala via Kabale to Kisoro. This journey takes about 9-10 hours. By air, one can board a plane from Entebbe to Kisoro Airstrip which is near the park. This is the quickest mode of access and it takes about 1 hour. There are daily scheduled flights which must be booked long in advance with your local Uganda safari operator.

The moment you visit the park, the welcoming atmosphere is an evidence of adventure filled of natural beauty. A day trek through the forests of Mgahinga with a well-trained guide who explains the gorillas’ behaviour along the way is a lifetime experience. Normally, the gorilla trekking Safari starts from Ntebeko Entrance gate to around 8:00amin the morning daily taking 2-4 hours. A visitor is expected to budget for his/her time well while with a gorilla family since the maximum time allowed to spend with them is only one hour.

On the day of gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, your guide heads to Ntebeko visitor centre the starting point for gorilla tracking to meet your guides and begin trekking gorillas in the dense rain forest on the mountain slopes. Walking through the foliage on relatively steep climbs will reward you with a-once-in-a-lifetime experience of viewing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. There are only an estimated 880 mountain gorillas left in the wild. You will be able to sit within metres of these superb apes and experience their day to day activities. Following the trek you return to the lodge and in the even you may wish to take an optional walk around the park to visit the local communities, visit local schools or orphanage in the village.

The best time to visit the place for tracking is during the two dry seasons when the park is easily accessed. It is during this time that the thick forests can be penetrated easily and when the paths are not as muddy as it is in the rainy season. The two dry Seasons best for Gorilla Safari are; mid-December to end of February and June to October. However, gorilla tracking tourism is possible throughout the year.

The gorilla safari in Mgahinga Park enables you to track the endangered golden monkeys, endemic to the Albertine Rift and Mgahinga National Park. The park also offers a rare chance to track these striking creatures high in the dense bamboo forest on the Gahinga trail. There is an estimated 3000-4000 individual in the Virunga area which 42-60 are habituated in Mgahinga. Mgahinga is also home to 76 species of mammals, although they are difficult to glimpse in the wild forest vegetation. They include giant forest hogs, bush pigs, forest buffaloes, elephants, bush bucks, golden cats, side striped jackals, black fronted duikers and South African porcupines.

In Mgahinga National Park you can do mountain/volcano climbing. All three volcanoes in this park can be summited. Mount Sabyinyo at 3,669m takes about 8 hours to cover the 14km round trip, following a steep ridge up to the peak. It takes around 6 hours to ascend and descend Mount Gahinga at 3,474m topped by a swamp-filled crater and giant labella. Lucky climbers may spot golden monkeys on their way through the bamboo forest. Mount Muhavura is the highest peak at 4,127m and this 12m round trip takes around 8 hours. Once at the top, hikers are rewarded on a clear day with views on the Virunga Volcanoes, Lake Edward, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and peaks of the Rwenzori.

While at Mgahinga Gorilla national park, one should not worry about accommodation because there are various lodges suitable for relaxation and overnight. These are found in Ntebeko, Kisoro and Lake Mutanda. In Ntebeko, the accommodations are; Volcanoes Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge, and Amajambere Iwacu Community camp, Kisoro Traveler’s Rest Hotel and River Mucha Hotel