Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the volcano slopes of Kisoro
Published on 08/22/2026 at 17:30 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a compact, high-altitude national park in south-western Uganda, where the forested slopes of three Virunga volcanoes rise above the hills around Kisoro and provide habitat for mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. The park was gazetted as a national park in 1991, adding formal protection to an area that had already been recognised as a wildlife sanctuary on Uganda’s side of the Virunga massif.gazetted as a national park in 1991
Volcano slopes on the edge of three countries
The core of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the Ugandan side of three extinct volcanoes, Muhavura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo, which belong to the wider Virunga range shared by Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.three of the Virunga volcanoes The protected area covers roughly 33.7 km² (13.0 sq mi), making it the smallest national park in Uganda but part of a much larger cross-border conservation zone known as the Virunga Conservation Area.Virunga Conservation Area
Within its modest footprint, the park spans a considerable vertical range, from about 2,227 m (7,306 ft) near the Ntebeko headquarters to over 4,100 m (13,450 ft) on the summit of Mt Muhavura.altitude between 2,227 m and 4,127 m The lower slopes carry montane forest and bamboo, while higher ridges grade into Hagenia woodland and alpine vegetation with open moorland and scattered giant lobelias and senecios. On clear days the cone of Muhavura stands as a landmark above the terraced hills of Kisoro, while the saw-toothed ridge of Sabyinyo marks the point where the three national borders meet.
Gorillas, golden monkeys and montane forest
Despite its small size, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park supports a varied montane ecosystem, with mammals, birds and primates adapted to the cool, wet climate of the Virunga slopes. The park protects one of the remaining habitats of the mountain gorilla, a critically endangered subspecies of eastern gorilla confined to high-altitude forests in the Virunga massif and Bwindi.habitat for mountain gorillas In addition to gorillas, the forest and bamboo support golden monkeys, a brightly coloured primate whose range is closely tied to the Virunga volcanoes.golden monkeys in the Virunga
Other mammals recorded in the park include buffalo, bushbuck, various duiker species and giant forest hogs, while birdlife ranges from montane turacos to Afro-alpine specialists associated with high ridges and open moorland.about 39 mammals and over 100 bird species Trails from the Ntebeko entrance climb through distinct vegetation zones, crossing bamboo belts favoured by golden monkeys before reaching higher, more open slopes where the views extend across the wider Virunga chain into Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kisoro, Virunga Conservation Area and cross-border context
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park lies in Kisoro District in the extreme south-western corner of Uganda, a short distance south of Kisoro town and close to the borders with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.corner of south-western Uganda in Kisoro District Together with Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Congo’s Virunga National Park, it forms a single ecological unit, the Virunga Conservation Area, where protected forest and volcanic terrain continue across national frontiers.shared with Volcanoes and Virunga national parks
The park’s status as Uganda’s smallest national park, with an area of a little over 33 km², contrasts with the scale of the Virunga massif as a whole, which covers more than 400 km² of protected land across three countries.part of a 434 km² conservation area Within Uganda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park complements Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to the north, with both parks safeguarding mountain gorillas in different forest types and at different elevations. Mgahinga’s volcanic context, with steep cones and high ridges, gives it a distinct character among Uganda’s protected areas.
Visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park lies in south-western Uganda in Kisoro District, on the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and is reached by road from Kampala via Kabale and Kisoro.
- The terrain is steep and high-altitude, with trails climbing from around 2,200 m (7,218 ft) into montane forest, bamboo and open moorland on the volcano slopes, and routes include extended sections on foot.
- Kisoro town is the nearest urban centre, with the Ntebeko entrance to the park situated some kilometres away along a dirt road that includes rocky and inclined stretches.
- The official language is English and the currency is the Ugandan shilling.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Where is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park located?
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is in Kisoro District in south-western Uganda, near the borders with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on the Virunga volcano slopes.
What should visitors expect on a visit to the park?
Visitors encounter steep trails through montane forest and bamboo on high-altitude volcano slopes, with the chance to see mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and other montane wildlife in a compact protected area.
What makes Mgahinga Gorilla National Park distinctive among Uganda’s parks?
Its small area, position on three Virunga volcanoes and role within the cross-border Virunga Conservation Area give Mgahinga Gorilla National Park a distinctive combination of high-altitude terrain and endangered primate habitat.
