Hiking mount Muhabura; Mount Muhabura is one of the three extinct volcano mountains found in Mgahinga gorilla national park which is the smallest protected area in Uganda. The national park is located in Kisoro district bordering with Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. Mount Muhabura is the steepest of the 8 Virunga Mountains and the third highest after Mount Karisimbi and Mount Mikeno. The extinct mountain stands at an altitude of 4,127 meters above the sea level and part of the mountain is also found in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Muhabura is a local word which means the guide because it was used as a guide by many travelers.

Hiking mount Muhabura in Mgahinga gorilla national park start early in the morning with a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will be allocated an experienced park guide, armed park rangers and drive to the trail head at the base of the mountain where you will start hiking in the forest which takes about 5 to 7 hours round trip depending on your level of fitness. During trekking you will have stopovers and enjoy great views of animals, different bird species, primates, plants among others and once you reach the summit, you will be rewarded with stunning views of the Crater Lake, views of other volcanic mountains, beautiful scenery, views of the twin lakes of Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo among others.

Cost of hiking Mount Muhabura

Hiking mount Muhabura in Mgahinga gorilla national park costs 80 USD per person for foreign non residents, 70 USD per person for foreign residents and 50,000 UGX per person for East African citizens. The fee is per day and incudes entrance fee and excludes tent and porter fees.

What to carry/pack for your mountain hike

When going for mountain hiking in Mgahinga gorilla national park, there are a number of items that you should carry which include hiking shoes, waterproof rain jacket, energy giving foods and drinking water, first aid kit, garden gloves, walking stick, camera and extra batteries, a pair of binoculars, back pack among others.

Best time to hike mount Muhabura

Hiking mount Muhabura can be done all year round though the best period is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February because during this time there is less rainfall in the park therefore hiking trails will be dry and passable compared to the rainy season when the hiking trails are muddy and slippery which makes trekking difficult.

Where to stay in Mgahinga gorilla national park during your safari

Mgahinga gorilla national park has a number of accommodation facilities ranging from budget, midrange and luxury where you can stay during your hiking safari including Lake Chahafi Resort, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Lake Mutanda Resort, Mt Muhabura Climbers Rest Camp, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mucha Lodge, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Travelers Rest Hotel, Ichumbi Hotel among others.

How to get to Mgahinga gorilla national park

Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in southwestern part of Uganda and can be accessed by road transport means where you will drive from Kampala or Entebbe via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro and then to the park headquarters which takes about 9 to 10 hours’ drive in a 4 WD safari vehicle.

Mgahinga gorilla national park can also be accessed by air transport means where travelers will books scheduled or charter flights with Aerolink or Bar Aviation from Entebbe airport to Kisoro airstrip and then connect to the park headquarters by road.

Travers can as well access Mgahinga gorilla national park from Kigali Rwanda where they will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to Mgahinga gorilla national park via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.

Other activities in Mgahinga gorilla national park

Apart from mountain climbing, Mgahinga gorilla national park offers other interesting activities that visitors can engage in during the safari including

Gorilla trekking where you will be able to spend one hour with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos and record videos.

Golden monkey trekking where tourists will be able to move on foot in the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated golden monkeys and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat.

Batwa cultural trail experience where travelers will be able to interact with the Batwa people who used to live in Mgahinga forest before it was gazetted into a national park, visit the forest where they used to live, visit Ngarama caves, enjoy performances from Batwa women among others.

Bird watching

Mgahinga gorilla national park is a home of over 180 recorded bird species including 14 Albertine rift endemics, forest birds and migratory birds. During bird watching, you will be able to view different bird species including kivu ground thrush, paradise flycatcher, Rwenzori turaco, handsome francolin, Regal sunbird, black collared apalis, Ruwenzori batis, blue-headed sunbird, western tinker bird, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, purple breasted sunbird among others.

Nature walks where you will get up-close and personal with different wildlife species, listen to sweet sounds of birds, enjoy the cool breeze, take beautiful pictures among others.

For more information about hiking mount Muhabura, do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website to book a hiking safari package.