How to Go Gorilla Trekking on Budget
The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only existing gorilla family group habituated in Mgahinga National park. Mgahinga national park is one of Uganda’s major national parks found in the south western corner of the country. It’s part of the virunga region that stretches from Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. This group settled in the Mgahinga after its periodic movements between the Ugandan and Rwandan n and Congolese borders. It is the most easily trekked gorilla family group in Uganda, as it stays in low areas, with abundant food and therefore moving within short distances.
The Nyakagezi gorilla family group is made of 10 members under the leadership of the dominant / silverback, Mark and some of the other members include; Mathew, Nshuti, Baby Rukundo, Mutagamba, Nvuyekure, mark and bugingo, Marfia, Ndungutse, Nyiramwiza, Furraha and Nkanda.
Bugingo who is currently about 54 years old, was the former leader of the group and was later on dethroned by Mark but unlike other gorilla family groups, Bugingo and Mark co-exist in the same family group without any clutches between them.
Before gaining permanent settlement, it was hard to trek this group but since its settlement in 2012, the group tends to attract a reasonable number of tourists.
Access
Mgahinga national park can be easily accessed by both air and road transport taking about 9 – 10 hours from Kampala and about 3 hours from Kigali. When visiting this place, no need to worry about where to stay since there are several accommodation facilities within the park premises like; Gahinga Volcanoes Lodge , Kisoro Travellers rest Inn (once used by the famous Dianne Fossely on her Ugandan visits).
Apart from trekking the Nyakagezi mountain group, there are other several tourist activities that can be enjoyed while visiting the Mgahinga national park and these are; birding, mountain hiking, golden monkeys tracking and wildlife safaris.
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