Age limit for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga

Are you planning a family gorilla tour to Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and you want to trek gorillas with your son or daughter, are you trying to find out what is the age limit for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga? Do you want to know about the Maximum and Minimum age of gorilla trekking? What ages are allowed to see the gorillas in Uganda? Eco Adventure Safaris got you covered on all answers you want. Mgahinga National Park has located in Kisoro district southwestern Uganda, East Africa. Mgahinga gorilla national park is among the Virunga volcanic mountain chain of Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda famous for Mountain gorilla safaris.

The park is Uganda’s smallest national park which is boarded by Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo and Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda. Mgahinga gorilla national park has three volcanoes namely Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Sabyinyo and Mountain Muhabura all of which are part of the six Virunga Mountains. Mgahinga National Park harbors the endangered mountain gorilla and the Golden Monkeys.  The park is a tropical rain forest comprised of lowland equatorial evergreen forest, tropical seasonal forest, montane rain forests and mountain Bamboo.

Mgahinga National Park is among the ten National Parks in Uganda for tourism and the second national park for especially gorilla tourism. This park is such a beauty that you should not miss out while visiting Uganda. It is under the management of the Uganda wildlife Authority, a government body in charge of all the conservation areas in Uganda.

What is the Minimum and Maximum age for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga?

According to the Uganda wildlife Authority policy, Gorilla trekking minimum age is currently at 15 years and anyone below that age is considered a minor or child and thus not fit to trek the once-endangered mountain gorillas in Mgahinga National Park.  Children or minors many not be contained and in order to avoid such, children or minors are not allowed to trek gorillas in Uganda’ gorilla parks, a child may decide to make noise or run which may result into gorillas charging and becoming/act wild to visitors.  There are many reasons why children below 15 years are not allowed to trek mountain gorillas in Mgahinga National Park is due to the fact that children tend to have communicable diseases which can easily be transmitted to mountain gorillas since humans and mountain gorillas almost share the same genes, diseases such as cough and flue can easily be transmitted. The other reason is that the trek can sometimes be hard as Bwindi is hilly, it can be slippery and the surface is rough which Kids many not be able to handle.

Children of age of 15 years also pay the same gorilla permit price as for the adults to do gorilla trekking, Most times the children are grouped with the family they traveled with for the gorilla trek in the forest for easy management and care of their parents. The passport will be reviewed to ensure minors are not allowed to trek the gorillas and if found that the child is a minor, you won’t be allowed to trek even when you have a permit secured. Children who are minors can travel with their parents on safari and be left at the hotel or with the driver guide while parents are on the trek. They can participate in nature walks and community walk.

There is no maximum age for gorilla trekking provided on can travel to the Park, though there are options to help the elderly to get to see the gorillas. You can opt to pay for a Porter who helps you carry your bag pack and also gives you a hand as you hike through the forest, there is also a sedan chair which helps to carry the elderly to see the gorillas, and this goes for about $300 per person be carried to and from the forest. We have had visitors aged 70’s and 80’s be able to trek and see the gorillas. Gorilla trekking is a lifetime experience that you shouldn’t miss out.

Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga National Park

Mgahinga National Park is another unique place in Uganda for amazing gorilla tourism. Gorilla trekking is visiting the rare mountain gorillas in their natural environment as you view their beauty, the way they move, feed, and live. The gorillas are known to have 99% of the human DNA and are amazing to watch. Mgahinga National Park has one habituation gorilla family known as the Nyakagezi gorilla family available for trekking every day. Only eight visitors are allowed to visit per pay for only one hour of Viewing once you find the gorillas. Age limit for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga

For a successful gorilla trek in Mgahinga national park, you are required to have a valid gorilla permit secured from Uganda wildlife Authority for your desired date of the trek at USD700 for Foreign Non-Residents, USD600 for Foreign Residents, and Uganda shillings 250,000 for East African citizens. On the day of the trek, you will drive to the Park Headquarters for a briefing on the regulations to follow while in the forest, and with the gorillas, experienced guides and Park rangers will accompany you on the trek into the dense rain forest on the mountain slopes. The journey, through dense foliage and up steep climbs, is abundantly rewarded with the lifetime experience of viewing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. You will have an opportunity to be within 7-5 meters of these magnificent apes, sharing in their daily lives and experiencing their day-to-day activities. You will be allowed one hour of viewing the gorillas and then return to the starting point to receive a certificate for a successful gorilla trek.

How to get to Mgahinga National Park

Mgahinga gorilla National Park can easily be accessed from Kigali in Rwanda just four-hour drive from to the Park, through the Chanika boarder between Uganda and Rwanda. The drive from Kigali can start from the Airport /hotel with a city tour of Kigali and then cross into Kisoro district in Uganda for Lunch and overnight. You can also access Mgahinga National park from Entebbe/Kampala, where you will drive approximately 9-10 hours’ drive on Kampala-Mbarara- Kisoro highway to the park. There is also and option of flying from Entebbe international Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip and the flight is about 2 hours into Kisoro Airstrip. There are scheduled flights departing every day with Aero link Uganda and other flight companies, charter flights are also available. We can tailor your trip and you visit other parks with also a visit to Mgahinga national for an amazing experience.

Where to stay in Mgahinga National Park?

Mgahinga National Park has a number of accommodation choices where you can stay while on your visit. Most of the lodges are found in the out skirts of the forest with a clear view of the forest and the mountain ranges. The Lodges range from Budget to Luxury and these include; Gahinga Lodge which is a luxury hotel, Lake Chahafi Lodge, Lake Muhele Lodge which can serve as for both Midrange and Budget. There is also an option of staying in hotels in Kisoro town, the town is just 30 minutes’ drive to the Park headquarters. Some the travelers opt to stay in Lodges/Camps in Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as it is about 1 hour drive to Mgahinga National Park.

Why book with Eco Adventure Safaris to Mgahinga National Park?

Eco Adventure Safaris is experienced in organizing amazing gorilla trekking safari experiences to Uganda and Rwanda. We are also highly rated and reviewed on trip Advisor. We combine gorilla trekking safaris with eco-friendly and unforgettable high-end adventure and wildlife safaris that help preserve biodiversity, conserve wildlife and uplift local communities, these include chimpanzee trekking, Big 5 safaris and game viewing, Mountain Hiking, Boat cruises excursions and Cultural encounters to give you a memorable and best African Safari experience including popular and great African safari destinations Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana and Namibia. Feel free to contact us about the age limit for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga.