Batwa Trail-Mghahinga Experience

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Matovu

December 26, 2025•

The most beautiful walk way to the resource center of all game parks in Uganda. The big old trees, the moss, the ferns, the cool air, the rumbling river, the birds... Very very beautiful.

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MUTEBE

November 23, 2025•

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Small but Stunning! A peaceful and beautiful park with incredible volcanic scenery. Gorilla trekking here feels very personal because the park is less crowded. You can also hike Mount Gahinga, Muhavura, or Sabinyo for amazing views. The golden monkey tracking is another unique experience. The guides are friendly and knowledgeable, and the whole place feels calm and natural. A perfect spot for adventure and wildlife lovers

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Flora

November 10, 2025•

This is a lovely park, and I noticed that almost all 1-star reviews are from African tourists who write that the park is great - I belive they dont realise that 5 stars is the best rating you can give - believing that you should give 1 star if you think the experience was 'number 1, top grade'... which is a common intercultural misunderstainding but a bit unfortunate here. The Batwa tour is amazing and they take you on a hike in the forest where they have prepared examples of how they used to live and hunt in the forest, illustrated thorugh small role plays which are entertaining. While the tour is amazing and they are intriguing and very welcoming people, their story is very sad, this vulnerable group was brutally disposessed and thrown out of their forest since ignorant governments and conservation organisations believe it is impossible to conserve gorillas at the same time as conserving the Batwa's uniqe culture, while they have lived side by side with gorillas for millenia and gorillas are thretended by farmers, tea plantations and poachers, not the Batwa. Their completely unique culture should be a cherished UNESCO cultural heritage. We went on three different tours - Golden monkey, Batwa and Gorilla. It's best to save the gorillas for last so as to build up to the experience. It is much easier to get a permit here since most operators prefer taking tourists to Bwindi. Our guide to the gorillas and on the Batwa tour was very friendly and excellent. We stayed at the community camp which was simple but friendly and adequate with well-cooked food and very conveniently located just a few minutes from the park! For us the golden monkeys were the furthest away, but this varies and can take up to 6 hours. Bamboo walking sticks are provided but you may want to take your own poles, it can be slippery and steep. Reasonably fit people should have no problem, despite the altitude, they can walk slowly and guides are patient. It’s possible to hire a porter even just for a small daypack for a minimum of 20 USD; they come from the local community and is a good way to give back something to them while ensuring you can manage the trek. As usual with national parks across East Africa where Americans have introduced profuse tipping, guides and trackers etc. have come to expect tips, and their wages are kept low since they receive tips anyway – not a great system if you ask me. The permits are very expensive and it is provoking that the money mainly goes to the government and the National parks while the guides get small salaries. The money should really be channeled to the guides! On the Batwa tour the community only gets 50% of what you pay for the tour - the park takes the rest which is also not right... On each trek there are 3 trackers following the monkeys from morning to evening to easily be able to find them the next day, plus one guide and two guards with rifles at the front and back – all expecting a tip. In addition, the local community performs a dance and beat drums when you are coming for the trek – while it is good that they are engaging the community it is yet another request for your money, so be prepared with a lot lot of small bills to give to all these people or prepare to feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, children and even adults all along the road to the park shout ‘Mzungu! Give me money!’ when they see white people - again since tourists have found it amusing to hand out money or sweets when driving past – this is now encouraging kids to run after cars and beg for these things, and one day a terrible accident is bound to happen. I really wish people would behave more sensibly and treat local people with respect, contributing to good causes when they can and buying/staying locally but not handing out gifts out of the blue when driving past as if white people are walking bags of money. This will not encourage equal encounters and respectful meetings.

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Naomi

September 05, 2025•

We did the golden monkey trekking, absolutely worth it. It’s quite a hike up the mountain, but along a good trail. We even had bonus chameleon.

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Cé

March 02, 2025•

We had last week an incredible experience at Mgahinga Park and were lucky to have only a short hike to reach the gorillas. This is the only gorilla family in the park, making the encounter even more special. It’s an experience I will never forget. The gorillas are truly majestic and radiate an incredible sense of calm. A big thank you to our guides and rangers James, Innocent, and Robert who knew every detail about the gorillas and their behavior. James, in particular, had worked in Bwindi for several years and also spent some time in Mgahinga, giving him an impressive depth of knowledge. Many thanks to the entire team at Mgahinga Park for making this such an unforgettable adventure!