One of the smallest parks located in Kisoro District, south west part of Uganda is bordered by the volcanoes national park of Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo Virunga national park. This park is a perfect place for all outdoor enthusiasts mainly because you get to experience the feel of nature at its best. The park offers nature walks along with the bamboo forest home to diverse 76 species of mammals like golden cats, side-striped jackals, African porcupine giant forest hogs, bush pigs, forest buffalos, and elephants, etc.
Gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking are the most famous activities done at this park. During this trek, visitors follow the gorillas around as they go about their daily activities like searching for food. Guests who want longer hours with the gorillas will be introduced to Nyakagezi gorilla habituated family made up of 10 members; Mark is the head of the family. What makes this family exceptional is the fact that the 5 silverbacks live harmoniously. The beauty of coming to here is that you get to trek gorillas and track the 60 endangered golden monkeys simultaneously. This can be done on the Gahinga trail where visitors enthusiastically spend time watching and taking pictures of these playful primates with their lovely long golden hair on their backs. As you enjoy the habituation experience, trained guides will be around to tell some of the interesting stories about the primates.
For all bird fanatics prepare to be enthralled by about 180 diverse species like the olive thrush, dusky Tuerte dove, brown-crowned Tchagra, Bronze Sunbird, Cape robin chat, and the Kivu-ground thrust. The 4-hour trail between the bamboo forest at the chasm of mountain Sabinyo and Gahinga are the jewels of birding in this park. Some of the birds to look out for are the Rwenzori batis, striped breasted tit, olive pigeon, greater double collard, handsome francolin, speckled mous, fire finch, etc. You can continue further to the bamboo forests, swamps, and the ground level of the Uganda, DRC border home to the Doherty’s bush shrike, banded Prinia Chubb’s Cisticola, red-faced woodland warbler, etc.
Photography fanatics should consider a hiking adventure to Mufumbiro Mountain home to the astonishingly stunning three Virunga volcano mountains; Muhavura, Gahinga, and Sabinyo. As you venture on the one-day guided hike to the summit, capture photos of the remarkable farmland, montane woodland, bamboo forest, and the tree heathers covering the mountains. Muhavura locally translated as “The Guide” is the highest of all provides an impeccable view of the other peaks and it can be seen from Kisoro town. At the summit, prepare to be dazzled by the magical views of the park, Rwanda and Congo. These trained guides always give informative insights into the Mufumbiro Mountains locally translated as mountains that cook. Sabinyo Mountain is the most fascinating to hike simply because the summit is a meeting spot for 3 different countries, Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. The feeling of standing in three different countries at the same time is so extraordinary to disregard.
Get ready for a memorable cultural adventure along the Batwa trail that takes you to the Batwa community. The forest was home to the Batwa people however they were displaced but some still live around the park. On this tour, locals will narrate some interesting stories of how they managed to live in harmony with the gorilla in the forest; survival tactics for generations through hunting, fruit gathering, and many other activities. The Batwa are always happy to show off their traditional ways like cooking, preparing local medicines, music, dance. Make it a point to visit the sacred Garama caves that are said to have once been the home to the Batwa king. You will hear stories from the locals of how they managed to hide out in the caves from the Bantu invasion years back.