NYAKAGEZI GORILLA FAMILY.
The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only habituated gorilla family that lives in Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park. Mgahinga protects half of the world’s mountain gorilla population, which lives in its native African habitat.
Mgahinga National Park provides an abundance of food for gorillas, which is what draws these animals to this area of tropical rain forests with thick bamboo trees.
The Nyakagezi Gorilla Family consists of ten members, including Mark, the current silverback; Bugingo, the former leader; Mathew and Mafia [silverbacks], Ndungutse and Rukundo [blackbacks], Nkanda and Furaha [juveniles], and Mutagamba [infant], named after the late Mutagamba, former minister of tourism.
Mgahinga is part of the Virunga massif, which encompasses three parks:
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda; Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda; and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In contrast to other national parks, Mgahinga protects 80 mountain gorillas.
BACKGROUND OF THE FAMILY
This group has only ten members who identify as migrants. They keep visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
In 2012, the gang returned to the park and settled there. It consists of 10 members and three silverbacks. In May 2013, the group welcomed a new baby, bringing the total number of members to 11.
Bugingo, who is old [around 54 years] and dormant at the present, coexists amicably with Mark [the reigning silverback] without any confrontations.
Mark succeeded his father Bugingo, and they have lived together ever since. In contrast, in other gorilla groups, when a silverback grows old and frail, it is normally dethroned, isolated, and seeks safety in other groups.
A good example is the Mubare family. After Kanyonyi took over leadership from Ruhondeza, the latter left the group and lived a solitary life until his death.
The Nyakagezi residence [mgahinga] extends to the national borders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the family occasionally visits their counterparts in Virunga and Volcanoes national parks.
The Nyakagezi Gorilla Family in Mgahinga National Park is a charming group worth visiting because it is the only gorilla group living in Mgahinga, there is no crowding, their mobile behavior, and the interesting fact that the two silverbacks [the oldest and reigning] coexist peacefully, which who wouldn’t want to see for themselves?
The Uganda Wildlife Authority [UWA] buys eight licenses for this particular group per day.
COMBINING GORILLA TREKKING WITH VOLCANIC HIKING AT MGAHINGA GORILLA NATIONAL PARK.
The triplet extinct volcanoes are located in the same area as the Nyakagezi Gorilla Family in the Mgahinga National Area, giving you the opportunity to have a double experience.
Because gorilla trekking just takes an hour, you might combine two activities on a single-day tour.
Alternatively, you could spend the night in one of the neighboring accommodations and complete the activities in two days, which would be more cost-effective.
TOURING NYAKAGEZI FROM RWANDA.
So, if you choose to fly to Kigali rather than Entebbe, you will save 5 to 6 hours on the road since going to Entebbe will take 8 to 9 hours.
Mgahinga National Park is a three-hour trip from Kigali, Rwanda.
How to Access the Nyakagezi Gorilla Family.
Travelers interested in hiking the Nyakagezi gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park can do so by road or by plane.
Starting from Kampala, the travel to Mgahinga Park is estimated to take about 8 to 9 hours on the road as you get to appreciate the best scenery on the roadside.
Those interested in air travel can board scheduled flights from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kisoro Airstrip, where they will be met by a park driver or guide and driven to their designated resort.
BOOK AND PLAN YOUR SAFARI TO NYAKAGEZI HGORILLA FAMILY.
To the gorilla haven with experienced guides and help you experience the best in the jungle, Gecko Safaris Africa is ready to help you prepare your safari to the Nyakagezi gorilla family in the Pearl of Africa. Feel free to contact us for all you need to know about this tour, and we shall do our best to ensure your safari satisfaction.
