Mgahinga gorilla national park- Filming in Uganda has been an important Adventure for the visitors interested in making documentaries about the Uganda wildlife species. Mgahinga National Park is one of the smallest National parks in Uganda which is home to beautiful gorillas. There is only one habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park called Nyakagezi which is available for Filming. Other endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda can be found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park with half of the words Endangered Mountain. The presence of a large number of mountain gorillas in Uganda undeniably presents Uganda as the best destination for filming the endangered mountain gorillas. The gorilla family in Mgahinga is big enough and it has got one silverback.

Are you a filmmaker and you’re interested in doing filming in Mgahinga national park found in southwestern Uganda? Yes, it is possible to do regulated gorilla filming in Mgahinga gorilla National Park. The gorilla filming in Mgahinga National park is regulated by the set rules by the government of Uganda through the Uganda wildlife authority a body that is in charge of all the protected areas in Uganda. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is precious with and it protected endangered primates of Mountain gorillas and the rare golden monkeys as well as the Volcano climbing. There are 3 volcanoes in Mgahinga National Park that you can hike and these include the Gahinga, Sabinyo, and Mount Muhavura. At Africa Adventure Vacation we shall assist you in obtaining the gorilla permits and the filming permits, the press cards giving the local film fixers, arranging for you the transportation and accommodation, assist you in the Kit clearing among others. You just need to contact us for more details.

Mgahinga National Park is one of the Virunga Mountain chains which are shared by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda and this is famous for gorilla trekking. Mgahinga National Park is bounded by the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park in Uganda. The vegetation in Mgahinga National Park is majorly composed of the equatorial green forest, low land equatorial evergreen vegetation, mountain mambo forests, and montane rain forest. You will need to travel to southwestern Uganda to access the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Things to Film in Mgahinga National Park

Mountain gorilla filming in Mgahinga National Park: 

Mgahinga National park is the home to only one habituated gorilla family called Nyakagezi and this implies that the park is among the 4 national parks with rare mountain gorillas and this makes it one of the few national parks of the world with the endangered mountain gorillas. Televisions and production companies, documentary companies, film crew companies, journalists have flocked to Mgahinga National Park for the mountain gorilla filming adventure. Visitors who come to Mgahinga national park for commercial filming are entitled to pay some money for this purpose and usually, the Uganda wildlife authority grants film crew members of about one to five people that are allowed for filming. The Uganda Wildlife Authority issues permit for normal gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park at USD700 per person per trek.

The other category is that of the marketing filming and this costs USD4000 daily excluding the gorilla trekking permit. Remember that you cannot do the gorilla filming without securing and paying for the gorilla permits on top of paying USD4000 for the filming expedition. The Uganda wildlife authority still charges 40% of the total amount of the filming activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Only one habituated family of the gorillas is found in Mgahinga national park which is available for filming. This gorilla family is called Nyakagezi which has got nine members including four silverbacks, two adults, two infants, and a juvenile. The Nyakagezi family used to migrate and cross the border to Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo but with time, the group has now fully settled in Mgahinga National Park where people can go and do gorilla filming at ease.

Golden Monkey filming in Mgahinga National Park:

Filming golden monkeys is yet another adventurous activity that is done in Mgahinga gorilla national Park’ golden monkeys can only be found in this park in the whole of Uganda living comfortably with the endangered mountain gorillas and other mammals species such as the buffaloes, reptiles birds, and the amphibian species. There about 4000 golden monkeys that are found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and this plenty offers the best opportunity for filming them within this park. The golden monkey is only found in Virunga volcanoes and is as well classified as endangered. They stay in a group called troops of 100 that are led by a dominant male and they find their best dish on bamboo shoots, flowers, leaves, lichens, seasonal fruits, and tiny invertebrates. Filming and having a documentary about these golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park is very possible and we organize for you all what is required for you to do golden monkey filming in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Volcano Mountain filming in Mgahinga National Park: 

You have an opportunity also to film and make a documentary about the Gahinga and the associated volcanoes. There are 3 volcanoes that are found within the Mgahinga National Park and these include Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Sabinyo, and Mountain Muhavura. While filming, you will get clear views of the Volcano ranges, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Lake Edward, and the peaks of the mountain Rwenzori which is covered with snow as well as the other wildlife species such primates, gorillas, and bird species, we shall make sure that we organize for you the filming permits, services of the local film fixer, Kit clearance and all other services that are essential for the successful filming of the Mountain gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Other activities to do in Mgahinga other than filming

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla Park: 

Gorilla tracking involves visitors moving on foot in the forests in search of the habituated gorilla family. This activity starts in the morning at the park headquarters with a briefing and then after briefing journey to the forest starts while following the well-established trails with the help and guidance of the ranger guides, researchers, and trackers and once you find the gorilla family that you are searching, then you will spend one hour seeing it while standing in a distance of 7 meters away from the gorillas family.

Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga gorilla Park: 

Golden monkeys are one of the rare monkey species in the world but Uganda is gifted with these unique monkey species and can only be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National park. Golden monkey tracking is the major activity that is conducted in the park, and therefore this activity is the key for the visitors to Mgahinga Park.

Batwa Cultural experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: 

Culture experience is one of the activities sold alongside gorilla trekking safaris. It is important to note that Mghinga Gorilla national park before gazetted into a national park was occupied by the indigenous communities of the Batwa pygmies who were later relocated to the areas surrounding the park.

Bird-watching safaris in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: 

Bird-watching safari is one of the interesting activities that most visitors have done even when they are on the gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking expedition in Mgahinga national park. There are different bird species that you can sport while in Mgahinga for bird watching and these include Brown-crowned Tchagra, Dusky Turtle Dove, Rwenzori Batis among others.

Mountain hiking safaris in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: 

Volcanic hiking offers the best adventurous activity to people interesting in hiking safari in Uganda. You can spare time to go to Mgahinga National park for hiking safaris. Volcano climbing in Mgahinga is the best adventure that you have ever heard of. You can decide to hike Sabinyo, Gahinga, and Muhavura mountains.

When to go for Filming in Mgahinga National Park

Endangered Mountain gorilla filming in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in southwestern Uganda can be done any day or any season of the year but most of the journalist and film crew members prefer going to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for gorilla filming during the drier months when rains are little. The drier months include June, July, August, and from early September to February. These months’ present the dry season in Uganda hence the best place for gorilla filming however, filming can be done in any month of the year.

How to get to Mgahinga gorilla National Park for filming

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can be accessed from Entebbe international airport or Kigali international airport in Uganda for filming crew members. Getting to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park via Kigali international airport is so easiest and shortest route as it will take you about 4 to 5 hours to reach the park through Katuna or Cyanika borders between Uganda and Rwanda. Our professional drivers will pick you from Kigali international airport or at the hotel where you slept and traverse with you through the city of Kigali and then start the cross country journey and have your lunch in Kisoro for lunch and a night and then wakeup for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. However, visitors can use 8 to 9 hours to arrive from Entebbe international airport to Mgahinga gorilla National Park with good interesting stopovers. You can as well opt to fly from Entebbe international airport/Kajjansi airfield to Kisoro airstrip which is about two hours Aerolink Uganda limited operated flights in addition to other chartered flights such as that land at Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip and then use an airport transfer to your hotel.

Where to stay in Mgahinga National Park while filming?

There are different accommodating facilities around Mgahinga National Park and it upon you to choose the best accommodation where you would like to stay depending on your budget. The best option will enable you to stay at an accommodation facility that overlooks the Virunga mountain ranges. The accommodation facilities in Mgahinga range from budget up to luxury accommodation facilities. In Mgahinga National park, visitors can stay at Lake Mulele Safari Lodge, Gahinga lodge, and Lake Chahafi resort. Some visitors can decide to stay at various lodges and hotels in Kisoro and some can even stay at Bwindi lodges especially at Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, gorilla forest camp, Trekkers tavern lodge, Bakiga lodge among others. You need to make you’re booking as early enough to ensure you get a better accommodation facility to stay at during your stay in Mgahinga gorilla National Park.