Virunga Mountains is a chain of volcanoes located in the Eastern region of Africa. They are 8 active and dormant volcanoes including Mikeno, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Muhabura, Nyiragongo, Nyamuragira, Gahinga and Bisoke.
These ranges are scattered in D.R Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda. They have fertile soils with great composition of tropical rainforest vegetation and fauna. The region has been mainly known of the mountain gorillas that can only be found in this region globally.
Mountain Gahinga
This mountain is one of the 8 volcanoes that make up the Virunga ranges. It stands at an elevation of 3,474 meters in altitude and is one of the highest of the Virunga ranges. It is situated at the border of Uganda and Rwanda, and both countries share a considerable portion of this highland. Mountain Gahinga lies in-between its sister ranges of Sabinyo and Muhabura. In Uganda, the mountain can be accessed via the South Western region of the country in the district of Kisoro. The mountain’s name means a pile of small stones in Kifumbira language, a language widely spoken in the township of Kisoro. This volcano is extinct, and the progressive volcanic activities left a 180 meters Caldera on top.
The mountain slopes of Gahinga have a large composition of alpine vegetation. Majorly, there is bamboo vegetation which boosts wildlife especially apes. Because of these features, the mountain slopes on the Ugandan side have an area gazette as a national park – Mgahinga National Park. There’s a vibrant presence of vervet monkeys, white and black colobus monkeys, baboons, and the rare golden monkeys. However, of the present wildlife, the national park is greatly known for the Mountain Gorillas.
Mgahinga National Park is the alternative area to trek mountain gorillas after Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. There’s at least one habituated mountain gorilla family that is available for the tourist activities, and also other families present for the mountain gorilla trekking.
Hiking Mount. Gahinga
Hiking this mountain isn’t as complicated as Sabyinyo and Muhabura. However, the activity still requires the hiker to be of good physic and fit enough to get to Gahinga’s summit. The hike takes an average of 6 hours. For one to hike Gahinga, they need to procure a permit. This can be acquired at $75 at the Mgahinga National Park offices. Acquisition of the permit doesn’t require earlier bookings like the usual mountain gorilla trekking, and therefore can be acquired on the very day the tourist chooses to take the hike.
The hike commences at 7:00am and tourists are informed to prepare prior to the hike. They are then assigned rangers who take the tourists through the history of the mountain, the national park, and also show them around the flora and fauna as they progress to higher altitudes. A free hiking stick is also provided by the Park to enable the hikers in gaining stability as they hike. The tourists in need of porters can also make arrangements at a separate fee.
While on the summit, the sister volcanoes are visible, plus the Mountain Rwenzori ranges at a distance. The hikers should take note that the temperatures become colder as they progress in altitude and therefore have to take caution.
Other activities in Mount. Gahinga
Birding, Mountain Gorilla trekking, expeditions of Batwa villages, Bakiga and Bafumbira customs and Golden Monkey trekking and habituation.
Best time to visit Mount. Gahinga
The best time to visit Mt. Gahinga is between July and August, and then December to February, when the tropics have their dry season.
Mountain Muhabura
Its alternate name is ‘Muhavura’ and it’s only shared between Rwanda and Uganda. Mountain Muhabura is an extinct volcano and it has the 3’rd highest peak of the Virunga ranges, after Mountains Mikeno and Karisimbi. Muhabura is the steepest of all the existent volcanoes in the Virunga.
It’s part of the Mgahinga National Park of Uganda, and also Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The highest point of Muhabura sits at 4,127 meters above sea level. The closest ranges to Muhabura are Mt. Sabinyo and Mt. Gahinga. In the Kinyarwanda and Kifumbira languages, Muhabura when translated into English means ‘the guide’. The origin of the mountain’s name was due to the historical fact that it was often used as a guide for the distant travelers to locate their way to and from the region.
Muhabura has a cone like shape, and it’s greatly composed of volcanic ash on its slopes. The volcanic ash’s mixture with other sedimentary rock material gives off fertile soils that are essential in the growth of the present shrubs and thickets present on the mountain’s slopes. Another important feature of Muhabura is the Kabiranyuma River.
This river flows along the slopes of the mountain and equally separates the two ranges Muhabura and Gahinga. Muhabura is not without wildlife either. It has a stock of hundreds of bird species that migrate from the Albertine region to mix with the endemic birds around the mountain. Muhabura’s slopes also are a home to tens of distinct mammal species that breed and graze on the short green vegetation such as elephants, mountain gorillas, monkeys, and buffalos. These animals are better accessible and visible on the Ugandan side of the mountain.
Hiking Mount. Muhabura
As earlier noted, Muhabura is the steepest volcano in the Virunga. Hiking this volcano is therefore perhaps the most complicated as compared to the other volcanoes within the Virunga region. The activity therefore requires sophisticated mental and physical preparation for one to hike this volcano.
In Uganda, the preparations are made at the Ntebeko Visitor Center where payments are made, and subsequently, tour guides provided by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. These also double as rangers and they guide the hikers by providing them with information about the history of the volcano, guiding them through the hiking trails, and also providing them with the necessary security.
Hiking is done in groups and depending on the present numbers of the hikers, the group maybe split into two in order to separate seasonal hikers from the experienced hikers. This is to guarantee that every hiker gets an awesome experience while hiking the mountain.
The hikers with luggage can hire porters at a fee to help with the carrying of their luggage. The hike commences at 7:00am and takes an average of 5 to 7 hours, depending on the experience level of the hiker. The tourist should be sure to carry enough water because drinking water is assured for most tourists.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Mt. Muhabura is between July and August, and then December to February, when the tropics experience dry season.
Mountain Sabyinyo
Mountain Sabyinyo is also among the dormant volcanoes in the Virunga region. It also doubles as the oldest volcano among the 8 volcanoes. The mountain’s name originates from the Kinyarwanda word ‘Iryinyo’ which when translated into the English language means ‘tooth’. The alternative name of the mountain is ‘Sabyinyio’. Unlike other volcanoes, Sabyinyo is situated within the intersection point of the three countries that form the Virunga.
The highest point of Sabyinyo is at an altitude of 3,669 meters above sea level. This mountain is surrounded by three national parks, one from each of the three Virunga countries i.e. D.R Congo’s Virunga National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, and Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park. Sabyinyo’s nickname of the ‘old man’s tooth’ is a figurative description of the mountain’s peak that has similarities with an old man’s broken tooth.
Another interesting feature is that this mountain is separated by a 20 meters crater from Mt. Muhabura. Sabyinyo is majorly known for harboring mountain gorillas that are globally endangered species. It however also has other animal species such as elephants, buffalos, and monkeys of different species. The slopes of Mt. Sabyinyo are generally rugged and there’s numerous small craters as one progresses to the higher elevation points of the volcano.
Hiking Mount. Sabyinyo
Hiking Sabyinyo poses great challenges since the slopes of the mountain are infested with small craters. These in turn led to formation of ridges and gulley that rendered the slopes of this mountain rugged. Hiking Sabyinyo can only be done on its Ugandan side because the trails are fairly laid.
To solve the challenge of hiking the rugged slopes, Uganda Wildlife Authority established man-made ladders. These quicken the climbing to the higher points. For one to hike Sabyinyo, the tourist makes the required payment of $85 to the Mgahinga National Park office. At this point, they are issued a ranger who also acts as a guide to the hikers. The rangers inform the tourists of the natural formation of Mt. Sabyinyo, its historical significance to the communities around, and the fauna and flora composition on the volcano’s slopes.