GUNUNG · Uganda / Rwanda

Mount Gahinga

Gahinga / Mgahinga

Information

Elevation: 3.474 m
Country: Uganda / Rwanda (UG)
Location / Range: Pegunungan Virunga (Virunga Massif)
Mountain type: Gunung berapi (dorman/punah) dengan kaldera berawa di puncak
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -1.3873, 29.6435
Difficulty: Sedang; pendakian sehari yang curam dan sering berlumpur
Best Season: Juni–September & Desember–Februari (musim lebih kering)
Permits & Rules: Izin + pemandu wajib lewat Uganda Wildlife Authority di Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Ntebeko)
Hazards: Jalur berlumpur & licin, vegetasi lebat, hujan mendadak, ketinggian, kaldera berawa di puncak

Description

Mount Gahinga (3,474 m) is a dormant volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the Uganda–Rwanda border and part of the chain of eight Virunga volcanoes spanning Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Gahinga is the smallest of the three volcanoes on the Ugandan side—sitting between Muhabura and Sabyinyo—and its name in the Kinyarwanda/Rufumbira dialect means 'a small pile of stones'. Its summit holds a swampy caldera roughly 180 m wide. The mountain lies inside Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (which is named after it) and is usually climbed as a steep, muddy day trek from the park headquarters at Ntebeko, with a permit and guide from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Jalur Volcano Gahinga (Ntebeko – Puncak)

Moderat (pendakian volcano paling ringan di Mgahinga)

±6 jam pulang-pergi (sekitar 12 km)

The standard day hike up Mount Gahinga from the Ntebeko visitor centre after a UWA ranger briefing. It climbs gently through farmland then dense bamboo forest (home to golden monkeys), ending at a shallow summit crater filled with swamp and sub-alpine plants like lobelia at 3,474 m. A guide/ranger is mandatory; the trail is slick and muddy after rain.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Mount Gahinga is usually climbed as a day trek (~6 hours round trip) from the Ntebeko visitor centre in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and is considered the easiest of the three volcano climbs on the Ugandan side. The trail rises through farmland then dense bamboo forest—home to golden monkeys—ending at a shallow summit crater filled with swamp and sub-alpine plants like lobelia at 3,474 m. Hikers describe slick, muddy going after rain, cold misty air at the top, and classic Virunga views toward Muhabura and Sabyinyo.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.