Volcanoes National park

Volcanoes National Park, is located in northwestern Rwanda, is a breathtaking safari destination renowned for its stunning natural beauty and diverse wildlife. The park is a home to the five of the eight Virunga Volcanoes, including Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo which provide a dramatic backdrop for a variety of flora and fauna. As one of the last remaining habitats of the critically endangered mountain gorillas, Volcanoes national park offers unforgettable trekking safari experiences, allowing visitors to observe these wonderful creatures up close. Additionally the park is inhabited by the golden monkeys, forest elephants, buffaloes and over 200 bird species, making it a haven for the nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. With its lush rainforests, alpine landscapes and volcanic lakes, Volcanoes national park provides a unique and a thrilling adventure, including hiking, gorilla trekking, birdwatching and among many others, thus supporting vital conservation efforts to protect Rwanda’s precious natural heritage.

Attractions in Volcanoes National Park.

Mountain gorillas.

The premier attraction in Volcanoes National Park are majorly the mountain gorillas, and with the gorilla trekking experience respectively. Mountain gorillas are the giant creatures that tourists should not miss out experiencing them. As these are among the major reasons to why most of the tourists should come and visit the country. Mountain gorillas are the largest living apes that share the similar DNA genes with the human beings that is 98%, so on your Rwanda safari you explore the habituated creatures that makes your safari the most incredible one.

Animal species.

Volcanoes national park is a home to a diverse range of the animal species despite of its relatively small size , the park’s lush rainforests, bamboo forests and alpine landscapes support an impressive variety of fauna like the buffaloes, bush pigs, forest elephants, golden monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, duikers, bushbucks and among many others. Additionally reptiles and amphibians like African rock pythons, forest cobras, tree frogs can be found, while smaller creatures like bush squirrels and mongoose can be spotted. With its unique habitat and location, volcanoes national park provides a haven for an astonishing variety of wildlife, making it an exciting safari destination for nature enthusiasts.

Bird species.

Volcanoes national park is a birdwatcher’s haven, hosting over 200 bird species. Some notable residents include the rare and endemic Rwenzori turaco, African olive pigeon, and Regal sunbird, crowned eagle, African goshawk, Black kit and others. The park’s montane forests are home to birds like the Mountain yellow warbler, Grey-chested illadopsis, strange weaver, and the wetlands support species like African marsh harrier, Purple Swamphen and among others. With its unique location and Congo basin bird zones, Volcanoes national park offers a fascinating mi of birdlife.

Research center of Dian Fossey.

Research center is located in Volcanoes National Park, is a renowned research and conservation facility established in 1967 by pioneering primatologist Dian Fossey. The center is dedicated to the study and protection of the mountain gorillas, and its groundbreaking research has significantly contributed to our understanding of the gorilla behavior, ecology and conservation. The center’s work focuses on monitoring gorilla populations, studying behaviours and habitat, and supporting conservation effort. Visitors can tour the center, learn about Fossey’s life and work and see exhibits on gorilla biology and conservation. The center also serves as a memorial to Fossey, who was tragically murdered in 1985, and continues her legacy of advocacy and protection for the mountain gorillas.

Virunga Mountains.

Virunga Mountains located within Volcanoes national park are a majestic chain of eight volcanic peaks stretching across of eight volcanic peaks stretching across the Rwandan, Ugandan and Congolese borders. The five volcanoes with in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park include Karisimbi (3,807 meters), Bisoke (3,700m), Muhabura (4,127m), Gahinga (3,474m), and Sabyinyo (3,669m). These volcanoes provide a dramatic backdrop for the park’s rainforests, alpine landscapes and diverse wildlife including the mountain gorillas. The Virunga Mountains’ unique geography and geology support a variety of ecosystems, from montane forests to volcanic lakes and crater lakes, making a haven for hikers, climbers and nature enthusiasts. The highest peak, Karisimbi, offering wonderful views of the surrounding landscape and Lake Kivu.

Activities to do in Volcanoes National park

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park is the most safari activity done in the park. Gorilla trekking starts with a briefing about the rules and regulations about gorilla trekking at the park headquarters. After the briefing the travelers can be divided in the groups of 8 members, and then head to the forest with the presence of the experienced park guides. The activity takes a period of 30 minutes to 4 hours regarding to the location of the gorillas, and immediately after finding them you can be given one hour to be with the presence of the mountain gorillas while observing their behaviors, how they play, how they groom one another, feeding and among many others.

The gorilla trekking permit in Volcanoes National Park is 1500 USD per permit per person, you can book your gorilla trekking permit to trek these creatures on a Rwanda safari to get the unforgettable safari memories.

Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park offers an exhilarating safari experience, allowing visitors to observe these rare and endangered primates in their natural habitat. The park is a home to golden monkeys found in the bamboo forests on the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Gahinga, guided treks typically take from 30 minutes to 3hours, lead to the monkey’s habitat, where the visitors can witness their striking golden coasts and agile behavior. With only 5000 to 6000 individuals remaining in the wild, this trek provides a unique opportunity to support conservation efforts and observe these captivating creatures up close, feeding, playing and interacting with each other’s

Hiking Virunga Mountains in Volcanoes National Park.

Rwanda is among the safari destination with the highest number of the Virunga Mountains in the entire Africa, here you get to spot 5 Virunga mountains. This the wonderful safari experience that rewards the tourists and here the tourists during hiking they get to spot the various bird species as that are hiking including the strange weaver, red throated alethe, Rwenzori Batis, long tailed cisticola and among others, without forgetting spotting the number of primate species like black and white colobus monkeys that gives you the ability of hiking and also the plant species can be viewed along the way.

Dian Fossey hike in Volcanoes National Park.

A Rwanda safari can never be complete minus taking part in the Dian Fossey hike, in Volcanoes National Park as this gives you the opportunity to get to know more about her contribution in Rwanda and the mountain gorilla conservation. Among the exciting history of Dian Fossey is that she sacrificed her adult life to take care and make research about the gorillas that through establishing Karisoke research station where she had number of research projects about the mountain gorillas how they should be sustained.

Dian Fossey found some findings about the mountain gorillas like the mountain gorillas are highly vulnerable species that contract diseases especially during gorilla trekking, that’s why the trekkers are advice to stay 7 meters away from the gorillas in the wild to avoid contraction and spreading of diseases to one another. Dian Fossey made a lot of research even she stopped poaching in the park though establishment of regular patrols in the park to avoid decrease in number of these species in their habitats, she destroyed the poachers, killed their dogs, burnt their houses and in that process the was found dead in her cabin, and was buried at the gorilla cemetery with her friends.

Bird watching in Volcanoes national park.

Bird watching in Volcanoes national park is a thrilling experience, with over 200 species recorded. The park’s diverse habitats from montane forests to alpine landscapes, host rare and endemic birds like Rwenzori turaco, African olive pigeon, Regal sunbird and among many others. With expert guides, visitors can explore the park’s birding hotspots like Bisoke Crater Lake and the forested slopes of Sabyinyo Mountain, making it a haven for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers.