Volcanoes National Park
Situated in northwestern Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Since reopening in 1999, it has experienced a growing number of visitors each day, thanks in large part to its role as the world’s most popular mountain gorilla sanctuary. With fewer than 700 of this species left, tourists can catch a rare glimpse of the gorillas as they can nowhere else in the world. Be-yond gorillas, however, the park is also able to offer some of the country’s most spectacular scenery and diverse vegetation. It is part of the Virunga Conservation Area and covers more than 125km2, including five extinct volcanoes: Muhabura, Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Karisimbi and Bisoke. The latter two can be climbed during one or two-day treks.
Against this backdrop, tourists can hike through the lush bamboo and Hygenia rainforest, open grassland and swamp of Volcanoes National Park to discover golden monkeys, bush duiker, buffalo and spotted hyenas. You will not have to listen too hard before you hear one of the 178 recorded bird species in the park. Look through the gaps in the dense forest canopy and you will also see the breathtaking peaks of the volcanoes standing tall at over 4,500m.
Made famous as the research base of the late American primatologist Dian Fossey and, subsequently, as the setting for the film Gorillas in the Mist, the park continues to uphold its reputation as a destination for unrivaled wildlife encounters. The edges of Mt. Sabyinyo are also where you will find Fossey’s tomb, as she was buried among the gorillas she grew to love so dearly.
Experienced guides will take you through this impressive montane ecosystem, where you can witness the sights and sounds of the heart of Africa.
How to reach Volcanoes National Park
You will have to use a private means to access the Park since there are no public transport services from Musanze to Kinigi Park Headquarters. Public transport services are only available from Kigali town/ Airport or Gisenyi to Musanze town. In order to make your trip smooth, use the services of tour operators like Maranatha Tours and Travel who will book for your transport to and from the park and your accommodation. There are also exciting self drive services from Kigali to visit the Park
Activities in Volcanoes National Park
What to in Volcanoes National Park on your tour
to do depending on their travel interests and time. With no doubt, Volcanoes national park is Rwanda’s most visited tour destination and a first priority for most if not all travelers to the land of a thousand hills. Among the popular activities to do in Volcanoes national park include among others:
Mountain gorilla tracking
Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Besides tracking mountain gorillas in Rwanda, the Volcanoes National Park is where silver meets gold! The golden monkeys are a few fascinating creatures that are worth tracking while on safari in Rwanda. They are largely found within the Great Virunga Mountains ranges of Volcanoes National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The golden monkeys are a sub species of the Sykes monkey also famous as the blue monkey. There are 2 groups that have been habituated for visitors to track all of which consist of 80 individuals. The adventure begins at 7:00am local time. For lifetime experiences with these striking creatures, permits can be purchased at $100 per visitor. The trek can last up to four hours with only one hour of face to face encounter with the primates. Most of these unique species largely live within the bamboo forest of Volcanoes National Park and can be sighted playing or feeding. Like mountain gorilla trekking packing list, if you are interested in this tremendous adventure, you will need to come with long trousers, long sleeved shirt or T-shirt, hat, light rain jacket or poncho, waterproof hiking boots but should be light weight for you to hike, waterproof daypack, energy giving snacks, a bottle of drinking water, camera, insect repellent, first aid kit, walking stick (this can be got from the park headquarters) and many othersBirding in Volcanoes national park
Hiking to the Dian Fossey tomb site
The Dian Fossey tomb hike is one way that you can best explore more about Dian Fossey’s conservation life. For some of you watched “Gorillas in the Mist” movie, it entails more about Dian Fossey’s life and her research camp in the Volcanoes National Park. The trek to the tomb site lasts for about 3 hours where you find the beloved gorillas “Digit” and her resting site. Dian Fossey is known to have saved the critically endangered mountain gorillas that the world is proud of today. Her research work and conservation was facilitated by the Karisoke research center that she established at a time of her research in 1967. She conducted her research on mountain gorillas for over 18 years but unfortunately she was murdered by unknown people in 1985. The surrounding area features spectacular scenic views and wildlife species, birds as well as primates. Hiking permits are sold at $75 per visitor. The trek also comes with views from golden monkeys and at times the rare mountain gorillas and birdlife.Cave exploration in Volcanoes national park
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