Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes national park is the most popular Rwanda safari destination for excellent mountain gorilla trekking safaris and being a home to the endangered mountain gorillas, the park is located in the northwestern region of Rwanda. Volcanoes national park is part of the great Virunga conservation area (VCA) together with Virunga national park of Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga national park of Uganda. These two parks (members of the Virunga Conservation Area) borders Volcanoes national park and they also part of the only 4 national parks in the world which are habitat to the endangered mountain gorillas.
Volcanoes national park covers an area of 160 square kilometers encompassing of 5 volcanoes which are part of the Virunga mountains chain and it is from this chain of mountain from which the park gets its name. Volcanoes in Virunga national park include Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhabura. Volcanoes national park is rich with montane ecosystems consisting of evergreen and bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp and heath.
Volcanoes national park is famously known for being a base for Dian Fossey an American zoologist and her research about mountain gorilla conservation, Dian Fossey dedicated all her life to protecting and conserving mountain gorillas and during her works she opened a research centre where she studied the gorillas for 18 years until she was killed by unknown people. The works of Dian Fossey are portrayed in the internationally famous movie “Gorillas in the Mist” shot in volcanoes national park.
mountain gorillas are prime tourist attraction in Volcanoes national park and these gorillas include wild gorillas and habituated gorillas. It’s the habituated gorillas which are trekked during mountain gorilla trekking safaris, mountain gorillas live in groups which are headed by a dominant silverback. Mountain gorilla groups in Volcanoes national park include Amahoro, Hirwa, Bwenge, Titus, Karisimbi, Susa A, Ugenda, Umbano, Agashya and Kwitonda gorilla groups.
Apart from Mountain gorillas, volcanoes national park inhabits other forest animals such as elephants, giant forest hogs, duikers, spotted hyenas, bush bucks, buffaloes, bush pigs and primates such as golden monkeys among others. The thick forests of Virunga national park are a home to over 200 bird species including Albertine rift endemics, birds in the park include Grauer’s rush warbler, Rwenzori batis, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori double –collared Sunbird, handsome francolin, strange weaver, dusky crimson-wing, collared Apalis, red-faced woodland warbler and Archer’s ground robin among others.
THINGS TO DO IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
MOUNTAIN GORILLA TREKKING
Mountin gorilla trekking is a remarkable safari experience and the popular Rwanda safari activity offered in Volcanoes national park, the park a home to a huge population of mountain gorillas which are encountered during Rwanda Mountain gorilla trekking experience.
Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park include wild and habituated mountain gorillas and its is the habituated gorillas which are trekked during Rwanda mountain gorilla trekking safari. The habituated mountain gorillas underwent through habituation process in which they were trained to be less aggressive to human presence, mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park live in groups and they include Amahoro, Hirwa, Bwenge, Titus, Karisimbi, Susa A, Ugenda, Umbano, Agashya and Kwitonda gorilla groups.
Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes starts as early as 7 am with briefing at the park’s headquarters in which a head guide takes you through the rules and regulation to follow while in the presence of the gorillas. This activity takes approximately 5-6 days with one hour of being in the presence of mountain gorillas. While in the presence of mountain gorillas you are allowed to take pictures as long as your flashlight is ff.
GOLDEN MONKEY TREKKING
Golden monkeys are other primates found in the volcanoes national park and they are encountered during golden monkey trekking, golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park. This activity is so similar to mountain gorilla trekking and the only difference is that it is intended to meeting golden monkeys, golden monkey trekking starts as early as 7 am with briefing the headquarters of the park where you get to be taken through the rules and regulations to follow during this experience.
Golden monkeys in Volcanoes national park are divided into two groups/troops which are habituated for golden monkey trekking and they are a total of 80 individuals living in the bamboo forests of the park.
During golden monkey trekking you encounter golden monkeys in the bamboo shoots and while in their presence you get to enjoy watching them plays on bamboos and collecting bamboo shoots. You also get to take beautiful pictures.
BIRD WATCHING
Volcanoes national park is listed among the 3 important Birding Areas (IBA) in Rwanda and it is one of the best destinations for Rwanda birding safaris, the park dominated by thick forests is a home to over 200 bird species which are spotted during bird watching safaris in the park.
Among the birds you will enjoy watching during a Rwanda birding safari in Volcanoes national park include African long-eared owl, Archer’s robin-chat, Brown woodland warbler, Brown-necked parrot, Doherty’s bush-shrike, Dusky crimsonwing, Dusky turtle dove, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Handsome francolin, Lagden’s bush-shrike, Red-faced woodland warbler, Ruwenzori apalis, Ruwenzori batis, Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird, Ruwenzori nightjar, Ruwenzori turaco, Scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, Strange weaver among others
DIAN FOSSEY TOMB TOUR
Dian Fossey Tomb tour is a thrilling historical trekking to the tomb of Dian Fossey offering an insight into the lifehood of Dian Fossey an American Zoologist while carrying out his research in volcanoes national park and its mountain gorillas. Dian Fossey dedicated all her life to carrying out research on mountain gorillas and their conservation, during her time of stay at her research centre “the Karisimbi research center” she was attacked by unknown people presumed to be rebels who ended her life in 1985. After her passing, she was buried amidst mountain gorillas in a grave yard with about 20 gorillas buried there and these gorillas died either due to natural causes or in hands of poachers.
Dian Fossey tomb tour takes approximately 1-2 hours of hiking through the thick forests to Dian Fossey Tomb, while on this hike you get to enjoy sightings of forest creatures such as forest elephants, buffaloes, forest hogs and many bird species.
MOUNTAIN HIKING
Mountain hiking safari in Volcanoes national park is a remarkable Rwanda safari experience done on two volcanoes that are Mount Bisoke and Mount Karisimbi.
Hiking Mount Bisoke
Mount Bisoke is a spectacular volcano with a beautiful crater lake on top of it, hiking to the top of Mount Bisoke is a 1 day activity taking approximately 6 hours including 2 hours of descending. Hiking Mount Bisoke starts with a briefing at the headquarters of Rwanda Development Board in Volcanoes national park where you are taken through the briefing. Reaching the top of the volcano you will enjoy magnificent views of the Crater Lake and other volcanoes of Virunga volcanoes chain.
Hiking Mount Karisimbi
Mount Karisimbi is the highest volcano among the Virunga volcanoes standing at altitude of 4507 meters above the sea level and it is the 5th highest mountain on the continent of Africa. Mount Karisimbi is situated along the border of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo and it derives its named from a local slag “amasimbi” meaning “white shell”.
Hiking Mount Karisimbi takes a total of 2 days and this hike offers sights of various bird species such as Grauer’s rush warbler, Rwenzori batis, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori double –collared Sunbird, handsome francolin, primates such as gorillas and golden monkeys among others .
CULTURAL TOURS
Rwanda cultural tours in Volcanoes national park are offered in the Iby’Iwacu (gorilla guardians village), this village is an initiative of the local people formerly involved in mountain gorilla poaching and currently all about conserving the gorillas. The Iby’Iwacu village was started by Edwin Sabuhoro when he worked as a warden at Volcanoes national park, his desire was to transform gorilla poachers into conservationists.
While on cultural tours in the Iby’Iwacu village expect to participate in activities like cultural dances, brewing of local alcohol, a royalty play in which a king is being crowned and many more giving you an insight into the life of the local people of Rwanda.
HOW TO GET TO VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
Volcanoes national park is located in a 2 hours drive from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda by road which is the commonly used means of transport to get the park, while using road transport you are advised to use a 4X4 wheel vehicle. Domestic flights are offered from Kigali international airport to the park and these flights are offered by Akagera Aviation in a helicopter.
ACCOMMODATION IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
There are various accommodation facilities to stay at during your Rwanda safari in volcanoes national park, accommodation in Volcanoes national park ranges from luxury/up market, midrange and budget accommodation facilities these include Bisate Lodge, Kwitonda Lodge, Virunga lodge, Sabyinyo silverback lodge, One & Only Gorilla Nest, Le bambou gorilla lodge, Mountain gorilla view lodge, Kinigi guesthouse, Muhabura hotel, Garden place hotel and many more