The alluring safari location on a Rwanda safari is Volcanoes National Park. The park can be found in the southernmost portion of the vast Virunga region. Mountain gorillas can be found in great numbers in Volcanoes National Park. In the Albertine rift valley, the park is located. In addition to Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Volcanoes National Park are also well renowned for their mountain gorilla populations.
In addition to the mountain gorillas, who are the main draw for most visitors, the national park also offers a variety of other activities, such as hiking to Diani Fossey’s grave, where the renowned primatologist from Rwanda is buried, viewing birds in the park, and seeing golden monkeys. The ideal safari in Rwanda will show you the wonders of Volcanoes National Park.
Attractions in Volcanoes National Park.
Mountain gorillas.
The mountain gorillas and the gorilla trekking experience are the key features of Volcanoes National Park, respectively. Tourists shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to see mountain gorillas because they are enormous creatures. So these are some of the main motives for most tourists to travel to the nation. Since mountain gorillas are the largest living apes and have 99.8% of our Genetics, you can explore these habituated animals on your Rwanda safari, which will make it the most amazing safari ever.
Wildlife.
Mountain gorillas are what make Volcanoes National Park famous. The park is home to a variety of wildlife species, including golden monkeys. Other animals that may be found there include forest elephants, spotted hyenas, buffaloes, duikers, and bushbucks, among many more species. Around 178 different bird species, including 29 that are unique to the Albertine Rift region, can be found in great numbers in the park.
Research center of Dian Fossey.
The research facility is situated in Volcanoes National Park, which is well-known for American primatologist Dian Fossey, who spent a significant amount of her life for proper mountain gorilla protection. Dian Fossey was based on the foothills of Mount Karisimbi at the park’s base, where she began her studies and worked to protect mountain gorillas.
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Museum in Musanze was as well built as in honor of her and also it welcomes the guests and gives them the chance to learn more about her works that motivates most of the tourists. It has been standing since it was established, and on a Rwanda safari exploring the destination is the best rejuvenating moment in Volcanoes National Park. This provides visitors with the most compelling reason to pursue environmental protection and conservation. Tourists may see the Virunga Mountains clearly while they are in Musanze.
Virunga Mountains.
Mount Muhabura, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke, and Mount Gahinga are just a few of the volcanic mountain attractions in Volcanoes National Park. Due to the fact that these volcanic mountains are extinct volcanoes that are inactive, they provide the ideal trek tours of these volcanoes. Visitors can view varied fauna while hiking the volcanoes, and each volcano has a separate set of permits.
Activities done in Volcanoes National Park.
Gorilla trekking.
The most famous safari activity in Volcanoes National Park is gorilla trekking. At the park’s headquarters, there is an orientation about the guidelines for gorilla trekking by the park guides. After the briefing, the visitors can be separated into eight-person groups and led into the forest by knowledgeable park rangers. Depending on where the gorillas are, the activity can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Once you locate the gorillas, you may have an hour to be with them and see their antics, including how they play, groom one another, feed, and engage in other behaviors.
You may reserve a gorilla trekking permit to trek these animals on a Rwanda safari to create priceless safari memories for 1500 USD per permit, per person, at Volcanoes National Park.
Golden monkey trekking.
Another popular safari activity carried out in Volcanoes National Park is golden monkey trekking. While they are endemic to the Albertine Rift, like mountain gorillas in the wild, this provides travelers with the opportunity to see the stunning golden monkeys. Trekking with golden monkeys in a park is a safari activity that leaves visitors with wonderful safari experiences.
Hiking Virunga Mountains.
In all of Africa, Rwanda is one of the places where you can see the most Virunga Mountains; there are five of them here. This is the best safari experience that rewards visitors, and while hiking, they can see a variety of bird species, such as the strange weaver, red-throated alethe, Rwenzori batis, long-tailed cisticola, and others. Additionally, they can see a variety of primate species, such as black and white colobus monkeys, which allow for hiking, as well as various plant species.
Dian Fossey hike.
A safari in Rwanda wouldn’t be complete without participating in the Dian Fossey climb in Volcanoes National Park, which provides you the chance to learn more about her contributions to Rwanda and the protection of mountain gorillas. One fascinating aspect of Dian Fossey’s life story is how she gave up her adult years to care for and study gorillas by founding the Karisoke Research Station, where she conducted numerous studies on how to preserve mountain gorillas.
Dian Fossey discovered some facts about mountain gorillas, including the fact that they are extremely susceptible to disease, particularly when trekking with them. Because of this, trekkers are advised to keep a distance of 7 meters from gorillas in the wild to prevent contracting and passing on diseases to one another. In order to prevent a decline in the population of these species in their natural habitats, Dian Fossey conducted a great deal of research. She also stopped poaching in the park by establishing routine patrols. During this time, she found herself dead in her cabin and was buried alongside her friends in the gorilla cemetery.
Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park.
The best lodging options are offered by Volcanoes National Park to visitors that travel to the park. These accommodations are categorized as Luxury, Mid-range, and Budget and include Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Kinigi Guest House, Muhabura Hotel, among many more.
How to get to Volcanoes National Park.
Access to Volcanoes National Park is available in many locations throughout various nations. It takes two hours to get there from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Moreover, visitors coming from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Virunga may easily access Volcanoes National Park within an hour of driving from Goma, and those coming from Uganda can do the same via the Cyanika border within a one- to two-hour journey.