Volcanoes National Park Rwanda Africa

Volcanoes National Park Rwanda Africa- Rwanda gorilla tracking safaris

Volcanoes National Park Rwanda Africa –  in French is also known as Parc Des Vulcan’s and Pariki Yigihugu yibirungu in Kinyarwanda a local language in Rwanda is found in North-Eastern Rwanda East Africa in a small town called Musanze. Tourism in Rwanda is one of the fastest growing in Africa and has positioned itself as a luxury destination. Volcanoes National Park is the major National Park in Rwanda and one of the East Africa’s oldest National Parks in Africa and a home to the endangered apes and primates that include the giant Mountain Gorillas and the Golden Monkeys, many bird species, tree species, forest hogs among others as well as cultural experience.

Volcanoes National Park is also part of the Virunga Conservation Area together with other five extinct Volcanoes which are Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Sabinyo, Mountain Mgahinga, Mountain Karisimbi and Mountain Bisoke. Gorilla Tourism in Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s main economic development since it has attracted many more tourists every year for Gorilla tracking a life time experience seeing the endangered Mountain Gorillas in their natural environment in East Africa.Read more about Volcanoes National park in Rwanda Africa.

Rwanda Development Board is a government body managing Volcanoes National Park and governing all tourism activities in Rwanda as well as Volcanoes National Park. This national Park was gazette to protect the endangered Mountain Gorillas which were facing the threat of extinction as a result of poaching primates and other wildlife that inhabit in the forest. This tropical rain forest boarder Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and these primates have always crossed either sides which has enhanced conservation efforts from these three Gorilla countries to protect the endangered Mountain Gorillas and the Golden Monkeys.

Gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park

Mountain Gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park is the famous attraction in this National Park everyday throughout the year. Gorilla tracking is an activity that involves visiting the habituated Gorilla families in their natural habitat as you view and learn the way they feed, move, rest, and groom and live in harmony. Volcanoes National Park has ten habituated Gorilla families ready for visiting every day and only eight visitors are allowed to visit a particular Gorilla family every day. The chances of seeing the Mountain Gorillas are 99% as you are guided by trackers and park ranger guides. Gorilla tracking starts at 7:00am with a briefing in Kinigi on guidelines to follow while on your trek and even though Gorillas have 99% DNA as the humans they remain wild animals so you are advised to follow the dos and the don’ts as per the guidelines. The Gorilla tracking can take 30 minutes to more hours depending on their movement and location in the forest.

Any tourist who wishes to track Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda must have a Rwandan Gorilla permit for the particular date you will be tracking the Gorillas secured from Rwanda Development Board. The Rwandan Gorilla permit cost is USD1500 per person per trek for all nationals and you are allowed one hour of viewing the Mountain Gorillas as you take photographs. Booking a Gorilla trek to Volcanoes National Park is a life time experience. Great Adventure Safaris will help you book and tailor a Gorilla adventure safari that is affordable and memorable.Read more about securing Rwanda gorilla permits 

Golden Monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park

Golden Monkey tracking is another amazing activity in Volcanoes National Park. Visiting these rare and beautiful Golden Monkeys in their natural environment is another experience while on your visit in this National Park. This Park has two habituated Golden monkey communities for tracking every day and these communities have about 80 members each and the number of visitors is not limited. The Golden monkey tracking permit cost is USD100 for all nationals and can be obtained from Rwanda Development Board. The activity starts at the National Park offices at 7:00am with a briefing on the dos and the don’ts while on your trek and you will be together with the park ranger guides who will lead you to the forest to find the Golden monkeys. Depending on the location and the movement of the Golden monkeys the trek can take 30 minutes to more hours. Contact us at Great Adventure Safaris to help you book a Golden monkey trek to the Volcanoes National Park.

Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

Dian Fossey Tomb in Volcanoes National Park

Dian Fossey Tomb hike is one of the most famous activities in Volcanoes National Park. It is a one hour hike to the Tomb from Karisoke Research Camp and this Memorial hike is derived from the famous primatologist and zoologist Dian Fossey from America who spent all her life in the Volcanoes protecting the endangered Gorillas from extinction and created awareness. She was killed by the alleged poachers and was buried in the National Park and a memorial was built. She is also famous for participating in the film “Gorillas in the mist”. This hike is about 2,500m to 3,000m; this trail leads to the Tomb of the late Dian Fossey who fought and rescued the endangered Mountain Gorillas and sensitization on conservation promoted Gorilla tourism. Celebrating her charisma, love for the Mountain Gorillas, her research and the history makes the experience incredible.

Iby’Iwacu Cultural Experience in Volcanoes National Park

The Rwandan culture of Iby’Iwacu is the most enjoyable and interesting among the African cultures. The locals used to stay in the forest and even participate in the poaching of the endangered Mountain Gorillas but were later evacuated and organized into a village known as Iby’Iwacu which is found in the Volcanoes National Park in Nyabigoma-Kinigi, Musanze district in the Northern Province of Rwanda. We always tailor trips with cultural interaction to have an incredible time as you visit the local people, their homes and heritage treasures including lifestyles, activities, artifacts, dances and ways of life, traditional practices and dances to visitors.

Kieran Roberts Visited Iby’lwachu community in Rwanda

Bird Watching in Volcanoes National Park

Bird watching is another activity commonly done in Volcanoes National Park for bird watchers and the forest is a habitat to variety of bird species. There are over 300 bird species living in this National Parkand some of them are Grauer’s rush warbler a vulnerable which is a local bird commonly seen I the swamps, Francolin, the Rwenzori Turaco, the Archer’s ground robin, the Red faced woodland warbler, Dusky crimson, Rwenzori double collared sunbird, Collared apalis and the Rwenzori batis as well as the Strange weaver and many more. We do offer birding packages to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and in Uganda. Our professional birding guides will help you spot the birds and identify them as well.

Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park

While on your adventure safari to the Volcanoes National Park, staying in a good, clean, comfortable and beautiful lodge, camp is ideal for an incredible safari. There are many lodges and hotels in Volcanoes National Park ranging from budget, mid-range to luxury facilities. These are Bisate lodge and Virunga lodge which are luxury options, Sabinyo Slilverback lodge, Five Volcanoes lodge, Le bamboo Mountain Gorilla lodge which are mid-range options. Also consider Kinigi guesthouse, Hotel Muhavura and Gorilla Volcanoes lodge are some of the budget options. The hotel rooms can sell out quickly especially during the high season, your accommodation choice needs to be booked I advance for your visit to the Volcanoes National Park.

Why book with Great Adventure Safaris to the Volcanoes National Park

Great Adventure Safaris offers amazing experience to the Volcanoes National Park  Rwanda Africa as a tourist destination. Contact us and take a chance for our discounted packages and tailor made Gorilla safaris, Birding trips, Cultural experiences and Golden monkey tracking to the Volcanoes National Park. Our magic in organizing authentic experience stems from the fact that we have assembled a team of energetic safari consultants guided by well experienced team and passionate about what they do. Great Adventure Safaris is highly reviewed on Trip Adviser and Safari bookings to help you learn more about our experiences of the other travelers who have traveled with us to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.