Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is located in the Northern Province of Rwanda and it covers an area of 160 square kilometres. It was established as a wildlife conservation area in the early 1920’s and has been maintained for wildlife conservation since then.
The park is a home to the half of the remaining endangered mountain gorillas in the world which can be seen along the Virunga Volcanoes. Volcanoes national park has 5 out of the 8 Virunga Volcanoes which are Mount Sabinyo, Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura, Mount karisimbi and Mount Bisoke
The park is also home to other primates, such as golden monkeys, and it also has over 700 bird species, 218 mammal species, and a number of plants.
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
One of the major activities that are carried out in the park is gorilla trekking, which gives visitors an opportunity to move through the forest looking for habituated gorilla families, and after finding them, spend an hour with them in their natural environment.
The Volcanoes National Park is home to about 18 habituated gorilla families among which 12 gorilla families are open for trekking in the park, and the remaining families are reserved for research in the park. Gorilla trekking in the park starts by explaining the rules, regulations and expectations to the guests. You will be divided into eight groups after the briefing, and you will be assigned a gorilla family to hike with, as well as a park guide who has a good understanding of the gorilla trails in the jungle.
Golden Monkey Trekking
A golden monkey is an endangered primate species and a must-do activity when on a safari in the Volcanoes National Park if you want to experience a unique experience. It is possible to find many of these monkeys in bamboo forests at the foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes, as they were habituated to make the experience even more enjoyable for tourists.
During the golden monkey tracking experience, you will be accompanied by a guide who will provide you with information about the history and wildlife of the park, as well as point out the hotspots where golden monkeys can be found.
Hike Dian Fossey Tomb
In terms of conservation of mountain gorillas in Rwanda and throughout the world, Dian Fossey is very significant because of her efforts in promoting the conservation of these creatures. She has been instrumental in spearheading several gorilla conservations funds, including the Dian Fossey Conservation Fund, which aims to conserve the mountain gorillas in their natural habitats.
There were many ways that Diana Fossey contributed to the conservation of mountain gorillas, including the establishment of the Karisoke research station where she cared for gorillas injured in the arms of poachers and did research on the gorillas in order to gain a better understanding of them. She was a primatologist who focused on protecting the gorillas from poachers who were killing the gorillas for their products.
Bird watching
This is another activity that is worth taking part in when you visit volcanoes national park. If you are a birder, this is something that you don’t want to miss out on because it offers birders the chance to see a number of migratory bird species, bird species that are endemic to the island.
Birds to spot include; the long-crested eagle handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Batis Dusky turtle love, paradise flycatcher, archer’s ground robin, African Rwenzori, double collared sunbird, marsh harrier, Ruwenzori turaco, common moorhen Ruwenzori night jar, grey throated tit, the dusky crimson wing, red-faced woodland warbler etc
Cultural Tours
A visit to Volcanoes National Park would not be complete without visiting some of the local communities around, such as a visit to Iby’Iwacu community village where you can interact with the local people and watch the local intore dance group perform for you.
Visit the Twin Lakes (Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera)
In case you enjoy hiking and love nature, you must visit the lakes located here. The lakes are known for their deep waters and surrounding hills, but what strikes the eye is the scenery that surrounds the lakes.
There are many birds present at Lake Burera, and there are waterfalls nearby. The best activities at the lake are canoeing and interacting with the local communities, so visiting Lake Burera and Ruhondo is the perfect way to end a trekking trip with gorillas or a hike on one of the volcanoes.
