Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park
The Park borders the Virunga National Park in the Congo and Mgahinga National Park which is located in Uganda’s southwest region. Furthermore, the park is home to the world’s endangered mountain gorillas, rare golden monkeys, and a vast number of bird species. The Park was made famous through the works and connection to the late Diane Fossey, an American primatologist. The Karisoke Research Center was founded by Ms Fossey who conducted numerous gorilla studies here. She is laid to rest near the center in the still space between Mount Bisoke and Mount Karismibi. While gorilla trekking is the number one reason for visiting the Volcanoes National Park there are many other opportunities that visitors can enjoy during their visit. Visitors have the option to head out on volcano hikes, the Diane Fossey Tomb Hike a popular choice, or engage in quality bird watching. Discover the Musanze Caves and embark on captivating golden monkey trekking. For a cultural encounter, visitors can spend time with the community at the Ibyi’wacu cultural village. Watch the sunset on a boat ride across Lake Kivu, the surrounding hills and crisp African sky are a beautiful sight to behold.
Activities and attractions
Gorilla trekking
Gorilla tracking is the number one activity in the Volcanoes national park and tracking happens once daily with 8 individuals visiting a gorilla group per day. The visitors are expected to arrive at the Rwanda development board (RDB) offices at 7 am where they are briefed about expectations and later distributed among the different gorilla groups. Once allocated a gorilla group and the briefing is concluded, you follow your ranger guide and start your trek in search of these gentle giants. Your trek can take anything from a few minutes to 6 hours depending on the location of the group that you are trekking. Once in sight of the group, you will be able to stay in their presence for only one hour. Remember the details shared in the briefing and endeavour to follow them for your own safety and that of the gorillas, if in doubt ask your ranger guide.
Visit the Dian Fossey tombs
Trekking to the Dian Fossey tomb gives you an insight in the life of Dian Fossey and gorilla conservation in the Virunga region. You will learn more about her interest in the gorillas and how over the years gorilla conservation picked on which later led to gorilla tourism. For part of the distance, you will travel in car until you reach the start of the trail head where you trek for about 1-2 hours. Hike to Dian Fossey house where she was mysteriously murdered in 1985 and later buried next to Digit her favorite gorilla friend. The gorilla grave yard has about 20 gorillas buried here that were killed either by poachers or by natural causes. Along the way, you have chances of sighting some forest animals like the elephants, buffaloes, forest hogs, and several bird species.
Cultural tours
The Iby’iwacu culture located just outside Volcanoes National Park, gives you an opportunity to learn and enjoy the tradition of Rwandan culture. The uniqueness about this culture is that a great majority of men in this village are reformed poachers. In fact, they are now taking park in the conservation projects within the park. While here, you are entertained by this group through dances, songs as well as folk tales. You also get a chance to participate in their daily activities like cooking, preparation of local banana brew, milking cows, etc. During your cultural tours, you can also visit the King’s palace in Nyaza thereby learning about the cultural history of the past kings of Rwanda. At the end, wrapped up with by being crowned king or queen for the day.
Bird watching
Volcanoes national park is one of the 3 Important Birding Areas (IBA) in Rwanda with the rare Albertine rift endemics. Together with your bird guide, start your birding day ready with binoculars and camera to capture some of the spectacular birds in the Virunga. Your main search for the day will be the Albertine rift endemics, enjoy the great scenery as you bird.
Golden monkey trekking
Volcanoes national park currently has two habituated troops that are open for visiting. Golden monkeys live mostly in the bamboo vegetation because of their love for bamboo shoots. This trekking activity takes place in Volcanoes national park once a day in the early morning much like gorilla trekking. You are expected to arrive at the briefing place at the park headquarters as early as 7 am for briefing about how to behave and relate with these creatures in the wild. You will then be divided into two groups and later start your trek led by the experienced ranger guides. Unlike mountain gorillas, they are active, which makes the trekking very engaging and interesting. During this activity, you will be following after them as they hope from one area to another looking for food.
Mountain hiking
- Hiking Mt Bisoke
Mount Bisoke has a remarkable crater lake at the top, which makes hiking this volcano a rewarding adventure. The hike takes about 6 hours which includes the 2 hours spent descending back down. However, some of the experienced hikers take as few as 3 or less and an hour descending. Just like all activities, hikers meet at 7 am at the headquarters where they listen to a briefing and start the hike with the assigned ranger guide. Your ranger guide is knowledgeable and ready to share the mountain adventures with you. You have access to porters who will help with your luggage at a minimal fee and therefore highly encouraged to take a porter along. This is for your own freedom in enjoying the hike but also provides employment to the porters.
- Hike Mt Karisimbi
Mt Karisimbi is the highest of the Virunga volcanoes at 4507m above sea level and fifth highest in Africa. It is along the Rwanda and DR Congo border on the western rift valley. It derives its name from ‘amasimbi’ which means “white shell” in Kinyarwanda because of the white-capped summit a result of hail and sleet accumulating. The Karisimbi hike is strenuous but rewarding taking two days for the total journey starting through Bisoke. Here, you have chances of sighting birds, several primates including gorillas on rare occasions and remarkable scenery.
