Volcanoes National Park is located in the Virunga Mountains in northwestern region of Rwanda. It is known as the premier destination for mountain gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, Volcano hiking and visits to Diany Fossey’s tomb. The park was established in 1925, and serves as a global hub for the protection of endangered mountain gorillas. The park is home to approximately 300 to 380 mountain gorillas. This accounts for nearly half of the entire Virunga population representing roughly 30% of the worldwide mountain gorilla population. This marks gorilla trekking as the main activity in the park. The park contains dozens of recorded Gorilla groups, with 12 habituated families fully open to regulated daily tourism. These habituated families consist of 10 to nearly 40 members.
Getting there.
There are two best alternatives to access Volcanoes National Park from Kigali the capital that is to say by road and air transport means.
By road, from the capital (Kigali) to the park it is approximately 115 kilometers northwest via the NR2 highway, which typically takes 2 to 3 hours. The final destination for park briefings and activities is the park headquarters in Kinigi, located just after the Musanze town. A 4×4 wheel drive vehicle is highly recommended while accessing the park.
By air, Akagera Aviation operates a fast private helicopter charters from Kigali International Airport directly to the Musanze Airstrip which takes only 25 to 30 mins.
What to see in Volcanoes National Park.
The endangered mountain gorillas; With over 300 to 380 mountain gorillas, which are hosted by the lush bamboo forests. 12 habituated families are fully open for daily tourism. The habituated families consist of 10 to 40 members.
Golden monkeys; Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda supports the largest estimated population of endangered golden monkeys globally. Estimates are roughly 4,100 to 5,000 individuals hosted within the park’s dense bamboo forests.
Volcanoes; The park is gazzeted with several historical sites and they include Dian Fossey’s tomb, Musanze caves, Mt. Karisimbi among others.
Cultural encounters in the park enabled by several cultural communities like the Iby’iwachu cultural village among others.
Birds with over 200 bird species. The park’s varied habitats range from bamboo forests. Bird species include; Double-collared Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Lagden’s Bush-shrike, Kivu Ground Thrush, African Goshawk, Palm-nut Vulture, Handsome Francolin, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Brown-necked Parrot among others.
What to do in Volcanoes National Park.
Gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park is an unforgettable, wildlife encounter that take you through the lush bamboo forests and Virunga mountain slopes of Rwanda. You will hike in small groups to look for the habituated family. Once the gorillas are located, you will be spending one full hour observing and photographing these majestic great apes. Before entering the forest, there is a must briefing on the gorilla trekking experience and the forest at large at the Volcanoes national park headquarters (Kinigi). Park rangers/guides will be provided to give guidelines to the trekkers in the forest. Strict obedience to the core rules and guidelines in the forest is highly recommended.
Rules and Regulations inside the forest.
To protect the endangered mountain gorillas, strict protocols to follow are enforced:
- Keep a 7-meter distance from the gorillas at all times.
- No flash photography while taking pictures of gorillas.
- You must wear a face mask during your encounter to protect them from human diseases.
- If you are feeling unwell (cough or flu), you will not be permitted to trek.
- Total silence in the forest is needed.
- Littering in the forest and the park at large is highly prohibited.
Gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is home to about 12 fully habituated mountain gorilla families open for daily tracking, ranging from 7 to over 30 members. The prominent habituated gorilla families in the park include: Susa (A), Igisha, Agashya, Amahoro, Sabyinyo, Kwintonda, Umubano, Karisimbi (Susa B), Muhoza, Bwenge among others.
Permit costs for gorilla trekking experience include the following; Foreign Non-Residents $1,500, Foreign Residents of Rwanda $500, African Citizens/Residents $500, Rwandan Citizens & East African Citizens $200. These permits are handled directly through Rwanda Development Board by using a registered local tour company.
What to Wear/Bring.
Waterproof long trousers, long-sleeved shirts, and sturdy hiking boots, gardening gloves to protect against stinging nettles, a rain poncho, plenty of drinking water, and your packed lunch/snacks.
Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda offers a budget-friendly primate experience. Treks begin daily at the Kinigi park headquarters and involve a gentle 30-minute to 2-hour hike through the bamboo forests at the base of the Virunga volcanoes. Once they are located, spend one magical hour with these endangered monkeys. Rules and regulations of the forest are given at the park headquarters of Kinigi in a morning briefing. Permit Costs for Golden monkey trekking includes the following; A standard permit for foreign non-residents costs $100 USD, for foreign residents it is $65 USD, and for East African nationals/residents, prices range from $65 to $80 USD.
Hiking in Volcanoes National Park offers a great memorable moment to tourists in Rwanda. This enables a chance to visitors to discover Rwanda’s historical sites. Through hiking, tourists can visit the Dian Fossey’s grave which is one of Rwanda’s tourism attractions. She was a primatologist who spent almost 18 years in Rwanda and Congo studying about gorillas. During this hike you will be able to spot some small primates in the forest. Hiking to the Musanze caves which were formed million years ago by the volcanic activity from Mt. Bisoke and Mt. Sabyinyo. Musanze caves also served as shelter during the local conflicts for example it was the hiding space for civilians during the 1994 genocide against the Tusti.
Cultural tours. These are enabled by several cultural communities of Rwanda. Iby’iwachu cultural village is a top tourism destination in Rwanda after the gorilla trekking experience in evening hours. Most visitors take a village walk in Volcanoes National Park to share the life style with the local people of Iby’iwachu village. Discover Rwanda’s culture, way of living, craft making, traditional dances, music and drama with the locals.
Volcanoes National Park is a premier birding destination in Rwanda. It is a home of over 200 bird species. The park’s varied habitats range from bamboo forests. Bird species include; Double-collared Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Lagden’s Bush-shrike, Kivu Ground Thrush, African Goshawk, Palm-nut Vulture, Handsome Francolin, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Brown-necked Parrot among others.
Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park.
The park consists several accommodations which are categorized in different categories. These ranges from luxury, mid-range and low budget hotels and safari lodges. Some of the accommodations include;
Ultra-Luxury; Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Bisate Lodge, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest.
High-End & Luxury; Virunga Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Amakoro Songa Lodge.
Mid-Range; Tiloreza Volcanoes Ecolodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel.
Budget & Guesthouses; Kinigi Guest House, Isange Paradise Resort, Hotel Muhabura.
Fees and bookings in Volcanoes National Park.
All bookings and activity fees in Volcanoes National Park are handled through Rwanda Development Board/ Visit Rwanda website or using a registered local tour company. Early booking especially for Gorilla and Golden Monkey permits is highly recommended.
The best time to visit Volcanoes National Park.
The best time to visit Volcanoes National Park is during the dry seasons from June to September and December to mid-February. These months offer the driest and most comfortable conditions for gorilla trekking and hiking, with less-slippery forest trails, less flooding, less mud making tourism activities easier.