Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is the attractive safari destination on a Rwanda safari. The park is located in the southern corner of the extension of the great Virunga region. Volcanoes national park is known for the large numbers of the mountain gorillas. The park lies in the Albertine rift valley. Not only Volcanoes National Park being known for the mountain gorillas, also is Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda are well known for the mountain gorillas.
Not only the mountain gorillas being the vital reason to why most of the most explore the park, as well the national park has got the diverse attractions that includes the golden monkeys, hiking the tomb of Diani Fossey known as the celebrated primatologist in Rwanda, hiking the volcanoes, bird watching in the park. Rwanda safari is the most perfect one that brings you the highlights of Volcanoes National Park.
Attractions in Volcanoes National Park.
Mountain gorillas.
The main attraction in Volcanoes National Park are majorly the mountain gorillas, and with the gorilla trekking experience respectively. Mountain gorillas are the giant creatures that tourists should not miss out spotting them. As these are among the major reasons to why most of the tourists should come and visit the country. Mountain gorillas are the largest living apes that share the similar DNA genes with the human beings that is 99.8%, so on your Rwanda safari you explore the habituated creatures that makes your safari the most incredible one.
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes N.P
volcWildlife.
Volcanoes National park though it’s famous for the mountain gorillas. The park is a home for the diverse wildlife species like the golden monkeys, also the various animal species that are found in the park includes the forest elephants, bushbucks, duikers, buffaloes, spotted hyenas and among many others. The park has got the large numbers of the bird species that are over 178 bird species where 29 bird species are endemic species to the Albertine Rift region.
Research center of Dian Fossey.
Research center is located in Volcanoes National Park, famous for Dian Fossey who was an American primatologist that contributed a lot portion of her life to educate and create awareness about the proper conservation of the mountain gorillas. Dian Fossey was set up at the base of the park close to the foothills of Mount Karisimbi and this is where she start did her research and did the protection of the mountain gorillas.
Research center is still standing from the time it was set up, on a Rwanda safari exploring the destination is the best rejuvenating moment in Volcanoes National Park, as the Dian Fossey gorilla fund museum in Musanze was as well constructed as in honoring her and also it welcomes the guests and gives them the chance to learn more about her works that motivates most of the tourists. This gives tourists the most motivate way to go conservation and protection of nature. While at the Musanze tourists can be having the clear viewing of the Virunga Mountains.
Virunga Mountains.
Volcanoes National Park has got the volcanic mountain attractions that are found in the park including Mount Muhabura, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke, and Mount Gahinga. As these volcanic mountains are dormant to extinct volcanoes, and these they offer the perfect hike tours of these volcanoes they get to spot the various wildlife as they hike the volcanoes and the permits to the volcanoes are different from one another.
Activities done in Volcanoes National Park.
Gorilla trekking.
Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park is the most safari activity done in the park. Gorilla trekking starts with a briefing about the rules and regulations about gorilla trekking at the park headquarters. After the briefing the travelers can be divided in the groups of 8 members, and then head to the forest with the presence of the experienced park guides. The activity takes a period of 30 minutes to 4 hours regarding to the location of the gorillas, and immediately after finding them you can be given one hour to be with the presence of the mountain gorillas while observing their behaviors, how they play, how they groom one another, feeding and among many others.
The gorilla trekking permit in Volcanoes National Park is 1500 USD per permit per person, you can book your gorilla trekking permit to trek these creatures on a Rwanda safari to get the unforgettable safari memories.
Golden monkey trekking.
Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park is the attractive safari activity done in the park. This gives the tourists the chance of sighting the beautiful golden monkeys which is breathtaking as they are endemic to Albertine rift like the mountain gorillas in the wild. Golden monkey trekking in the park is the safari activity that gives tourists the great safari memories.
Hiking Virunga Mountains.
Rwanda is among the destination with the highest number of the Virunga Mountains in the entire Africa, here you get to spot 5 Virunga mountains. This the best safari experience that rewards the tourists and here the tourists during hiking they get to spot the various bird species as that are hiking including the strange weaver, red throated alethe, Rwenzori Batis, long tailed cisticola and among others, without forgetting spotting the number of primate species like black and white colobus monkeys that gives you the ability of hiking and also the plant species can be viewed along the way.
Dian Fossey hike.
A Rwanda safari can never be complete minus taking part in the Dian Fossey hike, in Volcanoes National Park as this gives you the opportunity to get to know more about her contribution in Rwanda and the mountain gorilla conservation. Among the interesting history of Dian Fossey is that she sacrificed her adult life to take care and make research about the gorillas that through establishing Karisoke research station where she had number of research projects about the mountain gorillas how they should be sustained.
Dian Fossey Hike
Dian Fossey found some findings about the mountain gorillas like the mountain gorillas are highly vulnerable species that contract diseases especially during gorilla trekking, that’s why the trekkers are advice to stay 7 meters away from the gorillas in the wild to avoid contraction and spreading of diseases to one another. Dian Fossey made a lot of research even she stopped poaching in the park though establishment of regular patrols in the park to avoid decrease in number of these species in their habitats, she destroyed the poachers, killed their dogs, burnt their houses and in that process the was found dead in her cabin, and was buried at the gorilla cemetery with her friends.
Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park provides the tourists with the best accommodation facilities who come to visit the park, as these are most suitable that are arranged into Luxury, Mid-range and the budget and these include Mountain gorilla view lodge, Da Vinci gorilla lodge, Kinigi Guest House, Muhabura hotel and among many others.
How to get to Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park can be accessed in different parts of different countries. That is from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda its 2 hour drive. As well the guests connecting from Democratic republic of Congo in Virunga can easily access Volcanoes National Park within one hour from Goma, and those from Uganda can connect through Cyanika border that takes them only one to two hours’ drive.
