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The great volcanic massif of the Virunga Mountains straddles the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC, covering a huge area of over 8,000km², and encompassing six active and three extinct volcanoes. Much of this is protected by national parks, including the Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans) on the Rwanda side, which was made famous by Dian Fossey’swork and the film Gorillas in the Mist. More than half of the world’s last mountain gorillas live here – about 350 of them – and at present it’s probably the best place in Africa for a mountain gorilla safari.
Even without the mountain gorillas, this park would be fascinating. Its altitude ranges from about 2,500m to the peak of Karisimbi, at 4,500m, resulting in extensive bamboo forests, and some of the last remaining afro-montane forest habitat on the planet.
Quite apart from the mountain gorillas, it harbors a spectacular array of rare and endangered animals and plants. There is a variety of other primates, including the endemic golden monkeys, plus forest elephants, buffalo, giant forest hogs (Africa’s largest swine), bushpigs, bushbucks, black-fronted duikers, spotted hyenas, and around 200 species of birds. On the higher slopes you’ll find an almost otherworldly habitat of thick moors with endemic giant lobelia and groundsel.
Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park
There are several options for accommodation near the park, and quite a range of choices – from simple and basic, to more upmarket:
Other Trips in Volcanoes National Park
Before visiting the gorillas, a guided hike up into the mountains for a day is good for acclimatization. It also allows you to spend more time looking at the other wildlife in forest, and getting a better understanding of the overall ecosystem. A more gentle option is a guided trip to a troupe of habituated golden monkeys, which tend to inhabit the bamboo forests, on the lower slopes. You won’t normally get as near to the monkeys as you would to the gorillas, but the environment is interesting and with patience you’ll still get quite close.
It is also possible to do a day hike up Volcano Bisoke, which has a beautiful crater lake at the top, and also hike to the grave of Dian Fossey.
