Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park is the major center for gorilla safaris in Rwanda and it has the highest number of mountain gorillas within the Virunga Conservation Area. Spanning a 160 square kilometer area in the northern part of Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is part of the Great Virunga Volcano Conservation Region.

Volcanoes National Park was extended to Rwanda and the then Belgian Congo in 1929 and named albert national park which was managed and run by the Belgian colonial authorities. The park was later divided into Rwanda and Congo in the 1960s as Rwanda and Congo obtained their independence and by the end of the decade, the park was almost half of its original size. With its area cover, Volcanoes National Park includes the five volcanic mountains such as Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke, Mount Sabyinyo, mount Muhabura and Mount Gahinga.

Dian Fossey

The Volcanoes National Park obtained international attention through the works of Dian Fossey, who was an American primatologist who came to Rwanda in 1967 and established the Karisoke Research Centre between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke. Dian Fossey’s work focused on protecting and studying mountain gorillas, which created global awareness of their endangered status.

Dian Fossey dedicated herself to the conservation of the gorillas, which led to an increase in the anti poaching efforts and made the foundation for gorilla trekking safaris and protection programs. However, Dian Fossey faced a lot of challenges and opposition from poachers who ended up murdering her at her research center in 1985. She was buried at Karisoke near her favourite gorilla called Digit and this can be seen while on a Uganda safari.

ACTIVITIES IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Mountain gorilla tracking

Gorilla trekking is the major highlight among the activities carried out in Volcanoes National Park. While on the gorilla safari, tourists get the opportunity to explore the forest in search of the habituated gorillas.

The gorilla trekking starts early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters about the rules, regulations and expectations. After the briefing, the guide allocates a gorilla family to trek. The group is accompanied by an experienced guide who knows the behavior of the gorilla family and the trekking trailheads, and it can take from 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on the movements of the gorillas. Once the gorillas are located, tourists will have an hour with them in their natural habitat as they get to learn about their behaviors and habits, take pictures and record the moments. After the tourists will be awarded a certificate for participating in the gorilla trekking activity.

The emotional depth of the experience makes it the highlight of the Rwanda safari, with permits required due to limited daily access and the trek is frequently described as moderate to physically demanding but truly rewarding.

Golden monkey trekking

Golden monkey trekking is a vibrant and accessible magnitude to Rwanda safaris, offering a more light but equally engaging wildlife safari experience within the same ecosystem. Golden monkeys are unique primates and these inhabit the parks’ bamboo forests and provide a more relaxing alternative to the classic gorilla safari. The trekking of these golden monkeys is shorter and less exhausting, hence making it perfect for tourists searching for a less demanding African safari activity.

Once these monkeys are located, they captivate tourists with their energetic and social behavior, leaping through trees, feeding on bamboo shoots, and interacting within the large troops. Their golden orange fur and continuous movements create a more captivating and photogenic experience, thus making golden monkey trekking an ideal complement to the more challenging gorilla safari.

Volcano climbing

The climbing of the volcanoes introduces an adventurous edge to the Rwanda safaris, where it allows tourists to explore the striking peaks of the Virunga Mountains while on an active African safari. The volcanoes national park protects a chain of volcanoes where each offers a rare and unique trekking experience. Mount Bisoke is a famous one day hike known for its beautiful crater lake. Mount Karisimbi is the highest peak and it offers a two day hike with overnight camping. Mount Sabyinyo offers an exciting adventure with steep ridges and ladders, thus reaching the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Muhabura provides beautiful views, although it has a steep rise; Gahinga offers a gentle hike through bamboo forests. Therefore, all these hikes take tourists into the diverse ecological zones from farmland to the rainforest, bamboo and alpine vegetation, thus making the volcano hiking an extraordinary addition to the wildlife safari

Dian Fossey hike

The Dian Fossey hike offers a deep and meaningful experience that enriches the Rwanda safari with history and conservation understanding. The hike takes tourists between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke to the Karisoke Research Centre, where Dian Fossey dedicated her life to studying and protecting the endangered mountain gorillas.

Tourists on the hike will get to learn about the early challenges of conservation, anti poaching efforts and the legacy that helped secure the survival of these mountain gorillas. The hike is emotional and educative, thus adding intensity to the African safari and reinforcing the significance of conservation in wildlife safari experiences.

Dian Fossey Hike Rwanda

Cultural experience at the iby’iwacu cultural village

A cultural experience at the Iby’iwacu cultural village offers a lively and genuine connection to the local traditions. This experience allows tourists to engage in the traditional Intore dance performances, drumming, storytelling and hands on cultural practices such as grinding millet or making banana beer.

What makes the cultural experience special is that many of the participants were former poachers who changed into conservation advocates, demonstrating how tourism connected to gorilla safari and wildlife safari activities support community development. The cultural interaction adds a human perspective to the African safari, hence making it a memorable one.

Exploring the Musanze caves

The Musanze cave was formed by the ancient volcanic activity and it consists of an extensive network of tunnels and chambers stretching over 2 kilometers in some sections. Tourists walk through cool, dark passageways with striking rock formations, thus gaining a glimpse into the area’s volcanic history.

Historically, the caves were used as shelters in times of war and conflict, thus adding a cultural and historical importance to the experience.