The Virunga National Park is a 7800 square kilometer World Heritage Site that lies on the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it borders Uganda as well as Rwanda. It is the oldest national park in Africa and the second oldest in the world (after Yellowstone). It is named after the Virunga Mountain (volcanoes) range that lie in the south of the park. the park however is much larger and stretches all the way north to envelop Lake Edward as well as the Rwenzori Mountains.

The Virunga National Park was founded in 1925 by King Albert I of Belgium and originally known as Albert National Park. Virunga was the first national park on the continent of Africa. The park was founded primarily to protect the mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Massif that were controlled by the Belgian Congo. Later, Virunga was expanded north to include the Rwindi Plains, Lake Edward, and the Rwenzori Mountains.

The park is located on coordinates 0 degrees 55’0”s 29 degrees 10’0”E and was established in 1925 by the Belgian government and is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site since 1979. In recent years poaching and the Congo Civil War have seriously damaged its wildlife population. The park is managed by the Congolese National Park Authorities, the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) and its partner the Africa Conservation Fund (UK).

Congo longstanding insecurity problem though continues to plague the country and you will always have to check with a local tour operator on whether the packages are available. We constantly keep abreast with the happenings in Congo for the security of our clients.

What to see there

The main wildlife attraction with in the Virunga Massive region is the Nyiragongo active Volcanoes tour followed by gorilla trekking in Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. Other interesting tourism activities with in this region include golden monkey tracking, mountain hikes, and rich cultural tours to mention but a few.

Mountain Gorillas

Democratic Republic of Congo in the Virunga National Park has got only 5 gorilla families with only three groups that are most tracked by travelers. The number of families accessible to travelers changes each year depending on how governments balance the need for tourist income and the need for research. In DRC, six people only allowed to trek each group each day in order to reduce the chance of gorillas catching human diseases.

Mount Nyiragongo

Mount Nyiragongo is an active strato volcano with an elevation of 3470m(11383ft) in the Virunga Mounains associated with the Albertine rift. It is associated with the Albertine Rift. It is located inside Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of Congon about 20kms north of the town of Goma and lake Kivu and just just west of the border with Rwanda. The main crater is about two kilometres wide and usually contains a lava lake. The crater presently has two distinct cooled lava benches within the crater walls – one at about 3,175 metres (10,417 ft) and a lower one at about 2,975 m (9,760 ft). Nyiragongo’s lava lake has at times been the most voluminous known lava lake in recent history. The depth of the lava lake varies considerably. A maximum elevation of the lava lake was recorded at about 3,250 m (10,660 ft) prior to the January 1977 eruption – a lake depth of about 600 m (2,000 ft). A recent very low elevation of the lava lake was recorded at about 2,700 m (8,900 ft). Nyiragongo and nearby Nyamuragira are together responsible for 40% of Africa’s historical volcanic eruptions.

How to get at Virunga National Park

Most tourists fly into the Kigali international airport and take a 3-hour taxi ride to the border crossing at Gisenyi, Rwanda. International flights often arrive in the evening, so we recommend spending the night in Kigali and leaving for Virunga the next morning. Most Kigali hotels will arrange an airport pick up for a small additional charge. Taxis typically charge $100-$120 from Kigali to the border. Hotels can arrange the taxi for you. Domestic airlines in the DRC fly into Goma, but the airport is not up to international standards.

Top Things to Do

Mountain gorilla trekking

All treks are led by park rangers and usually depart from Bukima patrol post. Treks usually require 1-2 hours of hiking in each direction, depending where the mountain gorillas spent the previous night and the difficulty of the terrain.Mountain gorillas are highly intelligent, good natured, and fascinating to observe. The silverback’s powerful presence is awe-inspiring, yet his calm clearly earns him the title, “gentle giant”. People are equally struck by the tenderness and care that mothers show their young. And then, of course, there are the juveniles who spend most of every waking hour at play and never cease to make visitors smile. We believe your time with Virunga’s mountain gorillas will leave you feeling changed for the better.

Chimpanzee tracking

Guests staying at Mikeno Lodge can join this team on their daily visits to the chimpanzees. The day begins when a group of local trackers leave their camp at 4:30 am to locate where the chimpanzees spent the previous night. Lodge guests set out at 6:00 am to find the chimpanzees. Groups are limited to 4 people and time with the chimpanzees is restricted to one hour.

Mount Nyiragongo hike treks

Nyiragongo is a beautiful stratovolcano that features the world’s largest lava lake. The volcano’s forested lower slopes are home to a variety of animals, including chimpanzees, monkeys, and bush buck. Nyiragongo’s summit rim is largely devoid of vegetation and is sometimes dusted with snow. From the rim, visitors can peer down into a churning lava lake and see and hear hot gases exploding up though a mosaic of molten lava.Treks to the summit of Nyiragongo volcano begin at the Kibati patrol post, which is approximately 30 minutes by car from Goma. The patrol post is less than a one hour drive from the Mikeno Lodge in Rumangabo. Park rangers lead all treks and porters (unaffiliated with the park) are available for hire. The time required to reach the summit depends on the average fitness of each group, but typically takes 4 – 6 hours. Altitude sickness can be an issue for some because the climb begins at 1989m (6,525 ft) and ascends to 3470m (11,382ft) in a short time.

All climbs begin promptly at 10:00 am. Late arrivals will not be allowed to climb and permits are non-refundable. For security reasons, there will be no exceptions. The Kibati ranger station, which is the trailhead for Nyiragongo, is approximately 30 minutes from Goma by car. All climbers must check in at the Kibati station by no later than 9:15 am on the day of their climb. Climbers typically descend the volcano at between 6:30 – 7:00 am the next morning and arrive back at Kibati station by 11:30 am. If one intends to fly out of Kigali on the same day, please make sure not to schedule your departure flight before 6 pm.

Planning a Trip to Virunga National Park

Most travelers to eastern Congo visit the country for gorilla safaris.  Most packaged gorilla safaris start from Gisenyi in Rwanda or in Kisoro in Congo.

Getting a Tourist Visa

The Congolese wildlife authority has an agreement with Direction, the Congolese immigration service, to facilitate obtaining 2-week, single entry tourist visas for people visiting Virunga National Park. The cost of the visa is USD $105.

Once you have a booking and have received confirmation of your payment, you will also receive an order number. Please proceed to the online visa application, enter your order number at the top of the form, fill in the remaining fields, and click submit. Finally, please make sure to secure any other visas that you will need as you make your way to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Countries such as Rwanda require most nationalities to secure visas in advance of arrival.

Visitor Safety in Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park is located in a region that is often troubled by unrest. The management of Virunga National Park is dedicated to ensure the safety and security of all its visitors. Park management does, however, emphasize the importance of all visitors making themselves aware of the current security situation at the time of their visit. Virunga National Park cannot take responsibility for any accidents or incidents. If any signs indicate a security issue, management may decide to temporarily close one or more of its attractions. All bookings for these attractions will be refunded in full.

Virunga National Park strongly advises against the use of self-arranged transport. Please use transport provided by Virunga National Park or by one of our trusted tour operators. Virunga National Park rangers escort all visitors using park transport.

The Volcanoes National park also known Parc National des Volcans (PNV) in French or Pariki y’Igihugu y’Ibirunga in Kinyarwanda is the most popular tourist destination in Rwanda. It is located in the northwestern region of Ruanda in the district of Musanze formerly known as Ruhengeri bordering Virunga National park in Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National park in Uganda.Volcanoes National park is situated on the Virunga Mountain ranges and is home to five of the eight volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo), covered in rainforest and bamboo.

The major activity in the Volcanoes National Park is mountain gorilla trekking where visitor from all over the world have travelled for this unique experience. Gorilla tracking in the volcanoes is all possible to date thanks to the great works of Dian Fossey who worked with the community tirelessly for the conservation efforts in these mountains. Her remains still lie in the Volcanoes National park and tourist hike to the grave to witness and have a brief background about her works.

Apart from Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), Volcanoes national park is home to golden monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis kandti), Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta), buffaloes (Syncerus caffer), elephants, black-fronted duiker (Cephalophus niger), and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus). The park also harbors 178 bird species including at least 29 endemics to Ruwenzori Mountains and the Virungas.Due to the tourism potential of the park, there has been fundamental development in Musanze with many tourist centers and accommodation facilities that range from upmarket (about $1,500 a night) to budget facilities for as low as $80 a night.

Volcanoes national park in Rwanda boasts of the activities as below;

Mountain Gorilla Tracking

Perhaps the most sought after activity in the park, gorilla tracking in the volcanoes has been operational and with growing number of visitors per year post genocide in Rwanda. The gorilla tracking permit in the Volcanoes are sold by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the Rwanda tourism authority or by booking a packaged Rwanda gorilla safari that is all-inclusive through a reputable tour operator.There is a total of 13 gorilla families in volcanoes national park as of 2017 where by a total of 8 tourists 15 years and above are allowed to visit each gorilla family per day. The gorilla permits are sold at $750 per permit (this according to the 2016 tariff) by RDB.The gorilla tracking activity starts very early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters at around 7:30am. Given the proximity of the park from the capital Kigali tourists are able to do a 1 day gorilla trekking safari commonly known as the 4:30, tourists can also do multiple gorilla tracking at the volcanoes or a combination of gorilla tracking and other activities at the park or other destinations in Rwanda. Tourists are allowed to spend 1 hour with the gorillas and within acceptable distance.

Golden Monkey tracking

Golden monkey trekking is another highlight of Volcanoes National Park. The Golden Monkey is a local subspecies of the widespread Sykes Monkey, also known as the “Blue Monkey” and is endemic to the high altitude forests of the Volcanoes National Park area. The monkeys are playful and inquisitive and often spend their time leaping from bamboo branches or frolicking on the forest floor. The bamboo is their major food basket of the Golden Monkeys.There are two habituated groups of Golden Monkeys, one group comprises around 80 – 100 members and has its home at the foot of Mt Sabyinyo. As with treks to see the Mountain Gorillas, treks to see the Golden Monkeys take place in the mornings and visitors are permitted to stay for 1 hour with the monkeys. Departure for the Golden Monkey trek is from the Park’s Kinigi Headquarters at 07:00am. The number of visitors is not limited and the fee for a Golden Monkey permit is currently USD$100 per person per trek. Permits can either be arranged in advance or booked at the park headquarters on the morning of the trek. Porters can be hired at the entry point of the park.

Mountain Climbing

There are apparently hiking visits to two of the 5 mountains in volcanoes National park and that is trek to the Karisimbi and Bisoke volcanoes.

Climbing Mt Karisimbi is a strenuous yet very rewarding 2 days hike. The climb starts early in the morning taking 6 hours and involves navigating through the Bisoke side before reaching the first stopping place at an altitude of 3,700 meters for overnight camping before finishing off the journey the next day. You can book the Karisimbi volcano hike with East African Expeditions Hiking to the summit of Mt. Bisoke is a day’s activity. It takes about 6 hours to hike to the top and about 2hrs to descend.

Hike to the Dian Fossey GraveDian Fossey was a great zoologist who worked relentlessly for conservation of the Volcanoes habitat with much emphasis on the mountain gorillas. Dian Fossey was mysteriously murdered in 1985 and her remains laid to rest near her “home” in the volcanoes alongside remains of gorillas that could have been killed by poachers or died from natural death.A hike to the Dian Fossey grave starts early morning and takes about 1 & half hours up to the forest with a view of the forest species like birds, butterflies, a variety of primate and bird species.The Dian Fossey tomb’s headstone reads, “No one loved gorillas more, Rest in peace, dear friend, Eternally protected, In this sacred ground, For you are home, Where you belong”. The Dian Fossey hike costs $75 per person per hike.

Iby’Iwacu cultural village Tour

Located just outside the national park, this living museum highlights aspects of traditional Rwanda society. Visitors can expect to be greeted by thunderous drumming, joyful dancing, and the kind of hospitality that has permeated Rwandan society for centuries. The village features hands-on activities related to the rituals and ways of life in the ancient Rwandan kingdom. Some of Iby’Iwacu’s presenters and performers were previous poachers who’ve now been able to make a new livelihood through this memorable, interactive stop designed for visitors of all ages. The village also offers extended trips into the countryside as well as overnight lodging that can be arranged in advance. Unlike other activities in the park, this village tour can be organized at any time of the day.

Tour of the Lakes and Caves in Volcanoes National Park

There are tours organized to Musanze caves. These caves were formed by centuries of geologic activity centered around the Virunga volcanoes next door, the 1.25-mile long Musanze caves are located just outside of the town they share a name with, and are only a 90-minute drive from Kigali. With an enormous opening (and an equally huge number of bats resident inside), the greenery outside spilling over into the twilight within makes for a fantastic photo op. Though today they’re a tourist attraction, the caves were used as a shelter during wartime for many centuries leading right up into the modern era, and as such, it’s an important site to local people. Thus, out of respect for the area’s residents, access is limited to guided visits. Expert guides lead every tour, and they can explain the history of the caves from their formation to present day. The tours make an excellent add-on activity for the afternoon after you’ve seen the gorillas, take about 2.5 hours, and can be done at any time throughout the year.

Visit to the Twin Lakes of Burera & Ruhondo

These twin lakes are located in Musanze and short excursions are organized on these lakes and tourists normally cool off from their hectic hiking activities in Volcanoes National park. Tourists can enjoy canoe rides on these deep blue waters.Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s tourism hub which is very accessible by public transport from Gisenyi or Kigali or from the airport.

The drive to Volcanoes national park is 2hrs and hence one can do gorilla tracking on the same day and drive back to Kigali after the trek. You will be required to arrive at the headquarters of ORTPN in Kinigi, at the park entrance, by 7:00am, therefore, if you hope to trek gorillas for one day, you have to wake up very early for your journey so that you are on time. However, there isn’t any public transport from Musanze to the headquarters of the park at Kinigi- it is highly advisable to buy a full gorilla tracking package for your memorable gorilla safari adventure in Rwanda.Volcanoes National Park is also famous for the Famous “Kwita Izina” the gorilla naming ceremony that is an annual event that was inaugurated in 2005 with the aim of boosting tourism in Rwanda. This event is special on the Rwanda calendar and happens in the month of September every year.

Within the pearl of Africa, there are lots of hidden treasures that make it one of the best tourism destinations in Africa. There are lots of unique places to places to visit yet some are still less known to travelers. When one talks of the best places in Uganda that make it a must visit destination, Bwindi Forest in Uganda tops the list of most travelers taking safaris to Uganda.

At this moment, the mountain gorillas are the star attraction in Africa. You cannot mention these endangered species without mentioning the two parks of Uganda that protect the mountain gorillas; Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. Of these two, Bwindi is the most known and famous since this is the number one spot for primate watching safaris in the world. This is the ultimate destination where travelers can see the mountain gorillas face to face in the wild.

This Impenetrable forest has 18 habituated gorilla groups thus offering about 154 tourists a chance to see these great apes every single day. The gorillas will be seen in their natural habitat, that is the tropical rain forest. Apart from the gorillas, Bwindi is also a sanctuary for other interesting wildlife that include chimpanzees, forest elephants, and over 350 bird species.

In other words, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is not only a home to mountain gorillas but also a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World heritage, a prime birder’s site and anyone who would enjoy hiking through this ancient forest. One can trek around on his or her own but security and safety wise, you need to consult guides for clarifications about the route you are about to take. Some treks require hiking especially those to Muyanga water fall that departs from Buhoma, Rushura Hill walk that passes through one forest shared by two countries.

Meet the Mountain Gorillas

The silverback gorilla is the name given to the adult male gorilla because of the silvery fur running across their backs and hips. Gorillas live in groups with a clearly defined social structure. The dominant leads the group of other males, females and young ones in daily activities such as eating and sleeping. During their day today life, mid day is spent by playing and resting. Each evening they make their own nests, more especially out of vegetation before going to sleep.

Go Gorilla Trekking in the Forest

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is in the Southwest Uganda, a home to over a half of the Mountain Gorillas in the world. In other words, it is the best place recommended for gorilla tracking with a maximum of 8 people allowed to visit a habituated gorilla family per day.

There are four locations where you can track gorillas that is to say; Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the east, Nkuringo in the south west, and Rushaga located in the south and this is the best place in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for gorilla trekking. All families have unique behaviors and characteristics, if you have enough time and resources you can track more than one group during your trip.