Volcanoes National Park

Location: Musanze Village, Northwestern Rwanda

Area: 160 km² 

Overview

Volcanoes National Park is located in the far northwest of Rwanda, and protects the steep slopes of this magnificent range, home of the endangered mountain gorilla, rich in mosaic of montane ecosystems. This embraces evergreen and bamboo forests, open grassland, swamp, and heath.

Named after the chain of dormant volcanoes making up the Virunga Massif with Karisimbi being the highest at 4,507m, Bisoke with its verdant Crater Lake Sabinyo, Gahinga, and Muhabura.

All Rwanda gorilla safaris shelter the highest number of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Conservation Area, making Volcanoes National park the stop center. Home to the golden monkeys, a variety of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects among other creatures complete the Rwanda safari package.

This region spans to cover the Virunga National Park in Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.

Initially, a small area around Karisimbi, Mikeno, and Visoke volcanoes was gazetted to protect the Mountain gorillas which were facing the threat of extinction as a result of poaching. In 1925, the national park was extended into Rwanda and the then Belgian Congo and was named Albert National Park managed and run by the Belgian Colonial Authorities.

In the early 1960s saw the park was divided as Rwanda and Congo gained independence and by the end of the decade, the park was almost half of its original size. In 1967, the American primatologist Dian Fossey a researcher on mountain Gorillas in the forests of Congo fled from insecurity and established her research base at a place between the Visoke and Karisimbi campaign of the mountain gorillas and mobilized resources to fight against poaching in this area, a fight she put up until her murder in 1985.

She was buried at the research center next to the grave of her favorite gorilla called Digit, in 2005 a bid to boost conservation and gorilla tours in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda introduced the annual baby naming ceremony for baby gorillas known as ‘Kwita Iziina” which has seen great results in as far as gorilla population is concerned.

Tracking endangered mountain gorillas, alive with the calls of 200 species of colorful birds and the chattering of the rare golden monkey, is only one of the truly unique experiences in the area. Within the boundaries of Volcanoes National Park are Buhanga Eco-Park, an ancient forest holding Rwanda’s most intriguing folklore, and Musanze Caves formed 62 million years ago after the last estimated volcanic eruption.

The Uniqueness of this Park

• Volcanoes National Park protects the steep slopes of this magnificent mountain range.
• Home of the endangered mountain gorilla.
• A rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, which embrace evergreen and bamboo forests, open grassland, swamp, and heath.
• The only possible destination for Mountain gorilla trekking expeditions in Rwanda.
• It is one of the three other only habitats for Mountain gorillas on the planet.

Accommodation Options

• Bisate Lodge (six decadent en-suite villas).
• Virunga Lodge (10 luxurious and comfortable rooms of which 2 are deluxe and 8 standard rooms).
• Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge (Six cottages, two suites, and one family cottage).
• Singita Kwitonda Lodge and Singita Kataza House (8 luxurious suites).
• Tiloreza Volcanoes Eco lodge (14 air-conditioned rooms featuring flat-screen televisions).

Activities at the Destination

Hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, and village experiences, gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, visiting the grave of Dian Fossey, mountain hiking, touring the lakes Ruhondo and Burera.