Reasons Why You Should Visit Volcanoes National Park
Reasons Why You Should Visit Volcanoes National Park: Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park has been and continues to be the most popular tourist attraction in the country, and if you’ve traveled to Africa and haven’t visited there, you haven’t lived. As you can see, there are hundreds of reasons why you should visit the park.
The picturesque Volcanoes National Park, located in the extreme north-western corner of Rwanda, has long been recognized as the base and ultimate resting place of the American zoologist-Dian Fossey, who committed over 18 years to researching and protecting mountain gorillas.
Reasons Why You Should Visit Volcanoes National Park.
Gorilla Trekking
The main purpose to visit Volcanoes National Park is to see the endangered Mountain gorillas, and the activity normally begins in the morning at Kinigi Park Headquarters. With a gorilla permit in hand and in the company of expert rangers/guides, you will trek into the lush jungles of Volcanoes National Park, following the lead of a tracker who will first determine the exact position of the mountain gorillas. You will discover them eating, playing, or sleeping after several hours of trekking and will spend one hour with them before returning to the looked safari lodge/camp. There are presently around 1004 mountain gorillas left in the wild, with Volcanoes National Park housing over 400 of them.
Golden Monkey Trekking
Hiking the rare Golden monkeys is another incentive to visit Volcanoes National Park; these timid primates may be found in the Bamboo forest. They, like mountain gorillas, are acclimated to tourists being around them. Because the bamboo forest is located on the lower slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes, trekking them takes less time.
Explore Musanze Caves.
Another incentive to visit Volcanoes National Park is to explore the Musanze Caves in Musanze Town, which have become one of the Park’s most popular tourist attractions since its opening in 2013. The subterranean Musanze Caves are roughly 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) long and have well-designed corridors and stairways to make seeing the Musanze Caves simpler.
Mountain Climbing.
Climbing the Virunga Volcanoes, particularly Karisimbi and Bisoke, is another incentive to visit Volcanoes National Park. Mount Karisimbi is the most towering Virunga Volcano, reaching 4507 meters above sea level and taking two days to climb, but Mount Bisoke is simpler, with guided treks done every day (for 5-6 hours) and a magnificent Crater Lake at its summit.
Hike to Dian Fossey’s Gravesite.
Another reason traveler visit Volcanoes National Park is to go to the tomb of Dian Fossey, the well-known American primatologist who campaigned diligently to save mountain gorillas. Dian Fossey was assassinated on December 26, 1985, in the Karisoke Research Center she had built within the National Park, and was put to rest alongside her beloved Mountain gorilla Digit.
Hiking to Dian Fossey’s cemetery amid the Virunga Mountains is a fun thing to do while on a gorilla safari. The tomb is accessible after a 30-minute drive from Kinigi, the park headquarters, to the route leading to the Karisoke research camp, where tourists can stroll for about 10 minutes along the park boundary. Guests may unwind and enjoy breathtaking views of the entire forest before walking to the tomb. The hike then continues into the forest for roughly an hour and a half from the park boundary to the famed tomb.
Visitors may expect to see forest pigs, a variety of colorful birds, and, if they are lucky, elephants and buffalos. You will personally view the grave and discover how motivating it is to hear about someone who campaigned for mountain gorilla conservation.
Bird viewing
Expect to witness the lovely francolin, weird weavers, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori double-collared sun birds, Archer’s ground robin, Collared Apalis, Red-faced woodland warblers, and Dusky Crimson wing among others when you visit Volcanoes National Park for bird watching. Bird watching at Volcanoes National Park, like other activities, begins in the morning with a briefing at the Park Headquarters before traveling into the bush to find some of the Park’s residents. You’re likely to observe buffaloes, bushbucks, primates, and butterflies when looking for bird species at the national park.
Getting to Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park is located in northern Rwanda, approximately 105 kilometers/2-3 hours’ drive from the capital city (Kigali), which also serves as the journey’s beginning point. This park may be accessible by both air and road travel, with the former offering scheduled flights or chartering a plane from Kigali International Airport to Kamembe Airport and then driving to the park. Private and public transportation can take you to the park, however buses will stop in Musanze Town and you will need to rent a cab or a motorbike to go to the Park Headquarters.
