Rwanda Safaris to Volcanoes National Park

Rwanda Discovery Journeys!

Rwanda safaris to Volcanoes National Park have over the years gained popularity. They are currently among the most desired safaris and feature on the top bucket list of many travelers. Rwanda is popularly known as the land of a thousand hills because of its hilly landscapes. The country is also a great primate trekking destination home to mountain gorillas and more. Despite the country’s small size, Rwanda safaris are rewarding. Rwanda is diverse with potential safari destinations that have not yet been explored.

When anyone talks about Rwanda Safaris, Volcanoes National Park is the first Key destination that pops up. The park is located in the northwestern part of the country about a 3-hour drive from Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city. Volcanoes National Park is part of the great Virunga conservation area. This encompasses the Virunga mountains along the Rwanda, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of Congo border.

The Virunga conservation area has 3 main national parks including Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mgahinga Gorilla Park in Uganda. These are homes to the endangered mountain gorillas that are Key attractions to the area. Rwanda Safaris to Volcanoes National Park mainly focuses on mountain gorillas but there is a lot more that the park offers. Let us look at the main safari adventures that one can engage in on Rwanda Safaris to Volcanoes National Park.

Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safaris

Rwanda gorilla trekking safaris top the list of the adventures to be part of when in the park. The Virunga conservation has about 600 mountain gorillas and Volcanoes National Park has the highest of the 3 national parks. It has 20 gorilla families 12 of which are open for tourism. These families are evenly distributed in the park and can be trekked to follow the different trails.

Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park takes 2 to 4 hours depending on the movement of the mountain gorillas. Gorilla families like Susa and Sabyinyo require more hours of hiking as gorilla move in a long range. When booking your gorilla trekking adventure it is important to communicate your physical capabilities to ensure you are allocated a gorilla group that can be got to after relatively short times of hiking. Those who are physically fit can take on long hiking adventures for more wildlife-viewing opportunities.

Our tailor-made Rwanda safaris to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking start from 1 Day and more. There is a chance of booking an exclusive gorilla trek at extra cost. You can also do a double gorilla trek tracking gorillas two times following two different gorilla families. The ideal tour to the gorillas is a 3-day Rwanda gorilla tour that enables you to track golden monkeys as well. Book your Rwanda Safaris featuring gorilla trekking for the ultimate primate trekking adventures.

Dian Fossey Hiking Experiences

Dian Fossey was an American primatologist who dedicated her life to wildlife, especially mountain gorilla conservation. She is a key figure who paved the way for most conservation efforts towards mountain gorillas in the Virunga mountains. Dian started her research work in 1967 founding the Karisoke Centre where she was based to explore the Virungas and study more about mountain gorillas.

It is from her great research work that the world got to know about the mountain gorillas. She was murdered in 1985 and was buried near her favorite gorilla digit. While on Rwanda safaris in the park, you can hike to the Dian Fossey tomb and learn about her conservation works.

The Dian Fossey hiking trail has several wildlife species including birds and primates that you can spot as you trek. The whole hiking experience is enjoyable because of the great scenery in the mountains. It takes about 6 hours to complete the Dian Fossey hike but it requires a bit of physical fitness because it is a bit strenuous to Hike. When on a 4-day tour add the Dian Fossey to fully understand the conservation journey the park has been through.

Golden Monkey Trekking safaris

Golden monkeys, just like their names, are covered with golden fur. They are endemic to Virunga mountains and Volcanoes National Park is among the best places to see them. Golden monkeys stay in the light bamboo forests and their hike takes about 2 to 3 hours.

The golden monkey hike also enables one to see several other wildlife species including birds. Golden monkeys are however a highlight of this hike and meeting them in the wild is very rewarding. You are allowed to stay up to an hour in the presence of the golden monkeys learning more about them.

Virunga Mountains Hiking

Two of the Virunga mountains in Volcanoes National Park are hiked. Mount Karisimbi hike takes two 2 days with climbers spending a night on the mountain. This hike is adventurous and there you get to see several wildlife species including birds. The hike offers great scenic views of other Virunga mountains and the surrounding lowland areas.

Mount Bisoke is the other mountain that is hiked in Volcanoes National Park. The mountain has a crater lake on its summit and sometimes gorillas hang around the lake. It is sometimes rare to see mountain gorillas if you booked for these mountain hikes. There are different trails that the ranger guides follow for the hikes and gorilla trekking. You can have Rwanda Safaris to Volcanoes National Park featuring gorilla trekking, golden monkeys, and one of the mountain hikes.

As we head into the peak tourist season, the gorilla permits are slowly getting fully booked. This is the time to book your Discovery Journeys adventure to Rwanda. The peak season stretches from June to September and it also doubles as a dry season. During this time hiking, trekking, and overall wildlife viewing and photography are great.