rwanda

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Quick Facts

Best Time to Visit: June–September and December–January (dry seasons). Year-round possible.
Country: rwanda

Highlights

Home to ~300 mountain gorillas (half of Rwanda's gorilla population)
Five of the eight Virunga volcanoes fall within the park
Golden monkey trekking
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund research center and tomb
Stunning volcano hiking including Bisoke Crater Lake

Wildlife

Mountain gorillasGolden monkeysBuffaloElephantsHyenas180+ bird species

About Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans) in northwestern Rwanda is the country’s most famous wildlife destination and one of the premier gorilla trekking locations on Earth. The park protects the Rwandan slopes of the Virunga Mountain range, a chain of eight volcanoes that straddle the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The park covers 160 square kilometers and rises from 2,400 meters at the park boundary to 4,507 meters at the summit of Mount Karisimbi. The habitat transitions from montane forest to bamboo zone to alpine meadow as elevation increases.

Mountain Gorillas

Volcanoes National Park is home to approximately 300 mountain gorillas, roughly half of Rwanda’s mountain gorilla population and about 30% of the world total. The gorillas live in 12 habituated family groups that are open to tourism, each visited by a maximum of 8 guests per day.

The habituation process takes 2–3 years. Rangers spend months with wild gorilla families until they become comfortable with human presence. The gorillas are wild animals and behave entirely naturally during your visit, the habituation simply means they do not flee.

Activities

Gorilla Trekking, The headline activity. Permits cost $1,500 per person and must be pre-booked. Duration varies from 30 minutes to 6+ hours depending on gorilla location. All trekkers spend exactly one hour with the gorillas once found.

Golden Monkey Trekking, A more affordable trekking experience ($100 permit). Golden monkeys are endemic to the Virungas and habituated groups allow close approach. Excellent for photographers.

Volcano Hiking, Day hikes to Mount Bisoke (crater lake at summit, 8-10 hours), Mount Karisimbi (2-day camping trek to Rwanda’s highest peak), and Mount Sabyinyo (3-country border summit).

Dian Fossey Trail, A half-day hike to the grave of the late gorilla researcher Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Center site. Essential for anyone who has read Gorillas in the Mist.

How to Get There

Volcanoes National Park is located approximately 100 km northwest of Kigali, roughly 2.5 hours by road. The drive from Kigali passes through the town of Musanze (Ruhengeri), which has hotels, restaurants, and banking facilities.

All Rwanda Eco Company gorilla safaris include round-trip transfers from Kigali.