Parc National des Volcans, often known as Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, is home to several of the country’s top tourist attractions. A total of 160 square kilometers make up the park, which is situated in Rwanda’s Northern Province. Along with the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park was established as an important plant and wildlife conservation area in the early 1920s. The Virunga conservation region, which includes all three parks, exists primarily to safeguard the critically endangered mountain gorilla. There was a significant decrease in poaching once Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Center moved into the park in 1967. Her advocacy supported the continued existence of the gigantic apes by attracting more resources to conservation initiatives.

While the Volcanoes National park’s fame rests on the critically endangered mountain gorillas, the park’s rugged terrain, verdant woods, lakes, rivers, and abundant wildlife are also noteworthy. The Volcanoes National Park is home to four of the world’s most significant volcanoes. Bisoke (3,711m), Karisimbi (4,507m), Gahinga (3,474m), Sabyinyo (3,634m), and Muhabura (3,636m) are all among them (4,127m). The park’s high and low elevations, volcanoes, and varying topography result in four distinct types of plant life: bamboo on the lower slopes, hypericum/hagenia at intermediate elevations, sub-alpine vegetation at higher elevations, and Afro-alpine flora at the highest elevations.

Beautiful golden monkeys are another endangered species that call the park’s lower elevations home. Like the mountain gorillas, they rely on bamboo shoots and other lowland flora for sustenance. The park is also home to groups of free-living chimpanzees and other tiny monkeys. Elephants and buffalos, both large species, are found in the forest, although only in tiny herds. You can spot leopards, Duikers, Bush Pigs, Forest Hogs, and even a Spotted Hyena in the park. The lovely Francolins and Rwenzori Turaco are just among the many bird species that call Volcanoes National park home, and they help make the park a hotspot for birdwatchers.  The park is accessible due to a variety of tourist activities that are open in volcanoes national park

Things to See in Volcanoes National Park

While gorilla trekking is the most popular attraction in Volcanoes National Park, there are many other amazing things to do there as well. Guests to Volcanoes National Park may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of things to see and do there and wish they had more time to explore. Trekking with gorillas and golden monkeys, paying your respects at Dian Fossey’s grave, mountaineering, and exploring Ruhondo and Burera lakes are just a few of the highlights. Let’s take a closer look at each of the events.

Mountain Gorillas: There are only four national parks in the world where mountain gorillas may be tracked, and one of those is the Volcanoes National Park. The others are Mgahinga and Bwindi forest national park in Uganda and the Virunga in the Congo. In Mgahinga, your odds of encountering a gorilla are quite good. Tracking 10 habituated Rwanda gorilla groups is possible with the help of knowledgeable and enthusiastic park rangers. A gorilla trekking is an exciting activity, but physically demanding, adventure. For around $15, trackers can employ a porter to assist carry any additional portion of the $1,500 fee of a gorilla permit in Rwanda goes toward supporting neighboring people and improving infrastructure. You can get the Permits from the Rwanda Development Board on your own, but hiring a tour operator would make the process smoother.

Observing Golden Monkeys: Once considered a safari activity, tracking golden monkeys has become as popular as observing gorillas. Tourists can pay $100 to watch the endangered monkeys eat, groom, and swing from bamboo tree to tree. There can be up to one hundred people in a gang, and a single male often takes charge.

The tracking of Golden Monkeys can be done either before or after a gorilla expedition. Since Golden Monkeys don’t trek to great altitudes in search of fresh food like gorillas, tracking them is easier on the body. The bamboo shoots that can be found near the foot of the volcanoes are their favorite food source. Although gorilla permits must be booked in advance, we still recommend booking your golden monkey permission early just in case.

Visit Dian Fossey Tomb: One of the most influential primatologists of all time, Dian Fossey, is being honored with a visit to her tomb. The poaching of wildlife, especially mountain gorillas, in Volcanoes National Park was considerably reduced because of her bravery and resolve. Were it not for her work, mountain gorillas would have likely died out long ago. She is also credited with developing innovative approaches to acclimating gorillas to human presence through the use of sound mimicry, specifically with the aim of winning over the group’s alpha male.

Hundreds of people each year travel to the area between Mounts Karisimbi and Bisoke to pay their respects at the tomb of this legendary environmentalist and at the site of the former Karisoke Research Center. The cost for this three-hour guided hike is $75. One may get a sense of what she went through, how determined she was, and how much she cared about the gorillas by hiking up the volcanoes to her old base.

Mount Karisimbi is an extinct volcano that can be hiked to an elevation of roughly 4,507 meters. Musanze’s Mount Karisimbi is a popular destination for hikers. It’s the sixth highest in Africa, so you’ll need to be in peak mental and physical shape to summit in just two days. The first stop, rest, and overnight on the trek is at a height of 3700m, and it requires traversing through dense trees. The final, steep stretch of the trail is tackled first thing in the morning, and then the peak is reached. Hikers who make it to the peak are rewarded with stunning panoramas of the surrounding landscape, including Volcanoes National Park, the snowy Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Nyiragongo, and the rest of the Virunga peaks.

To hike Mount Bisoke, which is part of the Virunga Mountains and is now dormant, is to traverse the crater of an ancient volcano. From Kigali, the capital, it takes three hours to get to the base of the mountain. Mount Bisoke is a far more manageable mountain hike than Karisimbi, taking only one day to complete. Hikers will still require some level of fitness to finish the journey. All park activities, including hiking, begin with a briefing at park headquarters (where you’ll also pay your $75 fee) before venturing out into the park. A four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended for the muddy and stone-covered roads between the park’s headquarters and the beginning of the path. At the beginning point, you can hire porters for about $15 to help you carry your large stuff.

Hiking up Mount Muhavura is one of the highlights of any safari trip to Volcanoes National Park. It’s the third-highest peak in the Virungas, at 4,127 meters in altitude. Hikers begin their ascent at an altitude of 1200 m and, by the time they reach the peak, will have through lush green woods and admired views of other volcanoes in the greater Virunga region.

The twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera are a great place to unwind after a day of adventure (like gorilla trekking). Bird watching and the expansive hilly terrain dotted with waterfalls are highlights of a boat ride over these two lakes. The people of the lake islands welcome visitors to spend time with them and share their unique culture, history, and traditions, which set them apart from the other Rwandan tribes.

Best way to get to the Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park is a short trip from Kigali. From Kigali, you may reach Musanze District in Rwanda’s Northern Province in under two hours by car. So, if you leave Kigali at 4 a.m. sharp, you may complete the entire gorilla trip in a single day. From Kigali or Gisenyi, visitors can take the bus to Musanze, where they can then rent a private automobile to take them to the park headquarters. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of getting to and from the Park Headquarters in Kinigi, where briefings for the various activities take place, on your own, a tour operator is your best bet. It takes around 10 hours to drive from Uganda’s Entebbe Airport to the Border crossing point, where visitors can enter Volcanoes National Park and go on to the park itself.

Best time to visit Volcanoes National park

Volcanoes National Park is a year-round destination with something exciting to offer every time you visit. However, the park receives the lion’s share of its tourists throughout the park’s drier months and seasons. June through mid-September and December through February are the driest times of the year. Gorilla trekking in the park is preferable during this time of year since the mountain slopes are less treacherous. A lot of rain falls in the spring and fall, from March to May and from October to November, making the main trails unusable for hiking and trekking during those times because of the mud and slippery conditions. Visit the park in the wet season if you’re a photographer or nature lover in awe of the gorgeous environment. You can combine a safari here with visits to Rwanda’s other famous national parks.

Where to stay in Volcanoes National Park

Near Volcanoes National Park, you may pick from a wide variety of hotels that fall into three distinct price ranges: deluxe, moderate, and cheap. A traveler’s hotel selection should be made based solely on their available budget. No matter what price range you’re looking at, you’ll be staying at a nice hotel. Most hotels provide a variety of amenities, including room service, a restaurant, a bar, and a lounge. Let’s check out a few of the lodges and hotels that deserve your attention:

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge: The lodge is found at the base of one of the volcanoes in Volcanoes National Park, a distance of just 3 kilometers from the park’s administration building. Thanks to its prime location, guests at the lodge can take in panoramic views of the surrounding farms and the towering Virunga volcanoes. A helpful staff is on hand around the clock to tend to guest needs in the guest rooms. There are also common areas with couches and TVs, bathrooms, fireplaces, a dining area, and a recreation room available to guests staying in the cheapest rooms. There’s even a place to buy mementos and read more on the cause.

The Virunga Hotel: It is ideally situated in the middle of Musanze, and the drive to the Park’s administrative offices takes no more than fifteen minutes. The hotel’s 25 rooms are all completely independent from one another and come equipped with their own private bathrooms, free WiFi, refrigerators, desks, and satellite TVs.

La Palme Hotel: This is a three-star establishment, can take advantage of a wide variety of high-quality services at reasonable prices. The hotel’s restaurant serves a variety of cuisines from around the world. You can request room service for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any other meal. There is a wide selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages available at the hotel bar. In addition to the standard amenities, we offer complimentary airport transfers, Wi-Fi, a telephone in each room, two meeting rooms, and ample parking.

The Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel: It is a high-end establishment that can be found in a serene section of Musanze, just on the road that leads to Kinigi. The hotel is new and has several room types, including VIP Cottages, Deluxe Doubles, Family Suites, and Standard Rooms. Each accommodation features a kitchenette with a refrigerator, a flat-screen TV, a kettle, a mini-bar, a dining area, a laundry facility, and a parking spot. Protection from fire and other hazards has been implemented, and smoke detectors are placed.

Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge 

In Rwanda’s northern province, not far from the mountain gorillas’ homes, you’ll find this mid-range hotel. Its unparalleled reputation for relaxing makes it ideal for making you feel at ease while away from home. The lodge is located in a beautiful area of the park and offers guests a close look at the local population of endangered mountain gorillas in addition to the best facilities and service in the area.

Mountain gorilla view lodge 

The hotel can be found in the Musanze neighborhood, which is close to the Volcanoes National Park. In the foothills of Sabinyo, one of the Virunga mountain ranges, is Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, just a short distance from the entrance of Volcanoes National Park.

It’s an eco-lodge with 30 thatched-roof cottages, a stone-walled common area with a fireplace, a restaurant, a bar, and a private veranda for each guest.