Volcanoes National Park
Lying in the Rwanda–Uganda and also close to DR Congo, with roughly 2-hours of road drive on smooth tarmacked road from Kigali offering amazing experiences of life outside Kigali city, Volcanoes National park found in a small town called Musanze (formerly known as Ruhengeri)
 |
 |
|---|
This park in French is called Parc National des Volcans and to Rwandese it is called Pariki y’Igihugu y’Ibirunga in Kinyarwanda. Volcanoes National Park in the entire Africa is the mother of all game parks and home to the endangered Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda that is an extension from Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park of Uganda. On top of Mountain gorillas, Volcanoes national park is also harboring other primates like the; golden Monkeys, buffaloes, black-fronted duiker, hyenas then bushbucks, also claims that elephants are spotted here but very rare and many others, the bird species of 178 species with 15 of them being endemic,activities include mountaineering, visit to Iby’iwacu, visit ot Fossey’s tomb.
There are also mountains that form Virunga mountains that are inside the Volcanoes national park and the few include; Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke, Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabyinyo)
Mammal species
This park is enriched with ecosystem that it is a habitat for vibrant and unique looked out for mammal species. These uniquely selling looked out for animals include Mountain gorillas and Golden monkeys that are mostly recognized than any other wildlife species since they are only found in less than six parks in the entire Africa
Though this park is hilly and has a rugged terrain, thick and enclosed rain-forest, the fun to trek and explore the wildlife in it makes visitors zealous to go through all conditions.
Bird species
 |
 |
|---|---|
| Handsome francolin | Rwenzori turaco |
Volcanoes National Park is found at point where West African rain-forests meet up with the East African savannas, region where the great East African rift near Lake Kivu. All these are factors to act as a magnet that attracts birds hence high number of bird species presence in the Volcanoes National Park thus making this park the birding haven with over 200 recorded bird species sightings with endemic bird species like. Rwenzori batis, Handsome francolin, Grauer’s rush warbler, Rwenzori turaco, Archer’s ground robin, Rwenzori double collared sun-bird, Collared Apalis, Red-faced woodland warbler
Activities in Volcanoes National Park include.
Bird watchingThis is the main rationale for most of the trips to Rwanda and the encounter with these animals who are our close relatives and it’s a thrill. For anything concerning gorilla trekking, habituation, and tracking, Volcanoes national park is the place to do it while in Rwanda. Mountain gorilla trekking is the best wilderness adventure activity in Rwanda because it is adventurous, exciting, fun and educative.
Being a place for protection of endemic bird species that are unique and are harder to spot elsewhere. This makes volcanoes national park the best popular place for birding safaris in Rwanda. Teams of birding enthusiasts set out early morning, wander into the rain-forest in search of priority forests birds hidden in the canopy or forest floors. Quite often, they get an opportunity to spot their preferred bird species.
 |
 |
|---|
Volcanoes National Park in particular for Rwanda is the only place to spot this most unique, rarely spotted primate anywhere anyhow. Though not as so searched for as mountain gorillas but the two wildlife species are equally threatened. Monkey tracking starts in the morning at Kinigi tourism office and these animals are beautiful, charming, very active and very entertaining to track.
Nature walks
The feeling of having an interaction with nature alone and its cool breezes, the excitement of the tour to the raised adventure adrenaline. Most visitors coming to volcanoes national park are enticed to drown into the greenery of lush vegetation, wander into the wilderness and discover the beauty beyond many peoples reach.
Hiking
The entire beauty of viewing steep slopes from up, touching the skies. Lush, mist covered rain-forests surround their berries. Safaris get enticed to drown in the greenery and discover what lies underneath.
Other places to visit include.
- Mt Karisimbi
 |
 |
|---|
- Visit to the Gorilla guardians’ village /Iby’ Iwacu cultural village
Requirements
- Wear trousers and long-sleeved shirts.
• Sun hut.
• Insect repellent.
• Sunscreen.
• Rain gear
• Waterproof hiking boots.
• Walking stick / can be improvised on site.
• Garden gloves / optional.