Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is located in the North Western part of Rwanda approx. 2 hrs 30 minutes’ drive from Rwanda’s Capital City and the Kigali International Airport.
Volcanoes National Park covers a land area of 160 square kilometres but the Rwandan government embarked on a program to expand the park by more than 37.4 square kilometres. This expansion is primarily aimed at wildlife conservation by increasing the land area and habitat for the wildlife species.
The Park is best known as a sanctuary for the region’s rare endangered mountain gorillas and a rich mosaic of montane ecosystems. In this park, clients can also explore a network of scenic hiking trails, visiting the tomb of the world-famous Dian Fossey and the Karisoke Research Center, and enjoying a beautiful day hike to the crater lake on Mount Bisoke.
Distance from Kigali: 115 km
Transfer by road: 2 hrs 30 minutes
By Helicopter: 30 minutes
Gorilla Trekking
Tracking gorillas in Rwanda is safe and relatively accessible
At the latest count, there are approximately 1,000 mountain gorillas in the wild, with 604 in the Virunga Massif. There are twelve gorilla families living in the Volcanoes National Park, which are fully habituated, with a few others habituated solely for scientific research. The groups, or troops, consist of at least one silverback along with several females and youngsters.
Hikes can last from 30 minutes to four or more hours, reaching an altitude of between 2,500m and 4,000m. Porters are available at a fee to carry backpacks and cameras, as well as to offer a helping hand along the route.
What makes Rwanda’s gorilla trekking experience different?
The major difference between Rwanda and other countries where gorilla trekking is available is the accessibility and ease of it all. The park’s proximity to the capital city allows travelers to see the gorillas and then spend more time traveling around Rwanda and all that it has to offer, not limiting themselves to just the gorillas. The drive from Kigali to PNV is enjoyable, as the roads are all paved, right up to the PNV headquarters in Kinigi.
Required age:
To go gorilla trekking in Rwanda you must be at least 15 years of age. No exceptions are made.
Best time to visit the gorillas:
The gorillas can be viewed any time of the year however, the more comfortable experiences are during the dry seasons, which are July-September and December-February. However, PNV is located in a rainforest environment so there is always a chance for rain.
Golden Monkey
The Golden Monkey (Cercopithecus Mitis Kandti) is a local subspecies of the widespread Sykes Monkey, also known as the ‘Blue Monkey’ and is endemic to high-altitude forests. The monkeys are playful and inquisitive and often spend their time leaping from bamboo branches. There are two habituated groups of Golden Monkey, one group comprises around 80 – 100 members, with its home at the foot of Mount Sabyinyo.
Dian Fossey Tomb visit
Diane Fossey was an American primatologist and anthropologist who committed her life to the conservation of the Mountain Gorilla by conducting a comprehensive study for 18 years The hike the Dian Fossey grave is a tribute to her great work of protecting the volcanic mountain gorillas which today are still existing and your able to come see them. Very advisable to go to the tomb, and hike the day after your gorilla safari in the Volcanoes Forest.
The guided hike takes approx. 3 hours as a round trip depending on how fast you move and the stops you take. While hiking you will enjoy watching some birds, listening to their calls, different plants, and a variety of animal species.
Bisoke Hike
Mt. Bisoke is an extinct volcano in the Virunga Mountain and is the most popular mountain hiking experience in Volcanoes National Park. It stands at 3,711 meters on the Rwanda side with a crater Late at the summit measuring about 400 meters in diameter and an estimated depth of about 100 meters.
It’s a moderate hike which is done within a day for approx. of 6 hours as a round trip. The hike is very rewarding with beautiful scenery and great views of the lush Virunga and Rwanda’s hilly landscape.
Community & Conservation Experiences
Handspun Hope tours and classes
Handspun Hopes believes empowerment, chiefly through vulnerable women, is a central principle for reducing poverty and improving the health and well-being of children and communities.
Community activities include a standard tour to experience the start-to-finish production process of the handmade wool clothing, an experience tour with a practical lesson from the women tailored differently for adults and kids, a tour of the Merino Sheep Farm located at the base of Mountain Sabyinyo in Kinigi.
Beyond The Gorillas Experiences
The Beyond the Gorillas Experiences have been designed to support the community to conserve natural resources, promote eco-tourism and sustain income generating activities for the community.
Community activities include a visit to the ex-hunters to learn more about their lives in the forest through their beautiful stories, cultural dances and songs, bee keeping, weaving, cultivating and other community led experiences tailored for all age groups.
Ellen DeGeneres Campus Visit
For 55 years, the Fossey Fund has been working to help conserve wild gorilla populations and support the people who share gorillas’ forest homes. It all started with two tents that Dian Fossey erected in the forest in 1967. From there, they grew over the years, from one person to a staff of more than 300. The team made a strategic decision to move forward on an ambitious, 20-year dream to create a purpose-built facility in Rwanda aimed at accelerating science and conservation work.
The Gorilla Doctors
The Gorilla Doctors are dedicated to conserving wild mountain and eastern lowland (or Grauer’s) gorillas through life-saving veterinary medicine and a One Health approach. The international team of veterinarians is the only group providing these critically endangered animals with direct, hands-on care in the wild.
With a special USAID Emerging Pandemic Threats program PREDICT grant, Gorilla Doctors is at the forefront of a global campaign to identify the emergence of new infectious diseases in wildlife that could pose a major threat to human health. Gorilla Doctors in Rwanda and Uganda are leading the fieldwork for this important effort, safely and humanely collecting samples such as blood, saliva, and feces from rodents, primates, bats, and birds in places where these species come into close contact with people. The talk usually lasts for 1 hour and is a great way to prepare for the magical trekking experience. The US$500 is a donation towards conservation.
The Gorilla Doctors talk will include the following;
History and habitation of the Mountain Gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park, Virunga and Bwindi National Park
How deliberate measures in conservation have led to the constant growth of the Gorilla population.
Procedures were taken to monitor the gentle giants through safe sample collection and direct treatment, and the census was taken by the gorilla doctors.
Behaviors and mannerisms of the Gorillas and how tourists are to behave while viewing them.
