Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National park is a center of Rwanda’s tourism development the fact that it harbors endangered mountain gorillas the star tourism attraction in Rwanda. Volcanoes national park is located in the Northern part of Rwanda in Musanze province and it covers an area of 160 square kilometers.   Volcanoes National Park was gazetted as major wildlife conservation areas together with Mgahinga Gorilla National park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was primarily done to conserve and protect the endangered mountain gorillas. A combination of these three national parks forms what we call now as Virunga Conservation Area.

Volcanoes National Park majorly is mountainous covered with untamed forests full of distinct flora and fauna species. The Volcanoes National park holds the Karisoke Research Center which was established by Dian Fossey upon her arrival in the park in the year 1967. This center coordinated different anti-poaching mechanisms that saw poaching and hunting with the park being reduced.  Dian Fossey’s love for endangered mountain gorillas attracted a lot of publicity and different organization and stakeholders invested more in the conservation efforts of mountain gorillas through funding to ensure that the greatest apes remain intact. The research study of mountain gorillas for over 17 years by Diane Fossey continuously resulted in more benefits of gorilla tourism to livelihood improvements and most of her research about gorillas are contained in a Film dubbed “Gorillas in the Mist,” which was filmed in Volcanoes National Park.

Volcanoes National park is a center of Rwanda’s tourism development the fact that it harbors endangered mountain gorillas the star tourism attraction in Rwanda. The park is located in the Northern part of Rwanda in Musanze province and it covers an area of 160 square kilometers.   Volcanoes National Park was gazetted as major wildlife conservation areas together with Mgahinga Gorilla National park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was primarily done to conserve and protect the endangered mountain gorillas. A combination of these three national parks forms what we call now as Virunga Conservation Area.

The park majorly is mountainous covered with untamed forests full of distinct flora and fauna species and holds the Karisoke Research Center which was established by Dian Fossey upon her arrival in the park in the year 1967. This center coordinated different anti-poaching mechanisms that saw poaching and hunting with the park being reduced.  Dian Fossey’s love for endangered mountain gorillas attracted a lot of publicity and different organization and stakeholders invested more in the conservation efforts of mountain gorillas through funding to ensure that the greatest apes remain intact. The research study of mountain gorillas for over 17 years by Diane Fossey continuously resulted in more benefits of gorilla tourism to livelihood improvements and most of her research about gorillas are contained in a Film dubbed “Gorillas in the Mist,” which was filmed in Volcanoes National Park.

Volcanoes  stands out as the best destination for endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Other than these amiable primates, the park is also famous for amazing mountain landscapes, vast forests, lakes and rivers, and other primates including Golden monkeys, blue and white colobus monkeys which makes the park famous. Volcanoes national park still, comprises of 4 major volcanoes that offer visitors opportunities for hiking experience and these include; Sabinyo which stands at 3,634 meters, Gahinga at 3,474 meters, Muhabura at 4,127 meters,  Bisoke at 3711 meters, and the highest  Mt Karisimbi standing at 4,507 meters. It is because of this Altitude that determines the Vegetation zones of the park which include bamboo covering the lower areas of the park, Hagenia on elevated areas, subalpine vegetation, and afro-alpine vegetation which is above 4,000 meters.

Some troops of chimpanzees claim Volcanoes National Park as their home in addition to some large mammals including forest elephants,  buffaloes which can be seen but in small herds sometimes you might even fail to spot one because of the nature of forests covering the park. You can as well see a leopard, hyenas, and Forest bush pigs duikers on your lucky day while in Volcanoes National Park. Get ready to spot birding species such as Rwenzori turaco and magnificent francolins among other bird species.