Volcanoes National Park

About Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park protects Rwanda's share of the Virunga Mountains, a chain of volcanic peaks along the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Farms climb the lower slopes right up to a stone wall at the park boundary, and above it the forest rises through bamboo and moss-hung hagenia woodland to alpine meadows below the summits of Karisimbi, Bisoke and their neighbours.

Dian Fossey studied mountain gorillas here for nearly two decades, and a steep hike leads to her grave beside the gorillas she buried. Gorilla treks leave park headquarters at Kinigi each morning, with small groups matched to habituated families according to fitness. You get one hour with them, watching youngsters tumble through the nettles while a silverback feeds. You can also track golden monkeys in the bamboo, climb Bisoke to its crater lake, or visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo near Musanze.

Gorilla permits are included, and trekkers must be at least 15. Kigali is about an hour and a quarter by air from Nairobi, and the park around two and a half hours by road from Kigali. June to September and December to February are driest, though gorillas can be tracked all year. Pair the park with Lake Kivu and Nyungwe Forest, or cross into Uganda for Bwindi. The East Africa Tourist Visa covers Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.