VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK RWANDA

Situated in the land of a thousand hills, Volcanoes national park is located in the north western Rwanda covering an area of 160 sq km. With surrounding views of volcanic peaks, the park is an ideal destination for luxurious gorilla safaris alongside other wildlife species. Volcanoes national park is home to mountain gorilla an iconic endangered species, golden monkeys, spotted hyena, buffaloes, black- fronted duiker, bush buck, and about 178 bird species. Here are the incredible spots to visit on your self drive safari.

Areas of interest

Mount Karisimbi

The name Karisimbi is derived from the Kinyarwanda word ‘amasimbi’ which translates literally to mean ‘white shell’ referring to the white-capped summit on top of the volcano. Mount Karisimbi rises at an elevation about 4507m above sea level. It is the highest of eight volcanoes in the Virunga field and the fifth highest in Africa. It strides along the border between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Mount Karisimbi is flanked by Mikeno in the north, Bisoke in the east and Nyiragongo in the west. The mountain therefore is an ideal hiking destination while on a safari to Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park.

Mount Bisoke

Rising 3711m high is Mount Bisoke, a dormant volcano in the Virunga ranges. The mountain lies along the border of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo with its peak and two crater lakes being in Rwanda. The entire volcano is green with lush vegetation zones such as Hagenia forest, alpine to alpine. Mount Bisoke is home to a variety of stunning wildlife especially incredible flora and fauna. Mountain gorilla, golden monkeys, forest elephants, Buffaloes, and plenty bird species and vegetation along the volcano.

Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo    

Famously known as the twin lakes, Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo are located at the base of Muhavura volcano close to the border of Uganda and Rwanda. The twin lakes are located close to Volcanoes national park with blue water surrounded by Virunga high hills and a tall waterfall with the outlines in the volcanoes provide a spectacular back drop. Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo are separated by a 1km wide strip of land.

These magnificent lakes along with the swamp Rugezi are excellent photographic and scenic places for bird watching activity. Sightseeing and sport fishing are the famous activities visitors enjoy around the two lakes. This is usually done using either in a boat or canoe where visitors see breath taking sceneries along the shores especially heavily terraced green slopes or catch fish respectively.

Musanze caves

Situated in the heart of Volcanoes national park is Musanze caves which are a big spectacle on your safari to Rwanda. Musanze caves are located at the foothills of Volcanoes national park making them easily accessible a place after gorilla trekking in the evening hours. The dark interior of the caves illustrates a picture of a house with several rooms and corridors. The floor is paved and there are some stairs to ease movement. The caves are an interesting attraction every visitor shouldn’t miss on his or her tour to Volcanoes national park.

Dian Fossey grave site

Dian Fossey was an American primatologist and anthropologist who committed her life to the conservation of the Mountain Gorilla by conducting an 18 year comprehensive study about the fateful ape. Dian Fossey founded Karisoke research center in 1967 and anti- poaching campaigns with her staff to protect the mountain gorillas.

 

Unfortunately, Dian was murdered in 1985 in her tent at her research institute by unknown murders where she was found lying in a pool of blood in the early morning of 27^th December, 1985. Fossey is buried at Karisoke, in a site that she herself had constructed for her deceased gorilla friends. Hiking the Dian Fossey grave site is therefore done as a tribute to her great work of protecting the Volcanoes mountain gorillas which are a great attraction to the park and Rwanda today.

 

Outside the park

Rwanda genocide memorial sites

Following the events that occured during the 100 days of murder in 1994, the Rwanda genocide sites were established to honour the lives of the people who were slain to death. After this great massacre, Rwanda established about eight memorial sites to commemorate and provide the innocent souls a descent burial. The genocide memorial sites include; Murambi genocide memorial site, Gisozi memorial site, Gisenyi memorial site, Nyamata memorial site, Bisesero memorial site, Nyarubuye memorial site, Nyanza memorial site, and Ntarama memorial site. It is in these memorial sites that history, memory and the history of memory about what I call ‘the 100 days of terror’ are reflected. Therefore, a visit to Volcanoes national park without visiting any of these sites is undeniably an incomplete tour.

 

Buhanga Eco Park

Explore the mystical Buhanga a small forest of around 31 hectares, a place where Rwanda kings performed there initiation and enthronement ceremonies. The park is a testimony of past societies that carried out such rituals as sacred. The forest has different dimensions with each having a different story concerning king initiations and traditions of the Yore people of Rwanda.

A walk through the park rewards visitors with the sight of a small ditch surrounded by flowery thicket and small lava stones. This is believed to have been the place where the king’s assistants picked herbs they would add to spring water to make the ritual birth for the king’s coronation.

A pile of large boulders is a few meters away showing the dark cave, the path through which the king was wheeled in his carriage from the royal palace to the bath of spring water and herbs. The park has a small spring of dark and cold water which is seen while one is walking down the hill. The interesting fact about this spring is that it over flows during the dry season and is dry during the rainy season.

After bath, the conference podium is the place where the king received instruments of power and hailed as king of Rwanda in a function presided over by heads of clans.Visitors are able to see the three-in-one tree which represents the harmony and unity of the three tribes in Rwanda.

 

Wildlife and birding

Wildlife is one of the unique features that make Volcanoes national park an exceptional destination. This comprises of flora and fauna which co-exist in the park. Different wildlife at the park can be found at different altitudinal ranges both in highland and others in low areas.  Volcanoes national park is home to mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, forest elephants, black- fronted duiker, bushbuck, buffaloes, spotted hyena and about 300 bird species.

The park beams with an ever green bamboo forest, hagenia- hypericum, swamps, thickets, shrubs and meadows. Other vegetation in the park includes grasslands, ferns, and lichens, among others. . The park beams with an ever green bamboo forest, hagenia- hypericum, swamps, thickets, shrubs and meadows. Other vegetation in the park includes grasslands, ferns, and lichens, among others

Mountain gorillas

Volcanoes national park has the highest number of mountain gorillas in the Virunga conservation area. The volcanic slopes are lush with tropical forests form an approximately dramatic natural setting what is arguably the most poignant and memorable wildlife experience in the world. Volcanoes national park s hone to about 340 mountain gorillas which live in communities of up to 30 individuals. The communities are organized according to fascinating social structures, led by a dominant, older silver back. Usually, troops consist of younger males, some females and off springs. Volcanoes national park has ten habituated gorilla families including: Titus, Kwitonda, Susa, Karisimbi, Amahoro, Umubano, Sabyinyo, Agasya, Ugenda and Hirwa family all available for trekking.

Golden monkeys

Volcanoes national park is one of the two best places to see golden monkeys, the other destination being Mgahinga gorilla national park in south western Uganda. These amazing primates are distinguished from other monkey species by their golden fur on the back. Golden monkeys are vegetarian and entirely feed on vegetation, fruits and shoots. They are lively creatures who spend most of their time up in the trees unlike gorillas which spend most time on the ground.

Birds

Around 178 bird species have been recorded and twenty nine endemic to the Albertine rift at Volcanoes national park. The commonly seen birds include Grauer’s rush warbler, Rwenzori turaco, Archer’s ground robin, Red- faced woodland warbler, Rwenzori double- collared sunbird, the dusky crimson- wing, collared batis, strange weaver, the African marsh harrier, common moorhen, long-crested eagle, grey throated tit, handsome Francolin among others.

Activities

Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking at Volcanoes national park is purely a life changing adventure rewarding visitors with a close encounter to the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Before the trek, a cup of tea or coffee is served to visitors. Along with it is a traditional performance which gives guests a good start for their exciting day’s adventure before being briefed by a ranger on how to behave while on the trek.

Later on, groups of eight individuals are led through the tracking trails on an adventure to see mountain gorillas. Each trekking group is assigned a ranger and two guards with rifles to ensure the guest’s safety. The tracking experience is interesting and unpredictable since gorillas are free to loam about in their natural habit hence rewarding trekkers with long or short treks depending on the movement of a gorilla family one is meant to track. Once the gorilla family of interest is spotted, visitors enjoy one hour with the gentle apes while they incredibly admire how graceful and peaceful these gentle giants are.

Golden monkey trekking

Golden monkey tracking at the park is a rare and delightful experience while on safari in Rwanda. Being in a small group of eight individuals, each group is allowed to enjoy a one hour experience to view the primates as they jump from tree to tree. Volcanoes national park has two habituated troops of golden monkeys with each having over 80 members that can be tracked by visitors. Trekking golden monkeys at the park begins at 7:00 am and can be as short as 30 minutes or longer depending on the movement of the monkeys.

Hiking

Hiking to the top of Mount Karisimbi or Mount Bisoke is one of the key activities you shouldn’t miss on your safari at Volcanoes national park. It is a stenuous activity yet very rewarding. The climbing starts early in the morning taking over six hours, while navigating through the Bisoke side.

A hike to Karisimbi’s summit is quite challenging but offers sights of several bird varieties, primates among others along the hiking trails. It requires relatively good health and stamina to hike through the slippery slopes to reach the summits. Interested hikers are advised carry hiking equipment and hire a porter to help one carry luggage.

Hiking Mount Bisoke is one of the most memorable activities to adventure while at Volcanoes national park. The top of the volcano has a spectacular crater lake. Like the Karisimbi hike, the Mount Bisoke hike lasts for six hours including the two hours for descending to the starting point.

Bird watching

Although not famous at the park, birding is another activity enjoyed at the park. Keen birders are able to spot a number of bird species at the swamp area, the forest and around the twin lakes- Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo. Birding begins in the morning with a briefing, after which a trained guide leads the visitors to the unique birding areas at the park on a quest of spotting the incredible bird species.

Some of the bird species that can be seen include the African marsh harrier, common moorhen, long-crested eagle, grey throated tit, handsome Francolin, Rwenzori turaco, Grauer’s rush warbler, Archer’s ground robin, Rwenzori double- collered sin bird, collared apalis, strange  weaver and many others.

Cultural encounter

Iby’Iwacu cultural village

A cultural tour to Iby’Iwacu cultural village is unforgettably an incredible adventure to explore while on your safari to Rwanda. Iby’Iwacu offers a rare opportunity to meet the local people, formerly mountain gorilla poachers, but currently reformed mountain gorilla ‘protectors’. Iby’Iwacu village is located around Volcanoes national park in Nyabigoma, Musanze district. Visitors to the village enjoy the chance to interact with the local people, learn their traditions and beliefs, and take part in their daily activities.

The visitors are free to share a home with the local people not to mention heritage treasures including lifestyles, activities, artifacts, and many others. The performers are committed to showcasing their ways of living, dances, drama and traditional lifestyles. The Iby’Iwacu cultural performance is a very humbling experience to any visitor at the village.

When is the best time to visit the park on your self drive safari?

Visiting Rwanda for gorilla trekking can be done all year round. However, the best time to travel is during the drier seasons between December to March and June to September. Visitors traveling on budget may travel between the months March- May and July to September which are usually wet. This is because during this season several hotels offer visitors discounted food and sleeping services.

How do you get to Volcanoes national park?

Volcanoes national park is located north east of Rwanda near Uganda in the north and Democratic Republic of Congo in the west. The park is 2 hours drive on a smooth road from Kigali- Rwanda’s capital.