Visit Volcanoes National Park

Have you ever yearned to meet the gigantic gentle primates in the wild, stand at the rim of a crater lake or imagined how it would feel surrounded by misty mountains? Whether you are on a discovery or adventurous mission to uncover the secrets and hidden gems in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is the perfect place to uncover nature’s truths.

Volcanoes National Park covers an area of 160 square kilometers part of the great chain of Virunga region that stretches across three countries; Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is located in the northwest of Rwanda and consists of five of the eight dormant volcanoes which are Karisimbi, Gahinga, Muhabura, Sabyinyo and Bisoke. Each has a unique form, charm and height offering different experiences to hikers who wish to conquer their peaks.

The park started out as a small area consisting of Bisoke, Mikeno and Karisimbi gazetted in 1925 to protect the mountain gorillas from poachers. It was the first park to be created in Africa and towards 1929, its boundaries were expanded towards Congo to create Albert National Park that was under the governance of Belgian colonialists. When Rwanda and Congo got independence in the 1960’s the park was divided and in 1967, Dian Fossey began doing research in Karisimbi after fleeing from the insecurity in D.R. Congo.

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The Karisoke research center fought hard to conserve gorillas and protect them against poachers, the fight also led to the murder of Dian Fossey who was murdered in 1985, poachers kept on attacking the gorillas in 1990s and the conservation efforts slowed down during the Rwandan civil war which affected the tourism industry. In 2005, conservation efforts revived and the Rwandan government introduced the baby gorilla naming ceremony known as “Kwita Iziina” that has seen a number of babies named hence an increase in gorilla population.

The park is however not all about volcanoes, it consists of other features like the endangered mountain gorillas living with in the mountain forests, these are one of the most intelligent and social animals and they’ve been confirmed to share 98% of their DNA with homosapiens. They feel all kinds of emotion like anger, grief, joy and also have a family setting by living in families made up of up to 30 members headed by a silverback. The park currently has twelve gorilla families and only 96 trekking permits are available daily.

Other animals located in the park are golden monkeys, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, bushbucks, black-fronted duikers and 200 bird species among others.

Most of the gorilla research by legendary primatologist Dian Fossey was carried out in Karisoke Research center and while in the park you can visit the former headquarters of the center and also pay tribute to Dian Fossey who was laid to rest on the slopes of Karisimbi Mountain.

TOP ACTIVITIES TO DO Volcanoes National Park

Gorilla trekking is the major activity carried out in Volcanoes NP due to the existence of more than 200 mountain gorillas, however there are other activities one can enjoy in this park such as;

This is another endangered primate species endemic to the Virunga conservation area. Besides Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park is their second home. Tourists are able to trek these monkeys known to have golden fur and are always playing. Trekking golden monkeys in their natural habitat costs $100 per person.

You can hike to the top of either the highest volcano Karisimbi at 4,507m which is a two day climb, Bisoke at 3,711m and its summit has a beautiful and verdant crater lake. Sabyinyo and Muhabura offer steep slopes that hikers love challenging themselves to climb. Reaching the peaks of any of the volcanoes rewards you with spectacular views of Rwanda’s a thousand rolling hills.

Bird lovers drown in this bird’s paradise filled with more than 200 colorful species of birds of which 29 are endemic to the region such as the Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, dusky crimson wing, red faced woodland warbler and Grauer’s swamp warbler among many others

The Musanze caves were formed over 62 million years ago after a volcanic eruption located at the boundaries of the park. You can explore these caves with tour guides who inform you about all the mysteries, legends and history surrounding the caves as you dive deeper into them.

Neighboring the park are communities such as the Batwa people and the Iby’iwacu cultural village where you can get to know about Rwanda’s history and tribes. During your interaction you will meet former poachers whose focus is to now conserve the park. You can also participate in different activities like traditional dance and music, craft making as you listen to stories and try out different Rwandan cuisines.

Cost of Gorilla trekking in Rwanda.

Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda are the most expensive among the 3 gorilla trekking destinations, going for $1,500 per person for foreign citizens; the Rwandan and East African nationals pay the same $1500.

When to go gorilla trekking?

The best time is during the dry season and the longest period occurs between June to September while a shorter dry season is between December to February. However, the park is open for visitors throughout the year.

F.A.Q.

There is no standard price for Uganda, Rwanda or Congo gorilla permit –each country has its rates. In Uganda, the charges vary depending on the visitor category. The foreign non-residents are charged USD 700 to have their gorilla permits booked, USD 600 for foreign residents and Ugandans (East Africa citizens) pay shs. 250,000 per person. To have a gorilla permit secured/booked, you need USD 1500 for Rwanda and this is most ideal for luxury/high-end travelers interested in visiting the endangered mountain gorillas.

When booking a gorilla permit, it is also a good thing to have a destination of your desire in mind. The key places to consider a must-visit on gorilla tour include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park –these are gorilla trekking destinations for tourists on a tour in Uganda. In Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is where you can locate habituated mountain gorilla families and crossing the D.R. Congo, you can explore Virunga National Park.

It is a good thing to also understand when best to book your gorilla permits to avoid having issues on actual date of gorilla trekking. Considering our experience, we always recommend our clients to have their permits booked early enough at least 2-4 months. This can save you from last minute stress, especially if you plan to travel during the dry season also considered to be the peak season. The peak months of the year fall around June, July, August to September, and December, January to February.

Gorilla permits are among the relevant documents visitors must have to be allowed to track gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Not any gorilla permit should be presented on actual gorilla trekking adventure but a valid one. Booking gorilla permits is part of making the entire gorilla trip complete and should be done early enough before the actual visit to see mountain gorillas or eastern lowland gorillas.

To have your gorilla permit booked, there is a process one should undergo through and is generally tedious. Considering your tight schedule back home, you may wonder how easier you can have your permit booked in advance to avoid last minute stress.

The easiest way to secure your gorilla permit in Uganda or Rwanda is by dealing with a recognized tour operator/company on the ground. This is where our reservation team comes in. As part of your gorilla safari requirement, our team being on ground will ensure that your permit is booked early enough and everything else that is needed for gorilla trekking is put together.

The beauty about dealing with local safari company such as ours is that we have knowledge on the different gorilla groups and surrounding communities plus various accommodation facilities for your night stay. This is in addition to making the entire gorilla permit booking process easier on behalf of our clients.

There is also an option of booking the permit directly through the reservation team of respective park authorities. But the challenge is that you must undergo through the long process to have your permit booked and this may not favor you depending on your schedule. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is an organ in charge not only for conservation of wildlife in the Pearl of Africa but also sets prices for tourism activities in the parks including gorilla permits. In Rwanda, you can contact Rwanda Tourism Board/Rwanda Development Board to have your permit booked.

The East African tourist visa is a joint visa that permits one to travel to specific countries within East Africa, namely Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only. A joint tourist visa can be used several times for various purposes as long as it’s not overdue. 

Tourists should therefore find it important to always remember that the tourist visa lasts for only 90 days.  Processing the tourist visa takes a maximum period of two working days. It is also important to note that the tourist visa prohibits employment.

The process of applying for a tourist visa has been made easier since it can be done with the help of a tour operator or by the individual themselves online through the Ministry of Internal Affairs immigration portal. Visitors are required to log in to the portal, go ahead and accept the terms and conditions for the tourist visa, select the Visa / permit type, the subcategory and category, complete the application form and upload the required documents. 

A reference number will be generated and sent to you through your email, submit it and proceed to payment. It’s important to note that the payment can be made using Visa cards.  An approval letter will be sent to your email after the above process.

Report at the immigration office or border post for the biometric capture with all the necessary documents, receipt of payment, approval letter and your passport. Visitors should regard it as important to enter through the home country issuing the visa.

The East African tourist visa costs a fee of $100 only, meaning that it can be obtained by all travelers ranging from the budget to luxurious ones.

  • Persons aged 15 years and above are allowed to trek gorillas.
  • Avoid sneezing in the presence of gorillas.
  • Always stay away from gorillas by observing distance
  • Do not try to feed gorillas
  • Do not chew in the presence of gorillas
  • Do not take photos with flash light on.