Volcanoes National Park (VNP) is purely a life changing adventure which rewards travelers with close encounters to the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Volcanoes National Park is a popular destination for tourists in search of a thrilling and eye-opening safari experience.
Tourism in the park
The Rwanda Development Board runs several activities for tourists including gorilla visits (where as of January 2015, ten habituated gorilla groups have been open for tourists to interact with and observe), golden monkey visits, Karisimbi volcano climbing (a two-day trek with overnight camping), Bisoke volcano climbing (a one-day trek), various tours of regional lakes and caves, a visit to the tomb of legendary conservationist Dian Fossey, and a Iby'Iwacu cultural village tour.
A variety of animals to observe
The Rwandan safari park shelters the highest number of mountain gorillas in the Virunga conservation area. VNP is situated just a two-hour drive from Kigali International Airport, making it the most accessible gorilla national park in the world. Besides gorillas, Volcanoes National Park is home to the golden monkey, the spotted hyena, buffaloes, elephants, black-fronted duiker, and bushbuck. The park also harbors 178 bird species, numerous reptiles, various amphibians, and an array of unique insects. There is much to see and a vast area of land to explore, as Volcanoes National Park is part of the great Virunga Volcano Conservation region, including Virunga National Park Congo and Mgahinga National Park Uganda. Volcanoes National Park is the first national park created in Africa. Subsequently, in 1929, the borders of the park were extended further into Rwanda and into the Belgian Congo, to form Albert National Park.
Explore historic regions
Volcanoes National Park is famous for becoming the home to the famous American naturalist Dian Fossey as she carried out her research on gorillas, dating back to 1967.
Visit the world-famous research center
While on safari guests are encouraged to visit the research center famous for drawing global attention to the plight of the gorilla in the Rwanda region. The research center, located in Musanze, Rwanda, just a few kilometers from the national park, is an excellent stop along your journey to learn about the history of the endangered animals of the region and gain more information on current research and protection practices supporting the gorilla population. The exhibit features Dian Fossey artifacts, a 3D interactive model of the Virunga Mountains, casts of real gorilla nose prints, and much more. Visitors are welcome to stop by to see the exhibit which has an optional guided tour.
