Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Volcanoes National Park is one of four national parks found in Rwanda. It was gazetted as a national park in in 1925 and is oldest national park on the African continent. It was gazetted as a national park in order to protect mountain gorillas from poachers.

Volcanoes national park in Rwanda is also referred to ‘Parc National des Volcans’ in French and ‘Pariki Y’igihugu Y’Ibirunga’ in Kinyarwanda. The national park is strategically situated in the north-western province of Rwanda, bordering Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The park’s headquarters are situated in Kinigi, in Ruhengeri district, Rwanda.

Volcanoes national park in Rwanda covers 160 square kilometers of tropical rainforest and encompasses five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga mountain ranges, and they include; Bisoke, Karisimbi, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Sabyinyo mountains. The national park is home to the endangered mountain gorillas and the golden monkey. The park is also shelters over 178 bird species, with 13 species are endemic to the Virunga Conservation Area and 16 subspecies are native to the Rwenzori Mountains. Other unique wildlife animals that are found in the national park include; forest elephants, buffaloes, giant hogs, spotted hyenas and other primates like the black and white colobus monkey, vervet monkeys and so many more.

In 1967, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda was a research base for the late Dian Fossey, an American primatologist and wildlife conservationist whose research was mainly based on the mountain gorillas that live within the park. Her scientific research in the park dates back as far as 1966 when she started studying mountain gorilla groups within the park. After her murder, she was buried at a grave site located within the park, near the Karisoke Research Center. Tourists visiting the national park can get a chance to tour the research center and even see Fossey’s tomb during a hiking trip in the park.

Activities in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Visitors interested in paying a visit to Volcanoes national park in Rwanda can take part in a number of activities that are offered by the national park, and these include; gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, hiking mountains Karisimbi and Bisoke, hiking to Dian Fossey’s gravesite, exploring Musanze caves, and a cultural tour to the Iby’ Iwacu community village.

Accommodation in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

There are also a wide variety of accommodation facilities that tourists visiting Volcanoes National Park can stay in, and these include; Bisate Lodge, Virunga Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain gorilla view, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Kinigi guesthouse and Gorilla Volcanoes Lodge. All these lodging facilities offer budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation options for any tourist visiting the national park. These facilities also offer their clients a wide range of services such as; free Wi-Fi, exquisite restaurant/dining meals, a well-stocked bar and lounge area for guests, free ample packing, spa treatments, gym and stunning views of lakes like Burera, Ruhondo and Kivu among others.

How to get to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Travelers interested in visiting Volcanoes national park in Rwanda can access the national park by road from Gisenyi town or Kigali City. All trips to the national park begin at Kigali International Airport.  Visitors will then have to embark on a 2 hours’ drive to the park’s headquarters in Kinigi. The national park’s close proximity to Kigali City makes it a convenient destination for short tours, as well as gorilla trekking safaris in Rwanda.

Visitors can also combine a visit to Volcanoes national park in Rwanda with a trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. This travel option is very convenient for tourists who want to trek mountain gorillas and have a tight/ fixed budget. Since gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is quite expensive, with a gorilla trekking permit costing USD 1500 dollars, visitors have the option of doing gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park in Uganda at a fee of only USD 600 dollars per person.

About Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in south-western Uganda in Kanungu district and covers an area of 321 km². It is currently being managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority and was first established as a national park in 1991. The national park is part of Bwindi impenetrable forest, which is one of Uganda’s most biologically diverse rainforests.

Bwindi national park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 because it shelters half of the last mountain gorillas left in the world. The national park is also rich in bio-diversity with unique plant and animal species. The park is home to over 350 bird species, 120 mammal species, about 220 butterfly species, and over 1,000 plant species, including 163 tree species and 104 fern species.

Activities in Bwindi National Park in Uganda.

Visitors travelling to Bwindi Impenetrable national park in Uganda can take part in a number of tourism activities besides gorilla trekking, and these include; guided nature walks, community walks, and birding. Seeing the mountain gorillas in this national park marks the highlight of any visit to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Accommodation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The national park has plenty of accommodation facilities available for visitors who wish to spend a night more in the park and these include; Silverback Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi, Gorilla Resort, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Ruhija Gorilla Mist Camp, and Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge to mention but a few.

How to access Bwindi National Park in Uganda from Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Visitors can access Bwindi national park by road from volcanoes national park in Rwanda. The national park is located about 3½ hours’ drive from Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, via the Kabale-Kisoro Road. This is convenient for visitors driving to Buhoma which are the park’s headquarters.

Visitors travelling to Bwindi impenetrable national park in Uganda from Volcanoes national park in Rwanda are advised to acquire an East African visa at a fee of USD 100 dollars, which will grant you multiple access into both East African Countries.

To sum it up; Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Rwanda are both top destinations for gorilla trekking tours in Africa, with Bwindi being an ideal destination for budget travelers and Volcanoes national park being ideal for luxury travelers. No matter which national park you choose to trek mountain gorillas from, you are set to have the most memorable and exciting gorilla trekking experience of your lifetime!