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The Volcanoes National Park is one of the most popular national parks in East Africa. Located in the Northern Part of Rwanda, the park lies in the Virunga Mountains.

Once part of the Africa’s oldest national park the past Albert National Park, the Volcanoes National Park was created in 1925 to protect the mountain gorillas. The park is also called Parc National des Volcans in most guidebooks that were printed earlier.

Where is the Volcanoes National Park?

The Volcanoes National Park lies in the north western part of Rwanda and lies with the larger Virunga Mountains, one of the only two places where mountain are found in the world. The park stretches along the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and it is bordered by the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.

The park is surrounded by the towering Virunga mountains including Mount Karisimbi, Mount Visoke and Mount Mikeno. There are eight Virunga Volcanoes that are found in the park.

Virunga Mountains

The Scenic and Beautiful Volcanoes

Rwanda is the remarkable destination for gorilla trekking thanks to the Volcanoes National Park. The park is located high in the mountains, a place where you can shiver more than you sweat.

The park was made famous by the late Dian Fossey, the iron lady who left the United States of America for the Virunga Mountains in 1966 and understood an extensive study to protect the mountain gorillas. The park is featured in the popular movie Gorillas in The Mist, a memoir of Dian Fossey’s work in protecting the by then rare mountain gorillas.

Size

The park shelters the Rwandan section of the Virunga Massif and it spans at 160 square kilometers.The park is undergoing expansion and recently it was reported that within the next five years (from 2022), the park size will increase by an additional 10,000 hectares. Of these, about 3,740 hectares will be set aside for park related activities while about 6,000 hectares will be a buffer zone.

The Virunga Mountains

The Volcanoes National Park protects five of the eight volcanoes of the Virunga Region. These include Mount Karisimbi (4507 meters), Mount Bisoke (3,711 meters), Mount Gahinga (3,474 meters), Mount Muhabura (4,127 meters) and Mount Sabinyo (3,634 meters). Of these mountains, some can be climbed in either day hikes or 2 days trip.

The volcanoes have made the park to be among the most scenic places in East Africa and a hikes are entirely fascinating. At the end of most tourist visits, the conclusion is that the park is one of the most exhilarating national parks in not only East Africa but also Africa as a continent.

Amazing Attractions

It is undeniable fact that the Volcanoes National Park is one of the most outstanding sights and attractions around the Virunga. The park actually attracts thousands of tourists every year who travel to the remote northern part of Rwanda. The major draw to park are the Mountain gorillas that are jealously protected by the Rwandan government, local community and conservation organizations. There are about 650 mountain gorillas in the Virunga Region and Rwanda hosts more than half of the species.

Since most travelers are motivated and moved by the inspiration to meet up the mountain gorillas, gorilla tracking is the most popular adventure that attracts most visitors. The experience of meeting the mountain gorillas face to face in the wild has been rated among the most thrilling wildlife encounters in the world. Today, the Volcanes National Park is the most accessible destination where you can encounter gorilla trekking.

The park’s other amazing attraction is the golden monkey, an old-world order of monkeys that is endemic to the Virunga Region.

Both the mountain gorillas and the golden monkeys have been habituated to get used to human contact and presence.

Besides the mountain gorillas and golden Monkeys, this Park is a home to other mammal species such as Buffaloes, Elephants, Spotted Hyenas, Bushbucks and Black-fronted duikers and over 178 bird species including 13 species endemic to the Virunga mountains and other 16 species endemic to the Rwenzori Mountains.

This Virunga Mountains also rewards visitors with a variety of trekking options. From day hikes to longer hikes, you will be amazed with a lot to see and experience during your visit to the park.

How Long Should I Stay in the Park?

In order for you to get the ultimate experience from the Virunga, it is recommended to give yourself as much time as possible. The region is a remarkable place that utterly rewards those who spend longer time.

Quick Facts About Volcanoes National Park

Date of creation: The Volcanoes National Park was part of the Albert National Park that was created by the Belgians to protect the mountain gorillas. It was the very first national park to be created in Africa. It was created in 1925 as Parc National Albert. After Congo and Rwanda gaining their independence, the Rwandan part of the Albert National Park was renamed as Volcanoes National Park (Park National  des Volcans) in 1960 while the part of Congo was renamed the Virunga National Park.

Location:

Volcanoes National Park is located in North-western Rwanda, in Northern Province (Musanze and Gisenyi  Districts).

Size: The current size of the national park is 1.6000 hectares. Extensions of its size are planned in the  near future.

Altitude: The altitudinal range of the national park is 2400m to 4507m.

Volcanoes National Park is situated along the border with neighboring the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The  international border line stretches across the whole Virunga Range, joining the summits five of the six volcanoes. The park’s boundary in Rwanda extends over some 65km, from the Congolese border near Gisenyi all the way to the Ugandan border near Kisoro.

Virunga RegionVolcanoes National Park is the Rwandan part of the Virunga Forest that extends over the border in the two neighboring countries to form one single international conservation area. In the DRC, the forest is protected as Parc National des Virunga extending over more than 24.000 hectares, while in Uganda it is protected as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park extending over some 4.000  hectares only.

The Volcanoes National Park is the smallest but the most famous of the three Rwanda’s national parks (the other two being Nyungwe Forest National Park in the South and Akagera National Park  in the East of the country).