Activities to do in Volcanoes national park

Activities to do in Volcanoes national park : Volcanoes national park is located in the far northwest of Rwanda. This park is a home to a variety of wildlife including mammals, birds, primates, amphibians and reptiles. Volcanoes national park was gazetted in the year 1925 therefore making it Africa’s oldest national park. The major attractions in this park include the mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, the twin lakes of burera and ruhondo, Dian Fossey Tomb and many more. Volcanoes national park is popular for being one of the national parks that are a habitat to a big number of mountain gorillas. Volcanoes national park is situated on 160 square kilometers.

Attractions in volcanoes national park

• Mountain gorillas

Mountain gorillas are the major attraction that visitors come to see at volcanoes national park since it is among the destinations that harbor mountain gorillas in large numbers. Visitors carry out mountain gorilla treks in volcanoes national park in order to have a glance at these primates. The duration of the gorilla trek depends on the location of the mountain gorillas because they move from one place to another in search of food. It approximately takes 2 to 7 hours to carry out a Rwanda gorilla trekking. Volcanoes national park is a habitat to over 10 habituated mountain gorilla family and some of the examples include the susa, Karisimbi, Kwitonda, sabyinyo, agashya and many more.

• Golden monkeys

Golden monkeys are one the attractions in volcanoes national park. Like the mountains gorillas in volcanoes national park, to spot these endangered species also depends on their location since the locomotive in search for food but it approximately takes 3bto 4 hours during a golden monkey trek. The standard time te spend with these golden monkeys once you spot them is 1 hour.

• Dian Fossey Tomb

Dian Fossey was an American primatologist and conservationist who decided to go further in studying about mountain gorillas because of the passion she had for animals. Dian Fossey Tomb is a place within volcanoes national park where Dian Fossey was laid to rest just next to her beloved mountain gorilla that she named Digit. Dian Fossey Tomb is one of the main attractions that visitors come to see in volcanoes national park. The trek to Dian Fossey Tomb takes approximately 1 to 3 hours depending on the fitness of the person hiking. In most cases, the trek to Dian Fossey Tomb begins at 8:00am in the morning.

• Twin Lakes of Ruhundo and Burera

The twin lakes of burera and ruhondo are joined by Nyabirongo river’s channel. These lakes were formed as a result of volcanic activity. Visitors come all the way from different continents to see the twin lakes where tgey carry out activities like bird watching, nature walks and boat rides. Some of the birds that one can spot during a boat ride at the twin lakes of burera and ruhondo are African crown crane, sacred ibis, yellow bill stork, African fish eagle, black sawwing, weaver, hadada ibis and many more. This majes it a perfect location for bird watching in Rwanda.

• Birds

Volcanoes national park in Rwanda is a home to over 200 bird species and some of the examples of these birds include the rwenzori turaco, collared apalis, archer’s ground robin, dusky crimsonwing, francolin, weird weavers, to mention but a few. Birds can be seen by visitors throughout the yearin volcanoes national park though this activity of bird watching is more convenient in the dry season and the months in the dry season are June to August and December to February. During these months, there is less  rainfall making the trails in the park dry and passable hence favoring bird watching with less difficulty than in the wet season when trails are slippery and muddy.

• Iby’iwacu cultural village

Iby’iwacu is a kinyarwandaword that means “treasures of our home and heritage”. Iby’iwacu cultural village is located in nyabigoma, kinigi in musanze district close to Volcanoes National Park. While visitors are at iby’iwacu cultural village, they get an opportunity to encounter the local people in this area which enables them to know vital information about the tradition and culture of Rwanda from trusted sources. During this experience, visitors are able to see the traditional dance of rwandese that is demonstrated to them by the local people and also listen to the folk songs plus other traditions and how they cope up with their live hoods.

• Mountain Karisimbi

Mountain Karisimbi is one of the tourist attractions that a tourist wouldn’t afford to miss while at a visit at volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Mountain Karisimbi is located in the volcanoes national park between the border of rwanda and democratic republic of congo. It takes a visitor 2 days to hike mountain Karisimbi. On day one, a visitor under the supervision of an experienced guide hikes to approximately 3700m above sea level of mountain Karisimbi and camps. On day two, they proceed with the hike and later return to the starting point on the very day.

• Animals

Being that volcanoes national park is famous fir being one of the national parks in Rwanda that harbor a large number of mountain gorillas doesn’t erase the facts it also harbors other wildlife species that is to say it is a home to animals like buffalos, forest elephants, bushbucks, bush pigs, black and white colobus, baboons, black fronted duikers and many more. Mountain gorillas are not the only primates in volcanoes national park but it is also a habitat to the golden monkeys that are also some of the major attractions in this national park that drives visitors to come visit it.

• Mountain Bisoke

Mountain bisoke is one of the volcanoes in the virunga mountains range that is at a height of 3711m above sea level. It is located in volcanoes national park in the north eastern part of Rwanda. It takes visitors approximately 6 to 7 hours to hike mountain bisoke plus 2 hours of returning to the starting point. Many visitors who visit volcanoes national park make it a point to hike mountain bisoke because it offers an enjoyable experience that offers a chance to visitors to see the beautiful landscapes witin volcanoes national park. Though hiking this mountain takes place throughout the year, it is advisable to visit Mountain bisoke for a hike during the dry season.