Rwanda is blessed with extraordinary beauty and biodiversity, with incredible wildlife living throughout its volcanoes, montane rainforest and sweeping plains. The Virunga Region is composed of a complex of mostly dormant volcanoes and it’s where Rwanda earns its name of a “Land of a Thousand Hills”. The Volcanoes National Park lies to the north of Rwanda and protects the Rwandan portion of the Virunga Mountains, a trans-frontier conservation area that includes protected areas in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The park runs along the border with the DRC’s Virunga National Park and Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park attracting visitors all year round and also happens to be the best destination for gorilla trekking in the world.
The Volcanoes National Park is home to 5 volcanoes as well as many endemic species and is bursting with life. If you thought gorilla trekking was the only attraction here, you’ll be surprised to learn there is a number of exciting activities and landmarks that you simply must visit during your stay.
Do you love hiking? If you are an active holidaymaker and like the sound of volcano hiking, Volcanoes National Park offers unforgettable volcano hiking adventures. The park has 5 volcanoes including Muhabura Volcano, Mt. Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Bisoke and Karisimbi Volcanoes. There are a number of hiking trails that are available and from the summit of the Virunga Volcanoes, you’ll find that you can almost touch the clouds with panoramic views that are simply awe-inspiring - a thrilling reward after all the hours of hiking!
Mountain gorillas are one of the world’s largest primates and are magnificent wild creatures to interact with. They are large, powerful, animals, often portrayed as ‘wild’ and aggressive but the reality is that they are shy, peaceful vegetarians, which share many human traits as well as our emotional intelligence. Watching these gentle creatures in their natural habitat can only be described as “life changing.” On a gorilla trekking safari, only 8 tourists are permitted per group and there are seven gorilla families available for tracking.
Golden monkeys are a rare and endangered primate species found in the Virunga Conservation Area and within the Volcanoes National Park there are now two fully habituated troops of golden monkeys that are accessible to tourists. Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park is done entirely by foot, it’s a walking adventure which will lead you through the beautiful rainforest to discover their natural habitat and with their unique yellow orange patches they are easy for tourists to spot. Although they share the same habitat with the endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys live in groups of 80-100 individuals and are more active and like to play, run and jump within the tree branches. You will also discover how golden monkeys feed and learn more about their mating habits and fascinating social life.
The Twin Lakes of Bulera & Ruhondo are a pair of idyllic volcanic lakes surrounded by steep, lush green hills and large waterfalls set against the stunning backdrop of the Virunga Volcanoes Mountains. Scenic boat trips, kayaking excursions, bike rides, and hikes are all on offer here as well as the waterfall trek which is 3 hours offering a scenic trail through a beautiful valley to reach the impressive Russumo falls. If you are keen to soak up the spectacular scenery here, a serene boat cruise on the lakes at sunset will not disappoint.
If you are looking for a truly immersive cultural experience, the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village (also known as the Gorilla Guardian Village) is the best place to learn and experience the unique culture and heritage of Rwanda. The locals here are as warm as the African sun and happily provide demonstrations of their traditional way of life. You will learn all about their basket, mat, and bag weaving, hunting techniques, local beer making from sweet bananas as well as experiencing their traditional music and dance. With the help of the locals, tourists also get to participate in these activities such as dancing, singing, cultivating crops, millet grinding using local grinding stones, and preparing traditional Rwandan dishes like Ubugari and Igikoma.
The Musanze Caves were originally referred as Nyamwasama and were formed from Cenozoic Volcanic rocks. The Musanze cave is situated in the volcanic region where Lava flow layers of over 65 million years ago created the Albertine Rift Valley. It is believed that the Musanze caves were formed from Basaltic Lava layers during eruption of the Sabyinyo and Bisoke volcanoes. With an extensive entrance exceeding 10kilometers, tourists can explore the caves through the designated walkways, stairs, trails and experience the bat roots that create an incredible assortment of coloured shafts of light.
You can’t visit this region without visiting the grave of renowned primatologist Diane Fossey. She was the first to study mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and discovered how to make them comfortable around human’s presences. In the course of her research Diane Fossey realised that the mountain gorillas were threatened and dedicated her life to fighting the poachers around the Virunga region. The hike to her final resting place is a full day’s activity, taking the same level of fitness required to track the mountain gorillas themselves.
If breathtaking sights – dense jungles, vast bubbling lava lakes, wide savannah plains and glacier-clad mountains tick all of your boxes you’ll find that Virunga offers an unparalleled experience. The Park also offers a range of delightful accommodation options where you can relax and unwind in this stunning setting. Simply call UK 01233 80 27 27 or visit our website www.bestofsouthafricatravel.co.uk and we will design a tailormade Rwandan itinerary for you for the ultimate dream holiday.
Definitely going back for more!
"We were referred to Ash by a mutual friend and were specifically looking for a unique experience for our family which involved a game park. After a brief discussion around what we would like to see and do, Ash then came back with a package that met us at Jo'burg airport, flew us into the Kruger where our three day …
