Guide to visiting Volcanoes National Park 2024/2025

Volcanoes national park is among the tourist destinations which are located in the north western part of Rwanda.

There is a lot of information to know about visiting Volcanoes national park including what to do around the national park, attractions to see at the destination, how to get there, best time to visit the park and also the places to stay around the national park.

Some of the attractions found in Volcanoes national park include the mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, bird species, Virunga mountains among others. Many other primates are found at the destination and they include black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, among others.

Activities to do in Volcanoes national park

There are various activities to do during safaris around Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and they include the following;

• Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking is one of the popular activities which take place in Volcanoes national park during which tourists can interact with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Volcanoes national park is home to about 11 habituated groups of mountain gorillas which include Agashya, Umubano, Karisimbi, Susa, Sabyinyo, Amahoro, Kwitonda, Bwenge, Ugyenda and also Hirwa gorilla group.

During the gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes national park, tourists are accompanied by ranger guides and they get to spend 1 hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas. Individuals below the age of 15 years are not allowed to engage in the gorilla trek.

To engage in gorilla trekking in Rwanda, gorilla permits are required and they are issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and they cost 1500 USD per person and can be booked through licensed tour operators.

• Golden monkey trekking

Golden monkey trekking is another activity to do during tours around Volcanoes national park and involves spending time with the golden monkeys in their natural habitat.

Around the bamboo forests in Volcanoes national park, tourists can see the golden monkeys and watch them closely and also record videos and take their pictures. After 1 hour spent with these primates, tourists can return to the briefing point at Kinigi park headquarters.

A permit is also needed for golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park and it costs 100 USD per person and this fee include park fees and also ranger fees. These gorilla permits are also issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

For gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking tours in Volcanoes national park, it is recommended that tourists book their permits in advance.

• Hiking

Volcanoes national park is also a destination where hiking can take place during tours around Rwanda and the activity takes place around the Virunga mountains.

During tours around Volcanoes national park, the hikes are done on mountains which include Mount Bisoke, Mount Karisimbi, which offer stunning views of the surrounding. The Dian Fossey hike is also done during visits to the destination.

Mount Karisimbi which is the highest mountain of the Virunga mountains and is one of the popular hiking destinations found in Volcanoes national park. The mountain is at an altitude of 4507 meters and is located on the border of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

• Bird watching

There are different bird species which can be seen when visiting Volcanoes national park which is home to over 180 bird species.

Some of the bird species found in Volcanoes national park include African Green Broadbill, Kivu Ground Thrush, Rwenzori Batis, Double-collared Sunbird, Red faced Woodland Warblers, Handsome Francolins, Yellow-eyed Apalis, Dusky Crimsonwing among others.

The best time to see the bird species found in Volcanoes national park is during the months of March, April and May and also in November.

• Community tours

Community tours around Volcanoes national park take place around the Iby’iwacu village and involve interactions with the locals and getting to know more about their culture and experience their way of life.

Tourists can enjoy visiting the village and taking part in traditional dance performances and also trying out local food which they can also learn how to prepare with the women.

Other activities which are done around Volcanoes national park include visiting the Musanze caves and also engaging in nature walks. Tours to the national park can be as short as 1 day tours or 3 days during which the different attractions can be visited and activities can take place at the destination.

Best time to visit Volcanoes national park

The dry season is considered the best time for visiting Volcanoes national park and to engage in different activities such as gorilla trekking.

During the dry season in the months of June to October and also around December, January and February, the trails in the forest are less muddy and the weather is generally pleasant making it easy to see the mountain gorillas and other primates at the Volcanoes national park.

Booking of permits in advance of recommended during tours to Volcanoes national park during the dry season because of the high numbers of tourists who visit Rwanda during this time of the year.

How to get to Volcanoes national park

After flying to Kigali international airport, tourists can drive for about 2 hours to Volcanoes national park. Both private and public transport means can be used to get to the national park during safaris in Rwanda.

Tourists can get public transport from Kigali to Musanze and then proceed to Volcanoes national park. Different tour operators offer transport to Volcanoes national park as part of the tour packages.

Where to stay around Volcanoes national park

There are many lodges found around Volcanoes national park where tourists can spend their nights and they include budget lodges, midrange lodges and luxury lodges.

Some of the places to stay found in Volcanoes national park include Five volcanoes lodge, Le Bambou lodge, Davinci gorilla lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback lodge, One & only lodge, Mountain Gorilla nest lodge, Bisate lodge, Muabura gorilla lodge, Amakoro Songa lodge, Virunga Inn Resort & Spa, Mountain Gorilla view lodge among others.