Reviews of Volcanoes NP (From 8 Acclaimed Safari Experts)

Expert

Stephen Cunliffe –

ZA

Visited: March, July and November

Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.

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Mountain gorillas, trekking and birding

Overall rating

5/5

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Volcanoes National Park is the Rwandan sector of the 8000km² Virunga massif. The greater conservation area encompasses six active and three extinct volcanoes, straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The mountain gorillas move freely between the countries, with the greatest number of habituated groups residing in Volcanoes National Park, making Rwanda arguably the best place in Africa to go gorilla trekking.

With the 2017 gorilla census revealing a total mountain gorilla population of just over 1000 of these engaging primates in all of Africa, gorilla trekking is truly one of the ultimate life experiences. Rwandan gorilla permits aren’t cheap at $1500 per trekker, and your permit allows just one priceless hour in the company of these great apes, watching the gorilla family interact, eat, play, tease, sulk, doze and groom each other. Sitting quietly among a family of these gentle giants is a bucket list experience for any serious wildlife enthusiast: it is an extraordinary hour that you will remember forever.

While the gorillas are the star attraction at Volcanoes, there are also golden monkeys, birding walks, forest and waterfall hikes, mountain climbing (including an overnight hike up the 3800m Karisimbi volcano) and – for the less active – luxury lodges with comfortable views of the gorgeous mountain rainforest scenery.

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Expert

Charlotte Beauvoisin –

UG

Visited: May

Charlotte lives in Uganda and is a writer, blogger, volunteer and promoter of birding, conservation and responsible tourism. She writes for Fodor’s, Horizon Guides and Bradt, and runs an award-winning blog.

1 person found this review helpful.

Pay Your Respects to Fossey

Overall rating

5/5

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Mention Rwanda’s gorillas, and it’s their striking volcano habitat that is indelibly etched on my mind.

The pristine forested hillsides of the volcanoes are a treat in themselves. The walk through farmland and fragrant eucalyptus, stepping over the stone buffalo wall into the gorilla habitat, is all part of the adventure. I’ve tracked gorillas a number of times and each experience – even the stretch of habitat – can be quite different: luminous green scrubby bush, a moss-covered grotto next to a river, an avenue of bamboo. One of my favourite gorilla encounters was the time I fell backwards into a bush as a mother pushed past with her twin babies, her long black fur touching my leg. Oh how we giggled!

If you're really into gorillas, don't miss the replica of Fossey's mountain cabin at the excellent Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund display at the Ellen DeGeneres Campus, a stone’s throw from park headquarters. I find it very moving to imagine her life in the misty forests, desperate to bring the world’s attention to the mountain gorillas’ plight.

Time your visit to Volcanoes National Park right and you can get a free invitation to the Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony, Rwanda’s annual celebration of gorilla conservation. It’s quite a show.

The high-altitude headache was my penalty for not drinking enough while tracking. (Tip: it's not enough to load your porter with the recommended 2L of drinking water, you have to actually drink it!)

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Expert

Philip Briggs –

ZA

Visited: Multiple times

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

2 people found this review helpful.

Gorillas in the Mist

Overall rating

5/5

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Bush Vibe:

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Protecting the Rwandan portion of the majestic Virunga Mountains, Volcanoes National Park warrants a five-star rating simply for its incredible scenery and the opportunity to track mountain gorillas in the wild – arguably the single most reliably rewarding wildlife experience Africa has to offer. I've tracked gorillas more than five times in this park, and every experience was different, but it is always an amazing and unforgettable day out.

Another highlight for wildlife-lovers is a day hike to track a 100-strong troop of habituated golden monkeys. This strikingly marked species is listed as endangered and its main stronghold is the Virungas, due to deforestation elsewhere within its restricted range. As is the case with mountain gorillas, the favorite diet of golden monkeys is young bamboo shoots, and you almost invariably find them in the bamboo zone when suitable food is available. At other times, the monkeys often forage outside the park to raid crops, and this – to my surprise – is where we found them on our most recent visit. I was also struck by how much more habituated the golden monkeys are now than they were a few years ago.

Other activities are the relatively undemanding hike to Dian Fossey’s old research center and grave, and more demanding day or overnight hikes to various volcanic summits (most notably Bisoke with its gorgeous crater lake). The park still hosts small numbers of elephant and buffalo, as testified to by fresh droppings on the forest trails, but these are seldom seen. Likewise, while it has enormous potential as a birding destination, this is largely unreleased in practical terms, and birders wanting to see a good selection of forest species associated with Rwanda would be better off heading to Nyungwe or Gishwati-Mukura.

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