How To Get Volcanoes National Park?

Getting to Volcanoes National Park is straightforward. The park is located approximately 107 kilometers north of Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, which takes about -2-hour drive. The road winds through picturesque hills, offering breathtaking views of the Rwandan countryside. It is also about 60.3 kilometers from Gisenyi, a resort town on the northern shores of Lake Kivu, with a drive tome of around 1 hour and 17 minutes.  The roads leading to the park are tarmac but require 4×4 vehicles due to the nature of terrain.  For visitors coming from south west Uganda, the most common route is through the Cyanika border town of Rwanda, covering roughly 123 kilometers via Kabale-Kisoro Road, which takes about 3 hours.

Getting to Volcanoes National Park by air

another access options to Volcanoes National Park are by private helicopter flight landing to the Musanze helipad. From there, it’s a 30- minute drive to Kinigi, where the park’s visitor center is located. Helicopters can also land at the Singita Kwitonda lodge, situated approximately 7 kilometers away from the gorilla center. These helicopter services are operated by Akagera Aviation, and flight schedules depend on weather conditions on the day of travel.

The town of Musanze, also known as Ruhengeri, the largest town near the park is 10 km to Kinigi, the park visitor center. Visitors should note that there is no park entrance fees and Kinigi visitor center has restrooms and is open for 24 hours.

About Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park is one of the Rwanda’s four national park and is renowned for its endangered mountain gorillas. The park is located in Kinigi Ruhengeri in the northwestern province of Rwanda, and spans approximately 160 square kilometers. The park was gazetted as a national park in 1925 purposely to protect and conserve the endogenous Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda. The park covers Rwanda’s share the Virunga conservation area and is bordered by Mgahinga Gorilla national park in Uganda and Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is a home to 5 magnificent Virunga mountains shared along the Rwanda’s borders such as mount Bisoke, mount Karisimbi, mount Gahinga, mount Muhavura and mount Sabyinyo.

Volcanoes National Park is famous of hosting a worlds half of the one of the remaining endangered Mountain gorilla and golden monkey but there also others attraction that attracts most visitors in park to visit the country.  Volcanoes National Park is known for its many primates, including the Mona monkey, velvet monkey, dent monkey, black and white colobus monkey, silver monkey, and gray cheetah mangabey, but there are also opportunities to see other animal species such as hyena, forest elephant, buffalo, bush pig, forest pig and duikers among others.

The park is also home to 200 bird species such as Grauer’s rush warbler, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori batis, Archer’s ground robin, Red- faced woodland warbler, Rwenzori double- collared sunbird, the dusky crimson- wing, collared batis, Dusky turtle love, strange weaver, the African marsh harrier, common moorhen, long-crested eagle, gray throated tit,  Golden eagles, francolin, paradise flycatcher, Archer’s grand robin, Pockefeller’s sunbird, chapin flycatcher, red throated arlet, Ruwenzori nightjar, dusky crimson wing and Migratory bird species, among others, make Volcanoes National Park one of the best places to visit to Rwanda.

Important tips for exploring Volcanoes National Park

• Although Volcanoes National Park remains open year- round, the best time to during the dry months of December to February and then June to October. During this time, the roads leading the park are dry and driving through is easy compared to wet season. Additionally, spotting Mountain Gorillas is easy given the vegetation is not fully grown compared to wet seasons of March to May and Later October to November. However, the park can as well be visited throughout the year and you will be able to see the Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park
• Make sure that you are vaccinated against yellow-fever with evidence presented in form of certificates.
• Since the park is predominately montane rainforest and rains showers are frequent at any time, it’s essential to pack rain jacket, warm sweater, hiking boots, long socks, hand gloves, hat, sunglasses, long pants, a long-sleeved blouse, headlamp, extra batteries, bottled drinking water, and insect repellent among others. A walking pole and a porter are highly recommended
• Given the dense vegetation within in Volcanoes National Park, it is advisable to only undertake walks under the guidance of armed and expert Ranger Guides.
• Always adhere to park rules and keep the environment clean. It’s worth noting that Rwanda is among the few African countries where littering is punishable by law.

Best accommodation facilities at Volcanoes National Park

Accommodations within Volcanoes National Park cater to a variety of preferences and budgets. Visitors can choose from luxury options such as One & Only Gorilla’s Nest, Bisate Lodge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Virunga Lodge, Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Lebambou Gorilla Lodge, Davinci Lodge. For budge travels the options are many from basic accommodation to camping one can choose from Kinigi Hotel, Hotel Muhabura, Gorilla Solution Lodge, Villa Gorilla, Virunga Hotel, Faraji Hotel and La Palme Hotel or Home Inn.

Why should you choose Elephant Whispers Safaris to book your Gorilla trek in Rwanda?

Elephant Whispers Safaris is here to assist you with every strep of your gorilla trekking booking process in Rwanda. Reach out to us for expert guidance throughout the process. We offer a variety of gorilla safari packages in Rwanda, catering to different preferences and budget – from budget-friendly options to mid-range and luxury experiences- including all necessary permits. Feel free to checkout our TripAdvisor reviews and see feedback from our many satisfied clients. With us, you can trust that your safari holiday in Rwanda will be unforgettable. Our commitment is to deliver exceptional services and ensure customer satisfaction.  Our dedicated team to tour consultants is always ready to answer your questions and help you plan your adventure. Contact us today to learn more about other activities available in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.