Activities In Volcanoes National Park
Mountain Gorilla trekking is the most done activity in Volcanoes National Park but there are some activities that tourists can also engage in like Golden Monkey tracking, mountain hiking, touring the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burere, and visiting the grave of Dian Fossey. Vibrant Holiday Safaris takes you through some of the amazing activities you can engage in at Volcanoes National Park;
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Volcanoes National Park is among the 4 national parks where Mountain Gorillas can be seen and others can be found in Virunga Park in Congo, Mgahinga, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. There are about 10 habituated Rwanda Gorilla groups that can be trekked under the guidance of a guide.
During the trekking, you need to be physically fit depending on the Gorilla family that you have been assigned to and the trackers can also hire the help of a porter at $15 to carry the luggage.
A Gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1500 with some of it going to the local communities and infrastructural developments in the park. The permits are got from Rwanda Development Board or you can hire the services of a tour operator like Vibrant Holiday Safaris. The dress code for gorilla trekking should be considered with long sleeve shirts, trousers, hand gloves, rain jackets, and hiking shoes.
Visiting the Tomb of Dian Fossey
Dian Fossey was an American Primatologist and conservationist known for undertaking an extensive study of Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda until her murder in 1985 during her time in Rwanda, she was determined to stop poaching, particularly of the Mountain Gorillas which was greatly reduced.
She is also appreciated for making Gorillas comfortable around human presence by imitating their sounds and gaining the dominant male’s trust. Hundreds of tourists pay homage to her grave and the former Karisoke Research Center located between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke.
The hike to the tombs takes about 3 hours and costs $75 with a guide during the hike to the tombs, one gets to experience what Dian Fossey went through during her time in Rwanda.
Mount Karisimbi Volcano
Mount Karisimbi is an extinct volcano with a height of about 4,507m, it is the fifth highest in Africa and is the top tourist attraction in Musanze, and hiking to the mountain needs one to be prepared mentally and physically because the hike takes 2 days.
During the hike, you will get a chance to move through the thick forests before stopping at an altitude of 3700m for rest and overnight and continue with the hike in the morning to reach the top of the summit. At the summit, tourists can view the Volcanoes national park, the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Nyiragongo, and all the volcanoes within the Virunga region.
Golden Monkey Tracking
Golden monkey tracking has come second after Mountain Gorilla trekking and tracking the endangered monkeys cost $100 during the tracking, you get to find them feeding, groomed, and swinging from one bamboo tree to another. The golden monkeys are always found in a group of 100 and are led by a male monkey. Tracking the golden monkeys is not so hard because they are always found in the trees feeding on the bamboo shoots.
Mount Bisoke Hike
Mount Bisoke is an extinct volcano that forms part of the Virunga range of Mountains and takes 3 hours to reach the foot of the mountain from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda. To hike on Mount Bisoke takes only one day and it is very easy to hike to reach the top and to go for the hiking, as usual, the person had to be fit. The permit for hiking costs $75 and as always all activities start with a briefing at the park headquarters before you start hiking through the stony mud which requires a 4WD.
Those with extract language can hire the services of a porter at a cost of $15 at the starting point.
Mount Muhabura Hike
Mount Muhabura is at a height of 4,127m and is the third-highest mountain in the Virunga ranges. The mountain is interesting and adventurous to hike because during the hike you will be viewing the forests and the volcanoes within the region.
Visiting the Twin Lakes Ruhondo and Burera
After mountain gorilla trekking, you can have a boat cruise to the deepest parts of the lakes, and while on the cruise you will have an opportunity to view the birds and the beautiful landscapes with waterfalls. During the visit to the lake, you will have time to interact with the locals and during the interaction, you will know the history of the twin lakes and their cultures in Rwanda.