Volcanoes National Park - Home of Gorillas in Rwanda

Volcanoes national park is one of the most famous national park in Rwanda. The park lies in the Northwest of the country, neighboring virunga mountains in Democratic republic of Congo and Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda, with a size of 130 sq km and altitude of 2400m-4507m.

The park supports five of the eight vilunga mountains, that is Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabinyo, with Karisimbi the highest at 4507m. It has an average annual rainfall of 1975mm and mean annual temperature of 9.60C.

Volcanoes National park was first gazzeteed in1925, and was the first national park to be created in Africa, and after Rwanda attained independence, it was expanded in its borders and is currently a famous tourist center.

The park, primarily known to be home to the world famed mountain gorillas, was an area where Dian Fossey, an American primatologist had her research base for 20years until she was murdered in 1985. Fossey played a big role in fighting poachers who had threaten the lives of the gorillas and is thought her death could have been as a result of the effort to keep away poachers, and she was buried in the park, that is where her grave lies.

The park is rich in both flora and fauna, with diverse flora due to its different altitude ranges. The vegetation ranges from bamboo forest, hagenia woodland, Afro-Alpine moorland, to grassland and marshy areas.

There is diverse fauna, with a variety of primates, which include the famous mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, chimpanzees, baboons. Other mammals include spotted hyena, buffalo, black-fronted duicker, bushbuck, elephant.

The park has also over 180 bird species, 13 species and 16 subspecies of which are endemic to virunga and Rwenzori mountains. Some bed species include handsome francolin, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori double collared sunbird, Rwenzori batis, strange weaver, dusky crimson-wing, collared apalis, red-faced woodland warbler and Archer's ground robin.

Activities carried out on the park may include:
-Gorilla visits. There are 8 habituated gorilla groups, and these offer a chance to see the impressive giant animals behave and move gently with in their natural setting.
-Golden Monkey visits, where these amazing primates play around the trees.
-Climbing of Karisimbi volcano.This is a two day trek, where you climb up to 3800m, with an overnight camping.
-Climbing of Bisoke volcano. This is a one day trek.
-Tour to the lakes and Caves along the Virunga mountains.
-Visiting the tomb of Dian Fossey, who was buried in the park and is remembered to have protected the park, and she was the reason the park is protected and around.