Adventure activities to do in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda : Activities in volcanoes national park is one of the most exciting national parks that tourists interested in the Rwanda wildlife safaris can visit to have amazing time as they take part in different activities. Volcanoes national park is popularly known park among the three national parks in Rwanda. The park is the home of the two largest remaining population of Mountain Gorillas of 12 habituated gorilla families such as Sabyinyo , Agasha, Hirwa, Bwengye, Umubano, Kwitonda, Ugenda, Amahora, Susa A and B, Sabyinyo groups that can be trekked by a tourists long the Virunga mountains such as Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Muhabura, Bisoke and Karisimbi . This magnificent creatures thrive in their natural habitat within the Rwanda Park of the Virunga Mountains, a range of six extinct and three active volcanoes that also extend in to Uganda and democratic republic of Congo. The park also boast beautiful vegetation types, animal species for example buffaloes, bush backs, elephants, giant forest hogs, golden Monkeys, hyenas, black-fronted duiker among other
However, there are a number of attractions that can be seen during the different activities in volcanoes national park which will make your Rwanda wildlife safari memorable and unforgettable as you choose the park as your adventure destination.
Gorilla trekking
Mountain gorilla trekking is the popular activities carried out by visitors on Rwanda wildlife safaris obviously conducted only while at the Volcanoes national park. Gorilla trekking is an adventurous activity in volcanoes national park where visitors gets an opportunity to walk on foot into the tropical rainforest to search for habituated mountain gorillas in their families. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is an astonishing experience which offers a tourist an opportunity to view the mountain gorillas in the dense forest on Volcanoes. These unique apes are only trekked in habituated gorilla community at volcanoes national park in Rwanda. There are 12 habituated gorilla communities where mountain gorilla trekking experience is carried out and are fully opened all year round in the Volcanoes National Park. Mountain gorilla trekking in the volcanoes national park are only conducted in 10 gorilla families that are only recommended for tourist or visitors who come for adventure purposes and are only opened for tourism purposes. And other two remaining are only opened for research purposes.
During trekking, you will be able to spot other primates species, birds and once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment where you will be able to learn about their habits, behaviors, how the carry out their daily activities like feeding on bamboo trees which is their common type of food but in seasons when the fruit is plenty, they prefer fruit to bamboo, breastfeeding, playing, record videos and take pictures to show people back home among other interesting features about the gentle giants in the park. During the trekking , you will also get a chance to spot some of the other primates such as black and white colobus monkey, golden monkey, Mona monkey and birdlife such as Rwenzori Batis, Strange weaver, ross’s Turaco, Long trailed cisticola, Pockellers’s sun birds, Red throated alethe blue Turaco among others. Tourists planning to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda are required to buy a valid permit each costing $1500 for an hour’s interaction. All permits are issued out by Rwanda Development Board or Achieve Global Safaris can help you obtain one
Golden monkey trekking
Volcanoes national park is one of the two national parks in east African where golden monkey trekking and spotting is safe and possible, such national park includes Mgahinga national park in Uganda situated in the southwest province of the country. Golden monkeys are unique and endangered monkey species. Because the monkeys feed on the lower slopes of the mountain, which are fairly accessible, golden monkey tracking is less difficult than gorilla tracking.
During golden monkey trekking in the park, visitors will get an chance to know more about the endangered primates in the park by observing their behavior in the park in order to understand their behavior in the park, their co-existence with other primate species in the park, their diet, how they construct their nests at night for overnight among other interesting features in the park making your Rwanda tours quite memorable. Trekking golden monkeys at the park starts at 7:00 am and can be as short as 30 minutes or longer depending on the movement of the monkeys. The permit foe trekking this marvelous apes cost USD 100.
Hiking the Virunga Mountains
Another interesting activity in volcanoes national park that tourists should choose to participate is hiking the Virunga Mountains within the park. The different Virunga Mountains that can be seen within the park will offer worthwhile experience from the different attractions that can be seen as you hike to the different tops of the Virunga mountains to the excellent views of the natural surroundings .during the hiking, visitors are rewarded with the exceptional views that can be seen include lake kivu at the hike along mount Karisimbi and the views of the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo during the hike on mountain Muhabura. Visitors will also get a chance to sport some of the forest birds along the slopes of the mountains making it ideal for birding safaris.
Cultural encounters
While in Volcanoes National Park you can visit the Iby’iwacu cultural village which can also be visited during the Rwanda cultural tours or during the Rwanda city tour where you will visit the different cities and their different attractions, for example you can visit Musanze city where you will visit the Ibyiwacu cultural village to have an amazing experience in Rwanda. The Cultural Encounters in Volcanoes National Park in the Ibyiwacu cultural village will offer astounding experiences if you’re interested in knowing more about the culture of Rwanda. While you visit the cultural village, you will get an opportunity to engage in a number of activities like community walks, banana beer making, subsistence farming, and preparation of local dishes among other activities.
Buhanga eco-park adventure
Buhanga eco-parks is a small forest near Rwanda’s volcanoes national park and is greatly known as the scared ritual place for Rwanda Yore royals who were assigned kinships or places of royal importance in the olden days. The forest consist of tall tree species that dwells a number of bird species and butterfly species. Its location within the Virunga massif range gives a refreshing atmosphere and its magnificent scenery leaves you completely captivated .The forest has appearances depending on the season, weather conditions and time of the day sand each appearance gives you a different kind of beauty. However, the most impressive or magnificent views of the forest are seen during the morning hours, this is the time the forest is super green and atmosphere is fresh plus the birds in the forest are flying around in their nest and making sweet noise. The afternoons also give attractive sceneries especially with the sun ray transmitting through the forest trees, the afternoon are also the best times for hiking the trials of this small forest bur diverse forest.
Bird viewing
Bird viewing at Volcanoes National Park is one of the most enjoyable and interesting activities done during Rwanda birding safaris, and it provides tourists with an chances to see variety fauna and flora species exists in Rwanda’s famous verdant rain forest. The park is a home of over 200 remarkable species of birds, of which 17 are recorded to be endemic to the Albertine Rift and the 13 of these species of birds are endemic to Virunga Mountains. While in Rwanda birding safari in the park, you will have a great opportunity to spot some of the different wildlife species including the gorillas and golden monkeys. The park is an excellent birding destination site with a variety of habitants, you will be amazed with different bird species such as lovely francolin, strange weavers, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori double-collared sunbirds, Rwenzori batis, Archer’s ground robin, Collared Apalis, Doherty’s bush- shrike, Red-faced woodland warblers, Brown-necked parrot, Baglafecht weaver, African long-eared owl and Dusky Crimsonwing among others.
