The Ultimate Safari Guide to East Africa : The Best East African Safaris- the Ultimate Safari Guide to East Africa: The Complete Guide to the Best Safaris in East Africa: With its sweeping grasslands, diverse wildlife, colorful Maasai and Samburu warriors, opulent hotels, and tented camps, East Africa offers a traditional Out of Africa safari experience. The infrastructure, especially the network of airports supplying the remote areas via the major international air hubs of Uganda’s Kampala, Kenya’s Nairobi and Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam city, is outstanding and visitors are warmly welcomed.
In Kenya and Tanzania, two of Africa’s most popular safari destinations, gorilla sightings in the jungles of Uganda and Rwanda, and the warm beaches of Zanzibar may all be found in East Africa. East Africa has it all for all types of travelers, from solo travelers to family vacationers to honeymooners, and so on. The major attractions that are top ranked in Africa and that are most visited by tourists include the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the Volcano National Park in Rwanda, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, the Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania, the Zanzibar island, the Tsavo national park in Kenya and many more all are located in East Africa.
East Africa has it all: great wildebeest migrations, hiking safaris on Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Mount Meru, and Munt Rwenzori, gorilla trekking, beach vocations, cultural tours, big five safaris, and so on. Here, you can read more about some of the top things to see and do in East Africa. East Africa has a number of major tourist sites, including the following:
Gorilla Trekking
The most well-known places to undertake gorilla trekking are in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You will never forget the pleasure of getting up close to these majestic and endangered animals.
The Great Migration
Tanzania and Kenya both share this animal occurrence that occurs in the Serengeti and Masai Mara. Because of the abundance of wildlife, it has the highest concentration of migratory mammals on the planet, which can be seen in the parks almost all year.
Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro
One of the most recognizable mountains in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro will not let you down, whether your goal is to reach the mountain’s highest point or simply to wander the wildlife-filled plains underneath it.
Ngorongoro Crater
In Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, several animals can be found in a natural amphitheater. Its volcano summit exploded, forming the biggest continuous caldera in the world and lush plains in its place.
TRAVEL TO AND FROM EAST AFRICA.
When arranging a safari to East Africa, visitors have four different travel options: by road, on a timetable, by air, or a combination of the three. By car, you can either travel independently or take a private safari with a dedicated driver-guide for your group. The locations you visit and the accommodations you stay at are much more variable, but this may be quite pricey.
The cheapest mode of transportation is a scheduled excursion. You can join a group of around seven people here and split the cost of the car and the driver. Unfortunately, you will have to stick to the schedule and stay in the accommodations that have been made,The Ultimate Safari Guide to East Africa .
Flying into the parks or as close as you can is the most practical way to visit East Africa. You will be picked up at the airport by the lodge where you are staying, and you can use the safari vehicles at your leisure. You can even design your trip so that it combines elements of both a private road safari and flying. Because it gets you close while also providing the convenience of a little more freedom and flexibility, many choose this alternative.
WHEN TO PLAN EAST AFRICA SAFARI TOUR?
Depending on the weather and the type of safari you wish to go on, you can decide when to start planning your vacation. Traveling off-season has its benefits as well, because the reserves are less crowded and the animals are easier to get to. Additionally, it will cost a lot less.
Between the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, the Great Migration occurs. As the seasons change, more than 1.5 million wildebeest, 300,000 zebras, and other antelope traverse the plains and crocodile-infested rivers in search of food and water. The ideal time to see this in Kenya is from October to November, but throughout this time, the animals frequently traverse back and forth. You can still see the migration’s final leg if you travel after September.
During the Serengeti’s wet season in January and February, millions of zebra and wildebeest calves are born. Then comes the mating season, which is followed by the animals’ forced migration back north when the habitat dries out. In essence, you may travel here at any time of year and observe a wide variety of creatures. The ideal months to view the migration in Tanzania are probably February and March, when a huge number of animals are giving birth to their young. The predators are most active at this time as well.
The dry season, which lasts from January to March and again from July to October, is the ideal time to visit East Africa. Since there are fewer lush bushes, animals congregate around water sources like rivers, lakes, and swamps, making it simple to spot them.
The dry season, which lasts from June to November in Tanzania, is also the time when animals tend to congregate near water. Tanzania experiences various wet seasons. Rain rains in the north from November to December and once again from March through May, whereas it does so in the south from November to March. Roads become washed out and finding animals is especially challenging in April, when there is typically the most rainfall.
It will be best to visit when it is drier and cooler if you wish to go gorilla trekking in the Uganda jungle. Although rain usually occurs throughout the year, January and February, as well as again from June through September, are the wettest months. It is exceedingly challenging to go Mountain gorilla trekking in the other months when it rains nearly every day. The same holds true for Rwandan gorilla trekking. The best trekking conditions and lowest chance of contracting malaria are during the brief dry season from December to February or between June and September.
Let’s look at some of the safaris that particular each east Africa country have to offer:
- KENYA
The finest place to view the Great Migration is from Kenya, which has a variety of national parks and reserves with a wealth of wildlife. A Kenya safari vacation is a must-have on anyone’s bucket list, with everything from wide-open savannahs to the snow-capped summits of Mount Kenya. There are countless possibilities and options for a safari from the Indian Ocean in the east to where Lake Victoria connects Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in the west. Join the animal stampede’s dust clouds as they make their yearly migration, follow Maasai guides as they lead you through the savannah, or take to the skies in a hot air balloon to get a fresh perspective of this enormous area. The following are top attractions to visit and explore in Kenya:
The Masai Mara National Reserve
The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is bordered to the south by the 1,510 square kilometer Masai Mara National Reserve, a special sanctuary for wildlife conservation. It is the top safari destination in East Africa, home to numerous lions, cheetahs, rhinoceroses, elephants, African buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, different antelope species, bird species, and other animals.
The phrase “Masai,” which refers to the distinctive flat-topped acacia trees, shrubs, and bushes that dot the landscape in the reserve, comes from the nomadic Maasai tribe. The highlight of the year and one of the best wildlife safari experiences is the wildebeest migration, which occurs between September and November.
The best way to get to Masai Mara is by car, starting in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. The trip will take between 5 and 7 hours, depending on where you have reserved your lodging, and it is recommended to do this in a 44 vehicle due to the poor condition of the roads. This is the most affordable method of getting to the reserve and allows visitors the chance to take in a little more of the Kenyan countryside and culture. Renting a 44 Toyota Land cruiser Jeep or a tour minibus van is an option for independent travelers.
Tourists can also choose to go on a flying safari, with planes departing from Nairobi’s Wilson airport and landing at the Mara reserve’s airstrip. From there, safari vehicles are used to transport visitors to their individual lodges. The Masai Mara offers a wide range of lodging options, including hotels, opulent lodges, tented camps, camp sites, and private homes.
The Masai Mara National Reserve is filled with activities. Game drives, horseback safaris, hot air balloon safaris, walking and hiking safaris, bush dinners, and sundowners are just a few of the activities available. A visit to a traditional Maasai tribal community, where you may get a glimpse of this nomadic people’s distinctive way of life, is one of the most well-liked excursions.
Lake Nakuru National Park
The Great Rift Valley’s floor, where Lake Nakuru is located, is 1,754 meters above sea level. Visitors can take advantage of the extensive natural diversity and different ecosystems this place has to offer because it is bordered by woodland, bushy grassland, and a lake. It was created in 1961 and at first simply included the lake and the mountains surrounding it.
Nakuru means “dust” or “dusty place” in Maasai. Hiking, picnics, game drives, and bird watching are all great activities in Lake Nakuru National Park. However, the reason it is so well-known is because of the enormous number of flamingos that nest there. It also has one of the highest populations of black rhinoceros in the nation (over 25), as well as more than 70 southern white rhinos. Together with the Rothschild’s giraffe, both waterbuck subspecies, and many more animals, the Big 5 are represented in the park. Pythons are another typical sight; they are frequently seen hanging from trees or crossing roads.
The park is conveniently located 156 kilometers to the north-west of Nairobi and is easily accessible by car. The major gates are the Lanet gate, which connects the park to the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, and the less frequently used Nderit gate, which is used by visitors entering the park from the Masai Mara or Elementaita. The park is served by an airport there as well. The self-catering Naishi Guest House, 13 campgrounds, picnic areas, and two privately owned lodges, the Lake Nakuru Lodge and Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, are all available for lodging in the park.
- TANZANIA
Tanzania is well-known throughout the world for hosting the Big 5, the largest mountain in Africa, the largest crater in the world and hosting the Great Migration in the Serengeti. However, this is not the only reason travelers visit this nation in East Africa. It is a land of opposites, with features like Lake Victoria, the Serengeti, the towering Kilimanjaro Mountains, the Ngorongoro Cradle Basin, and the Lake Natron Flamingo Waters. The Afro-Arab islands of Pemba and Zanzibar are popular tourist destinations in the East. The following are top best attractions to visit and explore in Tanzania:
The Serengeti National Park
Undoubtedly, the Serengeti National Park is the one that appears in the most National Geographic programs. It is a park full of wildlife and the only location to go on an authentic African safari. In addition to the African Big 5, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, roan antelope, Oryx, eland, wildebeest, zebra, hyena, wild dogs, serval, the rare African golden wolf, and a variety of cats, it is also famous for the Great Migration.
The park was initially established because hunting led to an alarming population decline among the local lions. In order to safeguard cats and other wildlife, the British Colonial government of the period established a game reserve in 1921. When the Serengeti was ultimately established in 1951, which was the beginning of what we now know as the Serengeti,The Ultimate Safari Guide to East Africa.
The Maasai word siringet, which implies a place where the land extends eternally, is where the word “Serengeti” originates. This is a perfect description of the location, as the grasslands appear to go on forever. The Grumeti River, to the west, is where enormous crocodiles feast during the Great Migration when herds of zebra and wildebeest attempt to pass. The entire savannah region has soil made of black clay. The area to the north contains open woods populated by elephants and is the only place where you are likely to encounter the dik-dik, one of Africa’s tiniest antelopes.
The Serengeti’s treeless plains offer breathtaking views of the animal herds. Large herds of zebra, hartebeest, wildebeest, buffalo, and many more animals can be observed with ease even during the wet season. Flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport is the most practical method to get to the Serengeti. From here, a flight to one of the seven airstrips located inside Serengeti National Park will take between one and five hours.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve in the north, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the southeast, the Ikorongo and Grumeti Game Reserves in the west, the Maswa Game Reserve in the southwest, and the Loliondo Game Control Area in the northeast all offer the option for tourists to stay in luxurious safari camps. These areas are all connected by free-ranging wildlife. Safari game drives, walking safaris, birding safaris, hot air balloon rides, and visits to Maasai tribe villages are all some of the popular safari activity in Serengeti.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which spans more than 8,200 square kilometers, was established in 1959. It is a special protected area that has combined resource preservation with human development. The Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti Plains, and the Northern Highland Forest Reserve are the principal attractions in this region. The region is also home to the early human footprints found at Laetoli in the Ngarusi region, as well as archaeological and paleontological discoveries at Oldupai Gorge.
The only place on earth where people and wild animals can coexist is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In 1971, it was designated as a Man and Biosphere Reserve, and in 1979, UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site. Man, domesticated animals, and wild animals coexist peacefully, and on the grasslands of Ngorongoro, it’s common to observe Maasai cattle grazing next to zebras.
The primary draw for tourists to this region is the Ngorongoro crater. It was created around three million years ago when a massive volcano erupted and collapsed, leaving behind a vast, uninterrupted, unflooded caldera. The crater’s base size is 260 square kilometers, and it extends to a depth of 610 meters. It also has Olmoti and Empakai, two other volcanic craters with waterfalls, lakes, and verdant cliffs.
Black rhinoceros, wildebeest, zebra, eland, Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, lions, leopards, elephants, mountain reedbuck, buffalo, spotted hyenas, jackals, rare wild dogs, cheetahs, and many other animals can be seen in the area. The area is also traversed by the Great Migration. Ostriches, white pelicans, and larger and lesser flamingos are just a handful of the more than 500 bird species that have been identified.
Both arid plants and lush, green, rain-fed vegetation can be found at Ngorongoro. The region features highland forests, arid and semi-arid plant communities, and a lot of short grass that is utilized for grazing, and uncultivated lowland vegetation. The basin features two patches of acacia woodland along with short grass plains, lakes with both fresh and brackish water, marshes, and swamps. Huge numbers of animals can walk freely in these fertile, uncultivated meadows and bushes.
If you travel from Arusha city to the Loduare entrance gate, it will take you around three hours to reach Ngorongoro National Park by road. Use a 44 vehicle, which makes moving around the park easier if you’re traveling by automobile. To arrive by air, head to Moshi’s Kilimanjaro International Airport and take a private flight to Ngorongoro, a cab, or a complimentary shuttle to Arusha. Some of East Africa’s top resorts, lodges, and campgrounds can be found here. In addition to going on safari in the reserve, you may go on local culture tours, hikes along nature trails, and bird-viewing trips etc.
Tarangire National Park.
The Great Rift Valley’s lakes and the Masai Steppe are to the north and west, respectively, and the Tarangire National Park is located to the south-east. It is the sixth-largest park in Tanzania, and the Tarangire River, which flows through it, gave the park its name. The river exits the park to the north and empties into Lake Burungi. It contains a number of marshes that eventually dry out to provide lush plains that the elephants like to graze on during the dry season. Despite being significantly greener than the Serengeti in the dry season, the park is very dry.
Despite its small size—only 2600 square kilometers—the park is a well-liked safari destination. If wildlife and birdwatching are important aspects of your safari in Tanzania, you might want to think about visiting Tarangire National Park. Tarangire features a large amount of migratory movement within the larger Tarangire ecosystem and is one of the most seasonal parks in northern Tanzania. The park’s animal population varies with the season, and many species migrate out of the area from November to May, when it typically rains.
The animals return to the lush marshes from June through October, when it is drier. The ideal time of year to visit Tarangire National Park is during this time. You’ll also see wildebeest, zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, giraffes, Bohor reedbuck, Thompson’s gazelle, Coke’s hartebeest, and the greater and lesser kudu, in addition to the enormous herds of elephants. You might see an endangered black rhino, as well as gerenuks and fringe-eared Oryx on rare occasions, The Ultimate Safari Guide to East Africa.
Together with hyenas and occasionally even wild dogs, the big cats like leopards, cheetahs, and lions appear to favor the southern section of the park. The yellow-collared lovebirds, which are common in Tanzania, are among the over 550 bird species that have been identified. Tarangire is a birder’s heaven for those who love birds.
Dry open forests like acacia thickets, numerous baobab trees, and the occasional palm tree make up the majority of the region’s vegetation. The southern woodlands contain enormous flat marshes that are impassable during the rainy season. The remaining months of the year are dry but green. In addition to wildlife drives, walking safaris have grown to be quite well-liked tourist activity in this park. Additionally, tourists can visit a Maasai or Barabaig community or check out the many artworks along the Kolo or Dodoma road.
Many people think that visiting Tarangire is a solo safari. If you’re driving, your journey begins at Arusha. The best alternative for getting there by air is to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is located 46 kilometers from Arusha. Flying to Nairobi, Kenya and continuing by bus to Arusha is a less expensive option. From there, your tour guide will pick you up. Additionally, chartered flights are accessible from Arusha to Tarangire through Serengeti.
- UGANDA
Half of the surviving gorillas in the world are found in Uganda, a nation of many safari attraction in East Africa. Landlocked and bordered by the DRC, South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Lake Victoria, the source of the White Nile, in the south. In terms of topography, there are swampy lowlands, fertile plateaus, endlessly arid plains, and rainforest canopies. Uganda is a famous safari destination with many of activities such as tracking chimpanzees in Kibale Forest, viewing the Big 5 at Queen Elizabeth National Park, or going gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The following some of the best attractions to visit in Uganda:
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
On the edge of the Rift Valley, in Uganda’s southwest, is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The only reason it was made a national park in 1991 was to save the remaining population of critically endangered mountain gorillas. The region is home to some of the oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which provide refuge to over 120 distinct mammal species, including gorillas, elephants, antelopes, and other primate species like baboons and chimpanzees. More than 350 different bird species can also be found in the woodland.
Due to its extensive natural diversity, the park was named a World Heritage Site in 1994. It is also the top location for gorilla trekking worldwide. There are 35 Gorilla groups in the park, 17 of which have been trained for study and are accessible for hiking. Tourists are permitted to spend four hours with a gorilla family if one is found. Less than 800 gorillas remain in the forests of Bwindi Impenetrable and the neighboring Virunga volcanoes.
Tourists are drawn to the region for more than just gorilla trekking. While community excursions in nearby villages provide insights into the lives of the Batwa and Bakiga people who live next to the forest, forest trails lead to beautiful waterfalls and rift valley overlooks. It is also a birdwatcher’s paradise with many species, including seven IUCN Red Data List species and 23 endemics (which make up 90% of all endemics from the Albertine Rift). There are fourteen species that are unique to Uganda, including the brown-necked parrot and the white-bellied robin chat. Approximately 310 butterflies, 88 moths, 200 plants, 51 reptiles, and 120 different species of animals are among the additional species available in Bwindi.
There are many routes that lead to Bwindi, but the major trailhead at Buhoma is around 460 kilometers from Kampala city-Uganda capital city. Depending on which gorilla group you choose to track, travelers can also fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kampala’s Kajjansi airport to the Kisoro, Savanna, or Ishasha airstrips.
The nearby towns of Buhoma and Nkuringo have more than enough upscale lodges, traditional Bandas, and inexpensive campsites, as well as restaurants, craft markets, and guide services, to meet all needs. However, there is no accommodation within the park itself.
Kibale Forest
The tropical rainforest Kibale Forest, which is located in southwest Uganda, is home to a number of endangered species. It is best known for chimpanzee trekking. Around 1,500 of the nearly 5,000 chimpanzees discovered in Uganda live in Kibale. The forest covers an area of 795 square kilometers and is located at an elevation of around 1,590 meters above sea level, with its lowest point in the Albertine Rift valley at 1100 meters. Different ecosystems are found at these various altitudes, ranging from moist tropical forests to woodlands and savannah. The ideal place to monitor and see chimpanzees is Kibale, but you can only interact with them for an hour. It takes around 2 to 5 hours of wandering through the rainforest’s jungles for travelers to eventually come across them.
Along with the monkeys, the forest is home to over 70 other forest mammals, including elephants, buffalo, and several antelope species. It also has over 375 kinds of birds and the same number of tree species as is known. Fort Portal is 22 kilometers away from Kibale Forest, which is conveniently accessible by automobile. Forest hikes, Bigodi swamp excursions, the Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru rocks that may be seen at a cave, and Crater Lake walks are additional activities available in addition to chimpanzee trekking. Four lodges, namely the Kyambura Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guest House, and Isunga Lodge, are located on the edge of or very close to Kibala National Park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park.
At the park’s northern boundary, Queen Elizabeth National Park is connected to Kibale Forest. The park, which spans an area of 1,978 square kilometers and is located on the east African rift valley escarpment, is a noteworthy biological system location. It is one of Uganda’s most well-known national parks and features lakes, savannah, woodlands, and swamps. In addition to wildlife safaris, the park offers a variety of fascinating historical and cultural trips. Visitors can engage in ethnic dances and listen to local music while visiting the locals.
Over 95 mammal species, including lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, zebras, hyenas, jackals, numerous antelope species, crocodiles, and 10 species of primates, including chimpanzees, baboons, red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, among others, may be found in the park. More than 600 different species of birds call it home. The richness of Queen Elizabeth National Park allows for views of beaches, savannah grassland, woodlands, and swamp birds, making it a true birder’s dream, The Ultimate Safari Guide to East Africa.
A launch ride on the 32-kilometer-long, naturally occurring Kazinga waterway, which connects Lake Edward and Lake George, is another essential park attraction. Visitors have the chance to take in the cool breeze from the water, vistas of creatures like elephants, crocodiles, and hippos, as well as numerous aquatic birds.
The park is one of the few locations where it’s possible to witness the uncommon tree-climbing lions. The majority of these lions wear tracking collars, and with the aid of a guide tracking them, they can be spotted resting in the grasslands or in trees in the park’s Ishasha region.
The most picturesque area of the park is where the chimpanzee tracking takes place, and visitors can observe many different species of birds living in the trees or gathering fruit while searching for the chimpanzees. You can choose to go on a guided nature walk if you aren’t looking for chimpanzees. Millions of bars are strung up on the cave walls in the Maramagambo forest caves, which is where one of the trails leads.
Road travel is required to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is roughly 420 kilometers from Kampala. Air travel is another option for travelers, with planes from Kajjansi and Entebbe International Airports traveling to a number of airstrips in the area before connecting to the park. The Queen Elizabeth National Park offers a range of lodging options, including lodges, safari cottages, a tented camp, and wilderness camps.
- RWANDA
A small nation south of Uganda known for trekking with primates, particularly the critically endangered gorilla, is Rwanda. East of Rwanda’s swamp marshes and savannah plains, they merge with the country’s westward-rising highlands and mountains. The uncommon mountain gorilla has a sanctuary created by bamboo woods. The following are the best places and attractions to visit in Rwanda:
Nyungwe Forest National Park.
One of the oldest woods in Africa, Nyungwe Forest National Park’s southern border extends into Burundi. Its 100 000 hectares of grassland, swamps, bogs, and bamboo offer high biodiversity and are home to many different bird and animal species, as well as gorillas, chimpanzees, and other primates.
The park was designated a reserve in 1903, but due to fires, poaching, and deforestation, its size was reduced in 1958 and once more in 1973. Large numbers of elephants and buffalo were killed. The government began restoring the damaged tourism facilities in 1995, and a national park was established there in 2004. Chimpanzee trekking is popular in this park, one of the biggest in the nation. Only two habituated chimpanzee groups exist there.
The canopy walk is another highly popular activity in the park. In order to get a clear view of the forest below and the wildlife below, visitors hike up to the tops of the trees and stroll on hanging bridges. Along with a variety of animals and birds, the forest is also home to more than a thousand different plant species, such as trees and orchids. The waterfall and various walking excursions are available to tourists,The Ultimate Safari Guide to East Africa.
You can take a bus from the Uwinka or Gisakura receiving centers to the park or drive there. Travelers can also take a flight or a boat to get to the park. The park solely offers camping as a form of lodging. Travelers would have to make reservations for lodges and other lodging outside the park.
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is located in the northern area of Rwanda and is a part of the massive 160 square kilometer Virunga volcanic conservation region. Both Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park and the Congo’s Virunga National Park include it.
The mountain gorillas, who were in danger of going extinct owing to poaching, had a small portion of land designated as a protected area at first. The park was given the name Albert National Park in 1929 and was expanded into Rwanda under the management of the Belgian Colonial Authorities. As Rwanda and the Congo earned their independence in the early 1960s, the park was divided, and by the end of that decade, it had shrunk to almost half of its original area.
A research center known as the Karisoke Research Centre was founded by American naturalist Dian Fossey in 1967 while she was studying mountain gorillas. Up to her murder in 1985, she led the gorilla conservation effort and the struggle against poachers.
The park served as a battlefield for Rwanda’s civil war in the 1990s, which halted tourism operations until 1999. Approximately 400 gorillas live in Volcanoes National Park, which spans five of the Virunga Mountains’ eight volcanoes. Aside from gorillas, other animals found in the park include the uncommon golden monkey, a few elephants, the black-fronted duiker, spotted hyena, buffalo, and bushbuck. Additionally, it is home to 178 bird species, 29 of which are unique to the Virunga Mountains and the Rwenzori Mountains.
A trip that can change a person’s life, a gorilla tour to Volcanoes National Park allows visitors to get up close and personal with endangered mountain gorillas in their native surroundings. The park also offers other activities, including trekking the Karisimbi volcano, a day hike up Mount Bisoke, a visit to the Dian Fossey site, and boating on the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera.
Public transportation is available to go to Volcanoes National Park from Gisenyi, Kigali, or the airport. Since it takes around two hours to get to Volcanoes National Park, you may drive there, go gorilla tracking, and then drive back to Kigali city all on the same day. The park does not have any lodging options, but there are hotels and lodges around its perimeter.
