Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking or tracking is the most popular activity done in the park which offers the opportunity to see the mountain gorillas in their natural environment. There are 12 habituated families of the gorillas and not more than 8 people are allowed to track one group in the day’s single session. The slots for the gorilla trek are therefore limited and one should book their gorilla tour in Rwanda well in advance to secure the gorilla trekking permit or ticket for their preferred tour date. The gorillas live in different areas along the mountains and at different altitudes. They are not confined to one location so they can move from place to place. This makes the time taken to find them unpredictable and the trekking difficulty, hence one should prepare for a long and difficult trek. You could find the gorillas in a few minutes of trekking or after several hours. A maximum of 1 hour is allowed to be with the gorillas.

Golden monkey tracking

The golden monkeys have not been as popular as the gorillas but they offer an exciting encounter and the golden monkey trekking adventure is a great addition to the gorilla tour or any other trek in Volcanoes National Park. The monkeys are incredibly beautiful and are very exciting to watch because of their lively character. They are especially great for photography. The golden monkeys live in the bamboo forests at the base of the mountains. The trek is therefore light and short. The monkeys can be found within 30 minutes to 1 hour of trekking and you will be allowed a maximum of 1 hour to watch them.

Volcano hiking

Volcanoes National Park is the prime destination for hiking in Rwanda. The volcanoes are perfect for the outdoors lovers and hiking enthusiasts, providing breathtaking scenery, beautiful crater lakes and an array of rare wildlife including the gorillas. The hikes are done on 4 out of the 5 volcanoes in the park. The only volcano where hiking is not allowed is Mount Sabyinyo because of the sharp ridges and enormous craters which made it dangerous. The most popular one day hike is to the crater lake on the summit of Mount Bisoke. Other day hikes are done on Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhavura. The hike on Mount Karisimbi is 2 days with a night spent camping on the mountain.

Dian Fossey tomb trek

Dian Fossey was a researcher who dedicated her life to researching about the mountain gorillas, advocating for their protection, and especially vehemently fought against poaching in the park which was leading to deaths of gorillas. She operated a research center in the park that was situated between mountains Karisimbi and Bisoke, hence named it Karisoke. Dian Fossey paid the ultimate price and was murdered. She was buried near her research center and among her gorillas. There is a beautiful trail to her tomb and the Karisoke research center. The round trip is about 3 – 4 hours and rewards with wonderful views and encounters of rare plants, orchids, and high chance of seeing gorillas along the trail.

Birding

Volcanoes National Park is one of Rwanda’s Important Birding Areas and features on many birding trips in Rwanda. The park has about 200 species that have been recorded and they include 15 Albertine Rift Endemic species and many mountain specialties.