VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Home to Dian Fossey’s

gorilla research and mountain conservation legacy.

Five volcanoes protect rare primates in
lush, high-altitude forests.

Volcanoes National Park lies in Rwanda’s northwest, guarding the misty slopes of the Virunga Mountains.

This compact park is best known for its thriving population of endangered mountain gorillas, tracked on guided treks through bamboo forests.

It also preserves Dian Fossey’s original research site, where her conservation work helped protect these great apes from extinction.

Beyond gorillas, the park shelters golden monkeys, rare birds, and five dormant volcanoes, each offering challenging but rewarding hikes.

It's cool, high-altitude climate supports lush vegetation and year-round wildlife encounters, making it Rwanda’s top eco-tourism destination.

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Highlights

Gorilla encounters, volcanic peaks, and lush bamboo forests define highlights capturing Volcanoes National Park’s thrilling wilderness and conservation legacy.

Track mountain gorillas on forested volcano slopes, guided by expert trackers ensuring respectful, awe-inspiring hour-long family encounters for visitors daily.
Observe playful golden monkeys leaping through bamboo, their gentle nature and bright coats perfect subjects for intimate photography sessions here.
Climb Mount Bisoke’s crater rim, gaze into emerald lake while misty Virunga volcano chain stretches across distant horizons incredible panoramas.

Hike to Dian Fossey’s research camp, learn pioneering conservation stories that safeguarded mountain gorillas for future generations worldwide against poaching.
Birding hotspots reveal Albertine Rift endemics like handsome francolin, Rwenzori turaco, attracting dedicated twitchers year-round despite mountain mists and drizzle.
Community cultural visits share traditional music, banana beer, and crafts, while tourism revenue supports health clinics and schools, and local projects.

Activities to Do in Volcanoes National Park

From gorilla treks to volcanic hikes, Volcanoes National Park blends primate encounters, adventure climbs, history, and cultural immersion for travellers.

Gorilla Trekking

After a dawn briefing at Kinigi headquarters, small groups hike misty bamboo and hagenia forest with experienced trackers following fresh knuckle prints and nests. Reaching a habituated family, visitors spend one unforgettable hour observing chest-beating silverbacks, playful juveniles, and nurturing mothers only metres away, capturing respectful photos while learning conservation challenges from armed rangers, safeguarding these remarkable great apes daily.

Golden Monkey Trekking

Light morning walks through swaying bamboo lead to energetic golden monkey troops, unique to the Albertine Rift. Guides encourage quiet observation as bright-coloured primates feed on shoots, leap between canes, and occasionally pose curiously for cameras. Their relaxed behaviour offers delightful, lower-altitude alternatives to gorilla treks, perfect for families, photographers, and anyone seeking gentler primate encounters within shady mountain forests.

Dian Fossey Hike

Trace Dian Fossey’s footsteps on a moderate ascent to Karisoke Research Camp ruins nestled between Mount Bisoke and Karisimbi. Along the trail, guides share stories of Fossey’s tireless fight against poaching and her groundbreaking behavioural studies. Forest flowers, duiker tracks, and sweeping saddle viewpoints enrich the journey, providing historical context to modern conservation successes, inspiring visitors to protect fragile habitats.

Volcano Summit Hikes

Ambitious trekkers tackle dormant volcanoes for panoramic views of the surrounding Virunga chain and crater lakes. Mount Bisoke’s one-day climb rises through giant lobelia and hagenia forest to a spectacular mist-ringed crater lake. Multi-day Karisimbi trek, Rwanda’s highest peak, offers camping on alpine slopes, rare plant communities, and starlit skies, rewarding fitness with unmatched highland adventure and lifelong summit bragging rights.

Community Cultural Tours

Village walks around Kinigi and Musanze provide insight into Rwandan rural life. Guests participate in traditional drumming, banana beer brewing, and craft weaving while supporting cooperative income projects. Storytellers recount folklore of mountain spirits, and herbalists demonstrate medicinal plants used for generations. These interactive experiences enrich safaris with authentic cultural connections beyond wildlife encounters, benefiting families and conservation efforts jointly.

Best Time to Visit

Gorilla trekking is easiest June to August, plus January and February, when drier trails make hiking in Volcanoes National Park more comfortable.

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Ideal Seasons

Choosing the best time to visit Volcanoes National Park depends on how you balance trail conditions, crowds, and personal flexibility. The park’s high-altitude climate stays cool year-round—about 15 °C during the day and 7 °C at night—and mist or rain is possible in any month.

June through August, plus the shorter January–February dry spell, bring the least rainfall. Trails are firmer, views are clearer, and photo opportunities abound, but gorilla-trekking permits sell out quickly, and lodges fill early.

From March to May and again from September to December, afternoon showers return, turning bamboo slopes muddy and making climbs slower. Still, sightings of gorillas and golden monkeys remain virtually guaranteed, vegetation glows emerald, and forest birds become more active.

Wet-season travellers also enjoy quieter trails, better last-minute permit availability, and discounted accommodation rates.

Best Lodges

Kinigi and Musanze offer cosy eco-lodges, luxury forest retreats, and budget guesthouses, many with volcano vistas, fireplaces, locally sourced cuisine, and easy pre-dawn access to permit briefings for trekking convenience.

Rwanda

Angama Mara

Luxury Lodge

Rwanda

Ol Donyo Lodge

Luxury Lodge

Rwanda

Sirikoi Lodge

Luxury Lodge

wildlife

Mountain Gorilla
Golden Monkey
Bushbuck
Rwenzori Turaco
Forest Hog

Get To
Volcanoes National Park

International travellers land at Kigali International Airport, a modern hub served by regional and long-haul airlines. From Kigali, it is a scenic 105-kilometre drive to Volcanoes National Park headquarters at Kinigi, taking roughly two and a half hours along well-paved roads. Private transfers, rental cars, or scheduled lodge shuttles follow the speed-controlled route through verdant countryside and bustling towns. There are no domestic flights, so arriving the previous evening in Musanze or Kinigi ensures timely 7 a.m. activity check-in for permits.

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Shem O. Keraka

Managing Director

Purity Gekonge

Sales & Reservations Manager

Jackton Onyango

Tour Consultant

Volcanoes National Park

Land of misty volcanoes where endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, and ancient bamboo forests share alpine heights.

Home to Dian Fossey’s

gorilla research and mountain conservation legacy.

Five volcanoes protect rare primates in lush, high-altitude forests.

Gallery

Map

Highlights