Activities in Volcanoes National Park
Activities in Volcanoes National Park are the different ventures that tourists take part in when they visit the park on their Rwanda safaris. Volcanoes national park is famous for a number of attractions including half of the remaining mountain gorillas that can be found along the slopes of the different virunga mountains. However, there are a number of attractions that can be seen during the numerous activities in volcanoes national park which will make your Rwanda tour memorable as you choose the park as your tourism destination.
Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is among the most rewarding activities in volcanoes national park that a tourist should not miss out participating in. The park is home to the endangered gorilla species that can be seen in the virunga massif and Bwindi impenetrable national park over 15 habituated gorilla groups that can be seen along the different virunga mountains in the park. Gorilla trekking in the park involves tourists participating in virunga mountains hike that is hiking Mount Muhabura, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga, Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke.
With gorilla trekking in the park, you will get the chance to see a number of gorilla families where you will understand the behaviour of the primates in the wild, for instance, their feeding patterns like their diet, their co-existence with one another in the park, how they construct their nests for overnight in the park.
While participating in gorilla trekking you will spend an hour with the gorillas where you will see them feeding on bamboo trees which is their common type of food but in seasons when the fruit is plenty, they prefer fruit to bamboo among other interesting features about the gentle giants in the park. in order to participate in gorilla trekking in the park, you will have to obtain a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda from the Rwanda development bank and a trusted tour company in order to participate in the most rewarding activities in Volcanoes National Park.
Birding
Volcanoes National Park is home to 348 bird species that can be seen during birding in the park. During birding tourists will get to see a number of bird species during the nature walks in the park and it should be noted that while in the park, you will get to see over 100 bird species which is quite a rewarding experience and some of the bird species that can be seen in the park include; shrike flycatcher, yellow billed barbet, brown crowned tchagra, white-bellied flycatcher, hairy breasted barbet, bar-tailed trogon, red-faced crimson, tinker bird western nicator, white thighed hornbill, black bee eater, brown-throated wattle eye, black-crowned waxbill, green breated pitta among other bird species that will make your Rwanda tours memorable.
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 rewarding experience from the different attractions that can be seen as you hike to the different summits of the virunga mountains to the exceptional views that cab seen. Some of the exceptional views that can be seen include the views of the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo during the hike on mountain Muhabura, Lake Kivu at the hike along mount karisimbi and Mount Bisoke where you will see the gorilla cemetery where a number of gorillas that were poached in the park where buried and the gorilla primatologist Dian Fossey.
Visiting Dian Fossey’s grave
Visiting Dian Fossey’s grave is another important activity in volcanoes national park that can be carried out in the park. Dian Fossey was an American primatologist that ensured that mountain gorillas in volcanoes national park where protected from poachers which brought in light the conservation of the primate species and hence the increase of the gorilla numbers in the park.
During her research in the park, she destroyed snares of the poachers burnt their houses and issued warnings on the different media platforms to ensure that the gorillas in the park were protected in the park. Participate in the Dian Fossey hike and see the gorilla cemetery where the gorillas were a number of gorillas that were poached in the park buried and the grave of the primatologist that ensured that the endangered mountain gorillas were conserved making it possible for people to participate in gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park.
Golden monkey trekking
Golden monkey trekking is one of the most amazing activities in volcanoes national park that can be participated in to ensure that you have an amazing time during your Rwanda tour. Volcanoes National Park is home to endangered golden monkey species that are only endemic to the Albertine rift within the Virunga Mountains where Volcanoes National Park lies.
Tourists interested in golden monkey trekking, they will have to access the golden monkeys by hiking the Virunga Mountains that is Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga, Mount Bisoke Mount Karisimbi and Mount Muhabura. During golden monkey trekking in the park, tourists will have the chance to know more about the endangered primates in the park by observing their behaviour in the park in order to understand their behaviour 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.
Cultural encounters
With cultural encounters in volcanoes national park, tourists will have the chance to visit the Ibyiwacu people which will tell the culture of Rwanda through the different plays and activities that are carried out to portray the culture of Rwanda. You will also get to know more about the culture by participating in beer making which involves using bananas as the main ingredient in beer making, they will also have an amazing time by observing the traditional dances which are performed to entertain the tourists which are entertaining and educative at the same time. At the end of your Rwanda tour visiting volcanoes national park and participating in the Ibyiwacu village tours will be one of the most rewarding activities in volcanoes national park because of a number of activities that can be participated in.
