Activities to do in Volcanoes National Park.
Travellers planning to visit Volcanoes often wonder about the activities to do in Volcanoes National Park, and this blog will help you make informed choices. It’s one of the most visited national parks in Rwanda, attracting thousands of visitors to explore its unique biodiversity. It’s the smallest national park in the country, covering an area of about 160 square kilometers and it’s about a 2 to 3-hour drive from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, to the park. It has a mix of unique ecosystems, such as grasslands, montane forests, wetlands and bamboo forests, which provide habitats to various bird and wildlife species. It has a rich biodiversity, home to over 30% of the world’s population of the endangered mountain gorillas, 12 primate species, including Golden monkeys, 238 bird species, butterflies, and 36 mammal species. Travellers planning their safaris always ask about the activities to do in Volcanoes National Park, including the famous gorilla trekking, which attracts thousands of visitors to come and see the awesome creatures in their natural habitat, gorilla monkey tracking, bird watching, cultural encounters, nature walks, and hiking. All these activities give nature lovers a chance to explore the park’s rich biodiversity.
Activities to do in Volcanoes National Park.
Bird Watching.
This is one of the most incredible activities in Volcanoes National Park, which allows bird lovers and nature enthusiasts to explore the park’s rich birdlife. The park is a haven for bird watching with over 238 bird species which call it home. Bird lovers will be delighted by the beautiful melodic songs and calls of various bird species like migratory birds, Albertine rift endemics, forest birds, water birds and the park’s residents. This is a guided activity led by an experienced park guide who gives more insightful information about the bird species encountered. Some of the bird species to encounter include Some of the birds to encounter on birding safaris in Volcanoes National Park include Ruwenzori Turaco, Black-billed Turaco, Purple Heron, Little Egret, African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis, Great Cormorant, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Black Sparrowhawk, Black Kite, Little Bee-eater, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Common Kestrel, African Hobby, Eurasian Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Dusky Turtle Dove, Mourning Collared Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Laughing Dove, African Green Pigeon, Tambourine Dove, Scarce Swift, African Palm Swift, Alpine Swift, White-rumped Swift, Little Swift, African Swift, Collared Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Bronzy Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Scarlet-tufted Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Red-chested Sunbird, Variable Sunbird, Copper Sunbird, Yellow Bishop, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Archer’s Ground Robin,Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Collared Apalis, Stranger Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Double- collared Sunbird, Hottentot Teal, African Black Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Ross’s Turaco, Marabou, Yellow-billed Stork, European White Stork, Pink-backed Pelican, Hamerkop.
Gorilla Trekking.
Gorilla trekking is one of the most interesting activities to do in Volcanoes National Park, which involves hiking through the dense forest in search of the endangered mountain gorillas. This is a guided activity led by an experienced park guide who gives more information about the park’s inhabitants encountered. The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15 years, since it involves hiking through the steep slopes in search of the gentle giants. The trek begins early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations of the activity, and participants are divided into groups of a maximum of eight people. Each group meets their assigned guide, who leads them through the dense forest in search of gorillas. Gorilla trekking takes between 2 and 6 hours, depending on the location of the mountain gorillas. Once they are found, participants spend one hour observing and learning more about their behaviours.
Nature Walks.
Nature walks in Volcanoes National Park give travellers a chance to explore the park’s unique avian life and wildlife on foot. Nature walks are best done in the morning or late afternoon hours when birds are more active. It’s a guided activity led by an experienced park guide who gives more information about the wildlife and bird species encountered. The park has various trails suitable for nature walks, like the Ngezi Lake trail, which takes travellers to the breathtaking views of Lake Ngezi situated along the foothills of mountain Bisoke. The Twin Lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera trail takes travellers to the awesome twin lakes and explores the most unique water bodies in the park.
Golden Monkey Tracking.
Golden monkey tracking is one of the best activities to do in Volcanoes National Park, which gives primatologists and nature lovers a chance to explore these Albertine Rift endemics in their natural habitats. This involves moving through the bamboo forests in search of these playful golden monkeys. Golden monkeys are endemics to the Virunga Mountains, which are only found within this area in Africa. Visitors will be led by knowledgeable park guides who give more insights about their behaviours. Once they locate them, they will observe more about their lifestyles in the jungle, and they will see them playing, feeding, and taking care of one another, which is a nice experience.
