Why You Should Visit Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes National Park is one of the most sought-after national parks in Rwanda, celebrated for hosting the endangered mountain gorillas. It’s situated in the northwestern part of Rwanda, bordering Mgahinga National Park and Virunga National Park. It’s one of the oldest national parks on the continent, established in 1925 to protect the endangered mountain gorillas that existed at that time. The park is part of the Virunga conservation area, which aims to protect the endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, which are endemic to the Albertine Rift region. This blog will discuss why you should visit Volcanoes National Park. It has a rich biodiversity, home to over 237 bird species, 36 mammal species, 12 primate species, 200 butterflies and 30% of the world’s population of the endangered mountain gorillas. The park’s rich biodiversity is supported by its diverse ecosystems, such as tropical montane forests, wetlands, grasslands, and bamboo zones, which provide habitats to various birds and wildlife species. Volcanoes National Park offers various activities to travellers which cater to all their needs, including gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, bird watching, nature walks, and cultural encounters. If you are seeking a true African safari, Volcanoes National Park should be added to your bucket list.
Reasons Why You Should Visit Volcanoes National Park.
Hosts endangered mountain gorillas.
Volcanoes National Park is one of the four destinations where travellers can see the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. It is home to over 30% of the world’s population of the endangered mountain gorillas, making it the second place with the highest number of mountain gorillas after Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. The park has up to 14 habituated mountain gorillas, which are fully acclimated to human presence. It provides 98% chances of encountering these awesome creatures in their natural habitats. Volcanoes National Park is one of the parks with a successful conservation story in East Africa, thanks to its conservation campaigns against poaching and conserving these animals for future generations, which has increased the number of the endangered mountain gorillas in the park.
Rich Bird Life.
This is one of the reasons why you should visit Volcanoes National Park, as it’s a haven for bird watching, with up to 237 bird species calling this awesome park home. These bird species include 17 Albertine Rift endemics, forest birds, migratory birds, water birds and the park’s residents, which are found nowhere else. Some of the birds found in the include House Sparrow, Cape Wagtail, Mountain Wagtail, Oriole Finch, Black-throated Canary, 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, Handsome Francolin, Little Grebe, Speckled Pigeon, African Olive Pigeon, 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, Blue-headed Coucal, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Diederick Cuckoo, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, Black Crake, Red-knobbed Coot, Grey Crowned Crane, Ruwenzori Turaco, Black-billed Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Marabou, Yellow-billed Stork, European White Stork, Pink-backed Pelican, Hamerkop, Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Black-headed Heron, Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, Little Egret, African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis, Great Cormorant, Three-banded Plover.
Diverse tourist activities.
The diverse tourist activities are one of the reasons why you should visit Volcanoes National Park. The park offers various activities that cater to all travellers’ interests, whether you are looking for adventurous experiences or simply to immerse yourself in nature. Bird lovers will be delighted to immerse themselves in hundreds of bird species as they listen to the sweet, melodic songs and sounds of various bird species. Primate lovers will have a close encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. They can also do golden monkey tracking, searching for these playful monkeys in bamboo forests provides unique experiences. Nature lovers will have an experience exploring the park on foot, which allows them to explore the park’s unique birds and wildlife species.
