Part of the Virunga Conservation Area comprising Virunga national park

Part of the Virunga Conservation Area comprising Virunga national park, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, and Mgahinga national park in Uganda, Virunga National Park Safaris Tours is one of the oldest national parks in Africa situated in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the eastern region of the Albertine Rift Valley. This park is well-known habitat for the threatened mountain gorillas. Covering 7,768 square kilometers, Virunga stretches from 680 meters in the Semuliki River Valley to 5,109 meters in the Rwenzori Mountains in altitude, so safeguarding a varied ecosystem comprising almost 196 mammal species, over 708 bird species, volcanoes of which two active (Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamuragira), open grasslands, swamps and wetland vegetation, craters and crater lakes and Albertine rift.

Virunga was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 due in great part to its varied wildlife. Mapuwa, Lulengo, Kabirizi, Munyanga, Rugendo, Humba, Nyakamwe and Bageni are eight habituated families of mountain gorillas in Virunga national park; these families underwent training and research so as to make them comfortable with human presence as a means of preparing them for mountain gorilla trekking experience. Among the mammals seen at Virunga are buffaloes, crested porcupines, gigantic forest hogs, mongoose, duikers, forest elephants, squirrels, big pangolin, and many more. Apart from mountain gorilla there are also other primates including chimpanzees, De brazza monkey, red colobus monkey, grey checkered mangabey and olive baboons, Virunga National Park Safaris Tours.

History of the Virunga national park

Early 1925 saw Virunga originally formed as Albert national park, the first national park in Africa; this concept was supported by the European Conservation movement, which had to find a protected region in the then Northeastern Belgian Congo. Albert national park covered 500 square kilometres surrounding Mount Karisimbi and Mount Mikeno by the time it was established; in 1929 the park’s area was enlarged to include volcanoes of Virunga, portions of Rutshuru region, and south plains of Lake Edward. The biological value of Virunga national park led it to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Activities of visitors in Virunga National Park

Trekking in mountain gorillas

Among the highlight activities available in Virunga national park, mountain gorilla trekking features eight habituated groups of Mapuwa, Lulengo, Kabirizi, Munyanga, Rugendo, Humba, Nyakamwe, and Bageni visiting experience. Before you walk into Virunga in search of mountain gorillas, you are undergoing a briefing session in which rules and regulations to follow are read to you, Virunga National Park Safaris Tours. This requires a trekker to be in possession of a gorilla trekking permit presented at the headquarters of the park before the start of the trekking.

Depending on the location, movement of the gorilla family you are trekking and the terrain, the search for mountain gorillas takes one to six hours per rule and regulation allow you to stay only one hour in the presence of mountain while photographing, filming and observing the lifestyle on mountain gorillas. Although you are free to photograph as a memory piece for your hiking safari, make sure your flight is off; a mountain gorilla trip from Virunga costs US$ 400 and a group of eight individuals are permitted to go on the trip.

Experience of habituation in chimps

Initiated by Frankfurt a scientist in 1987, Virunga is another fascinating and daring safari activity giving plenty of time to learn and see the way of life of chimpanzees on chimpanzee habituation experience. Beginning at 6:00 am with a briefing whereby a head guide will read you the laws and regulations to follow while in presence of the gorillas, a maximum of 4 persons is allowed in every group and offers 4 hours with the chimpanzees. In four hours, free to help feed the chimpanzees, capture images and movies as long as your flashlight is off.

Experience with chimps allows one to pay US$ 100 each person.

Mount Nyirangongo: Hiking

Since Virunga national excellent site not only provides trekking experience but also vistas of boiling lava on top of Mountain Nyiragongo. Mount Nyiragongo, 3470 meters above sea level, is an active volcano reported to have erupted over 32 times and last erupted in 2002 as the lava lake on top drained and lava flowed to the towns on the volcano’s foothills. Starting at the Kibati ranger post, a briefing is conducted at precisely 10:00 am in company with armed park ranger accompany you which starts your climb towards the volcano’s top. You will be rewarded with views of boiling lava at Lava Lake when you reach the summit; you will be spending the night at a campsite and will descend the volcano next morning.

Mounting hiking Nyirangongo,
Mounting a hike Nyirangongo Birdwatching

With more than 708 bird species, Virunga national park is ideal for birdwatching in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; 24 bird species found there are unique to Virunga. <

Lead nature hikes.

Virunga national park is a fantastic place for unforgettable guided nature walks; the park is mostly composed of tropical rainforests and guided excursions follow several paths over the trees. Look out for sightings of creatures including warthogs, forest elephants, antelopes, many varieties of vegetation and many bird species including Rwenzori Turaco, Francolinus nobilis, the forest ground thrush, Musaphaga among others as you stroll on these trees.

Where within Virunga National Park should one stay?

Accommodation at Virunga National Park is provided in several luxury, middle-class, and low-cost buildings. Through their carefully designed facilities and services—clean, en-suite bathrooms, restaurants, and many more—these lodging facilities make sure you have a comfortable stay. From Mikeno lodge to Lulimbi tented camp to Tchegera Island camp, Nyirangongo Volcano summit shelters and many more, Lodges and camps in Virunga National Park Safaris Tours.

How one arrives in Virunga National Park?

There are several means for visitors on a safari to reach Virunga national park: road, plane, or boat. Most people travel to Virunga by car from Rwanda-Congo. From Kigali city, you will travel in Rwanda utilizing Kigali international airport; from Kigali city, you will connect to Goma town via Gisenyi in Democratic Republic of Congo. From Kigali you cross over to Democratic Republic of Congo utilizing Grande Barrier border where you are compelled to submit your travel and personal documents such yellow fever vaccination certificate, passport and tourist Visa. From the Grande Barrier border and the tourism offices, you will next head to Virunga national park.

By air, daily Ethiopian airline flights to Goma international airport. You will find Virunga national park connected from Goma international airport.

Virunga national park uses water transportation to get from Bukavu port on Lake Kivu to Goma over three hours by boat journey. Visitors of Virunga are recommended to utilize public boats for security reasons; the boat ride is an exciting trip providing views of Virunga mountains and undulating hills.

Ideal visiting time for Virunga National Park

Every visitor maximizes on the best to go on a safari in Virunga, national park, which is open for travel all year round in order to receive value for money. The dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February, is the ideal time for a safari visit to Virunga national park as, in this period the park almost dries, thus the trials passable and visitors get clear views of animals due of short grass.