Volcanoes National Park sits in Rwanda. It forms part of the Virunga Volcanoes range, which also stretches into Uganda and the DRC. The park protects around 300 mountain gorillas. That’s roughly half the world’s remaining population. Many call it Africa’s easiest gorilla trekking destination.
The park covers 13,000 hectares. It also supports several monkey species and about 180 bird species. This gives visitors plenty to explore beyond gorilla encounters.
Conservationist Dian Fossey studied gorillas here for 20 years. Her work helped curb poaching and saved the species from decline. The film “Gorillas in the Mist” later made the park famous. Crews filmed it on location, based on Fossey’s life’s work.
Kigali sits just 80km away. Several comfortable lodges dot the foothills nearby. Visitors must arrange trekking permits in advance. They should also prepare for challenging mountain terrain. Strict conservation rules protect this rare, once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience.
