Africa's oldest national park and Rwanda's gorilla heartland, with golden monkeys, Dian Fossey's research site and five volcanoes, all 2½ hours from Kigali.
Volcanoes National Park protects about 160 km² of the Virunga Massif in north-western Rwanda. It was first set aside in 1925 as part of Albert National Park, the first national park in Africa. Its bamboo, Hagenia forest and alpine meadows climb the slopes of five volcanoes: Karisimbi (4,507 m, Rwanda's highest point), Bisoke, Sabyinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura. Most of the world's mountain gorillas outside Bwindi live in this Virunga ecosystem, and Volcanoes is where Rwanda's tourism story began.
| Location | Musanze district, north-western Rwanda, bordering Uganda and the DR Congo |
| Size | About 160 km² |
| Established | 1925, as part of Albert National Park, Africa's first national park |
| Altitude | About 2,400–4,507 m |
| Volcanoes | Karisimbi (4,507 m), Bisoke (3,711 m), Muhabura (4,127 m), Gahinga (3,474 m), Sabyinyo (3,669 m) |
| Headquarters | Kinigi, about 110 km (2½ hours) from Kigali |
| Managed by | Rwanda Development Board (RDB) |
All treks start with a 7:00 am briefing at the Kinigi park headquarters, where rangers assign each group of up to eight visitors to one of about a dozen habituated families. They match walk length to fitness, so you can ask for an easier or a more demanding trek. Permits are US$1,500. See Rwanda gorilla trekking and gorilla permits.
| Activity | Duration | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Golden monkey tracking | 3–4 hrs | One hour with a lively troop in the bamboo zone. The permit is US$100. See golden monkey trekking. |
| Dian Fossey tomb hike | 3–5 hrs | A climb to the Karisoke research camp site, where Fossey is buried beside Digit and other gorillas. See Dian Fossey. |
| Mount Bisoke | 6–7 hrs | A steep day hike to a crater lake at 3,711 m on the DR Congo border. |
| Mount Karisimbi | 2 days | An overnight climb to 4,507 m, camping on the saddle. |
| Twin Lakes Burera and Ruhondo | Half day | Boat trips and viewpoints below the volcanoes. |
| Iby'Iwacu cultural village | 2–3 hrs | Intore dance, a traditional king's house, and banana beer made by former poachers. |
| Musanze caves | 1–2 hrs | A 2 km lava tube near Musanze town. |
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund's Ellen DeGeneres Campus in Kinigi has a public exhibition on gorilla research and conservation. It is worth an hour on the afternoon after your trek.
Temperatures range from about 10 °C at night to 20 °C by day at the lodges, and it is colder higher up. The long dry season (June–September) and the short dry spell (December–February) are the most popular. March–May is the wettest period. Gorillas can be trekked all year.
The park's bamboo and Hagenia-Hypericum forest also shelters buffalo, bushbuck, black-fronted duikers, spotted hyenas and forest elephants, although these are rarely seen. About 180 bird species have been recorded, including Albertine Rift endemics such as the Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, strange weaver and dusky crimsonwing. Golden monkeys and gorillas are the stars, but the forest itself, draped in moss and lichens beneath the volcanoes, is a highlight.
Bisoke is the most popular day hike in the park. Starting from Kinigi, you climb through farmland, bamboo and Hagenia forest to the rim of a crater holding a lake, at 3,711 m on the border with the DR Congo. The ascent takes about 3–4 hours and the descent 2–3 hours. The trail is steep and often very muddy. On a clear day, the views stretch across the Virunga range. Rangers and porters accompany every group. See Mount Bisoke hiking.
Karisimbi, Rwanda's highest mountain, is climbed over two days. On day one, you hike about 6–7 hours to a campsite on the saddle at about 3,700 m. On day two, you rise early for the final climb to the summit, where frost and even snow are possible, then descend all the way to Kinigi. It is a serious trek, with cold nights and demanding terrain, and it requires good fitness and warm camping gear.
Our 4-day Rwanda gorilla trekking and Dian Fossey tour follows this plan.
Every year, Rwanda holds Kwita Izina, a ceremony in Kinigi where gorillas born over the past year are given names, based on a traditional Rwandan practice of naming newborn children. Conservationists, celebrities and community leaders name the babies, and the event is combined with a conservation forum. It is usually held around September. It draws attention to the gorillas and celebrates the communities that protect them.
Gorilla trekking costs US$1,500 per permit and golden monkey tracking US$100. The Dian Fossey tomb hike, Bisoke and Karisimbi climbs, and nature walks each have separate RDB fees. On our tours, fees for listed activities are included. See gorilla permits.
The road from Kigali to Musanze is fully paved and winds through terraced hills with views of rivers, tea and banana plantations, reaching Musanze in about 2 hours and Kinigi in 2½. Helicopter transfers from Kigali take about 30 minutes. From Uganda, the Cyanika border is about 25 km from Musanze, so Mgahinga and Bwindi's southern sectors are only a few hours away. From Lake Kivu at Rubavu, it is about 1–1½ hours.
East of Musanze, lakes Burera and Ruhondo lie side by side beneath the Virunga volcanoes, separated by a narrow ridge. Boat trips, island visits, and walks along the ridge give some of Rwanda's most beautiful views, especially in the late afternoon. The Rusumo and Ntaruka waterfalls between the lakes are also worth seeing. It makes a relaxing half-day after a gorilla trek.
Related reading: why trek gorillas in Rwanda, golden monkey trekking and Rwanda national parks.
Many families around Kinigi and Musanze earn a living from gorilla tourism. Former poachers now work as trackers, porters and performers at Iby'Iwacu cultural village, where visitors can try traditional archery, grind grain, meet a healer and watch Intore dancers. Other community projects include women's craft cooperatives, banana beer brewing and guided village walks. These visits give an insight into rural Rwandan life and put income directly into local hands. Rwanda also shares 10% of park revenue with communities around the park, funding schools, clinics and water projects.
About 110 km, around 2½ hours by road to Kinigi.
About a dozen habituated families are open for trekking. Each takes a maximum of eight visitors per day.
Golden monkeys, the Dian Fossey tomb hike, Bisoke crater lake, a Karisimbi overnight climb, the Twin Lakes and cultural visits.
No. Both are full-morning activities. Plan them on separate days.
June–September and December–February are driest, but gorilla trekking runs all year.
The gorilla permit is US$1,500 and golden monkeys are US$100. Hikes and walks have separate fees, and accommodation ranges from budget to ultra-luxury.
No. Volcanoes is Rwanda's section of the Virunga Massif. The DR Congo's section is Virunga National Park, and Uganda's is Mgahinga.
Rangers assign families at the 7:00 am briefing in Kinigi, based on fitness and group preferences. Tell your guide if you want a shorter or longer trek.
Long trousers and sleeves, waterproof boots, gaiters, gardening gloves, a rain jacket and warm layers. Mornings at Kinigi are cold.
Usually 3–5 hours in total, depending on your pace and conditions on the trail.
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