Rwanda's Northwestern Region
Parc National des Volcans
A venture in exhilaration, a trek through the rolling foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes offers stirring views in every direction. Then, with an abrupt entrance into the spectacular Parc National des Volcans, discover the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with the calls of the colorful birds, the chattering of the rare golden monkey, and the littering of elusive herds of buffalo and elephant.
Parc National des Volcans joins Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Parc des Virugas in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the three contiguous parks that comprise the Virunga Conservation Area. A breathtaking landscape set in the upper slopes of the dramatic Virunga Volcanoes, Parc National des Volcans has no shortage of delightful settings to more than satisfy.
The premier treasure of this protected area, however, remains the nearly 350 mountain gorillas that make these picturesque volcanoes their home. In fact, it is these intriguing characters, which brought Dian Fossey here for intense study of the mountain gorilla in its natural habitat, leading to four groups that are well habituated to human presence. Experience these captivating animals face to face, trek the lush paths of the volcanoes or venture to the nearby market town of Ruhengeri or the serene setting of Lake Kivu, a serene setting all its own.
