If able this is a must see place for anyone who can get here.
Nov 2022
The gorilla and monkey treks are phenomenal! Group size is limited to 8 and they strictly limit total to under 100 to minimize stress on gorilla family. They have extensive tracking and scout programs to know where family is settling for the day. Safety is thorough and protection of apes paramount. There is a striking visible line you cross when you hike through some agriculture patches to the border of the park. It is amazingly clean. It is rainforest so dress and act accordingly. The volcanoes and their history are visible and well guided. You realize the vastness and understand the Rwanda side can be very different from the Congo side. This is a story of very insightful people preserving an area before shortsighted people wiped it out. A victory of preservation especially for mountain gorillas and the golden monies.
By MikeJennyQ
One Our Best Travel Experiences
Sep 2022
My family and I spent 2 days in Volcanoes National Park to trek to see the gorillas and to see the golden monkeys. Both were incredible experiences, but trekking to see the gorillas was honestly one of our best travel experiences ever in the world. The Park issues 96 permits a day, and visitors are divided into groups of 8 based on hiking abilities. Some of the gorilla groups are close to the park headquarters requiring an easier climb, and other groups are far up one of the volcanoes, which require very rigorous hikes over several hours. The whole process of dividing visitors into groups is done really well. Visitors enjoy free coffee, while the tour operators get together and decide who should see which gorilla group. We were put in a moderate hiking group with other people our age and fitness ability. We had a fairly easy climb for the first hour, but then a very difficult climb straight up through very thick vegetation for the next 45 minutes.
By hungrytotravelandeat
Home of Dian Fossey, the mountain gorilla, and the golden monkey
Aug 2022
Volcanoes has the honor of being the very first National Park created in Africa, first gazette in 1925 as a small area intended to protect gorillas from poachers. Today it covers over 50 sq miles, and the Rwandan government recently announced plans to increase its size to 89 sq mi. The park is home to five of the eight volcanoes in Virunga Mountains: Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo (all dormant). It was also home base for the primatologist Dian Fossey who is largely credited with saving the mountain gorilla from extinction. The hike to her grave is difficult but worthwhile, as it really puts her accomplishments into perspective. And then there’s the golden monkeys! Oh my, they are so entertaining, and this is the easiest of the activities. As for the gorillas – the length and difficulty of your trek depends on the location of your assigned gorilla family (our family was named Amahoro, which means peace). What a thrill to observe them in their natural habitat! It sounds cliché, but if you love wildlife, it really is the experience of a lifetime. Volcanoes National Park appears to be a success story for the local community, a partnership that includes financial support (your permit fees at work). What a well-run operation!
By Linda Y
10 tips for a great volcanoes NP visit
Aug 2022 • Family
1. Altitude is high. So give yourself time to acclimate
2 suggest going to the Dian fossey gorilla fund ( Ellen degeneres) facility first. Great introduction
3 do the golden monkey hike first if you are planning to do it. Easiest of the hikes. When we went monkeys were within 1 meter and generally ignored us.
4. Hikes to see the gorillas can be easy medium or hard. Be prepared
Stinging nettles can be 4 or 5 feet tall super irritating to skin at first but pain slowly goes away Over 24 hours. I was wearing thin hiking pants and a thin hiking long sleeve shirt. Almost zero protection! Thorns went through with a slight brush of the olants. A heavy single layer or two think is good protection
6 the hike to Dian fossey grave is beautiful and a good hike in the dry season. Do it last since it may the hardest. 4 hours round trip. It is a 1500 ft climb the first half. U need to be in good shape. We have had a little rain each day and the mud in some places was 6” deep. So it is muddy! If it has been rating do not even try. Guides was saying mud can get 3 feet deep!!
By 64falcon260
2 suggest going to the Dian fossey gorilla fund ( Ellen degeneres) facility first. Great introduction
3 do the golden monkey hike first if you are planning to do it. Easiest of the hikes. When we went monkeys were within 1 meter and generally ignored us.
4. Hikes to see the gorillas can be easy medium or hard. Be prepared
Stinging nettles can be 4 or 5 feet tall super irritating to skin at first but pain slowly goes away Over 24 hours. I was wearing thin hiking pants and a thin hiking long sleeve shirt. Almost zero protection! Thorns went through with a slight brush of the olants. A heavy single layer or two think is good protection
6 the hike to Dian fossey grave is beautiful and a good hike in the dry season. Do it last since it may the hardest. 4 hours round trip. It is a 1500 ft climb the first half. U need to be in good shape. We have had a little rain each day and the mud in some places was 6” deep. So it is muddy! If it has been rating do not even try. Guides was saying mud can get 3 feet deep!!
By 64falcon260