Volcanoes National Park (160km²) is the definitive location to track the rare and captivating mountain gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei) in Africa. This park lies along the border with Congo (Zaire) and Uganda and is one of the most beautiful sights in Africa. There is a chain of no less than seven volcanoes, the highest, Karisimbi, more than 4500m. The Volcanoes Park is part of a contiguous 433 sq km trans frontier conservation unit that also includes the Virunga National Park and Mgahinga National Park, which protects the DRC and Ugandan sectors of the Virunga respectively. The bamboo and rainforest-covered slopes of the Volcanoes are some of the last remaining sanctuaries of the mountain gorilla which was studied in depth first by George Schaller and, more recently, by Dian Fossey. The later spent the best part of her 13 years living at a remote camp high up on the slopes of Bisoke with an aim of studying the gorillas and to habituate them to human contact. Fossey’s account of her years with the gorillas and her battle with the poachers and government officials can be traced in the book: Gorillas in the Mist.
Four habituated gorilla families exist in Parc National des Volcans including the Susa Group with 35 members, accessing it may take 3 – 4 hours; Sabinyo Group with 13 members; Amahura with 16; and Group 13 with just six members. Apart from Susa Group, the rest of the groups are easier to reach as roads go right up to the forest line near Bisoke and Sabinyo Volcanoes. The number of tourists allowed to visit each of the groups varies, but is no more than eight people at any one time, and may be just six, limiting daily permits to an absolute maximum of 32. Also present are giant forest hog, bush pig, bushbuck, black-fronted duiker, spotted hyena, and several varieties of small predator.
There are several possibilities for trekking up to the summits of one or more of the volcanoes in the park. The ascents traverse through some remarkable changes of vegetation ranging from thick forests of bamboo, giant lobelia or hagenia to Alpine Meadows.
Tourist activities in Parc National des Volcans include:
- Mountain Gorilla Trekking
- Golden Monkeys Tracking
- Birding
- A trip to Karisoke: Dian Fossey Graveyard
