History of Volcanoes National Park
History of Volcanoes National Park
History of Volcanoes National Park: Situated in the northeastern part of Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is the number one tropical destination to visit for any tourist visiting the “Land of a thousand hills”. The park’s rich history dates back as far as 1925 when it was first established as a national park by the Belgian colonial government.
Volcanoes national park in Rwanda is very popular amongst tourists due to its habituated mountain gorillas which are the main attraction in the park. Being part of the Virunga Volcano Massif, the park shelters about 300 mountain gorillas which can be trekked by tourists all year round.
The national park is located in the Musanze town, in the north- western province of Rwanda. The national park is blessed with a number of bird and plant species. It covers 160 square kilometers of rain forest and bamboo. Volcanoes national park in Rwanda is bordered by Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. The national park encompasses 5 of the 8 volcanoes of the Virunga volcano region and these include; Mount Karisimbi, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura and Mount Bisoke.
The park is home to quite a number of mammal species such as; bushbucks, vervet and white and black colobus monkeys, spotted hyenas, forest elephants, buffaloes and giant hogs amongst others. It has 178 bird species of which 13 species and 16 sub species are found in the Virunga Conservation Area and Rwenzori Mountains respectively.
History of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Volcanoes national park was extended from Rwanda into Congo in 1929 and was originally called Albert National Park after King Albert 1. The park was under the management of the Belgian Colonialist government at that time.
Later in the 1960s, the national park was divided between Rwanda and the DRC following their gain to Independence. This greatly reduced the park to half size and hence giving rise to the birth of the renowned Virunga national park in Congo.
In 1966, renowned researcher Dian Fossey begun studying mountain gorilla groups in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and in 1967 she setup base in the national park. After her murder in 1985, she was buried at a grave site located within the park.
The park later became a battle front for the Rwanda civil war in the early 1990s. The genocide war not only greatly affected the lives of people living in Rwanda, but also reduced tourism activities in the area up until 1999.
However in 2005, the Rwandan Government introduced the baby naming ceremony for baby gorillas called ‘Kwita Iziina’. This was done in a bid to revamp tourism and conservation activities in the park. The ceremony for naming baby gorillas happens annually and involves the participation of both the local community and tourists as well.
The park’s headquarters are currently based in Kinigi which is a small village located in the town of Musanze, which was formerly called Ruhengeri. The park’s headquarters in Kinigi is where trekking permits are issued and also briefing of tourists visiting the national park.
Activities offered in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
When planning your trip to Volcanoes national park, here are some interesting activities that you can do during your visit to the national park;
Gorilla Trekking: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park is the major activity carried out it the park. Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda cost USD 1500. It is important to note that tourists intending to carryout gorilla trekking in the park should make booking for their trekking permits at least 6 months in advance. This is to avoid any inconveniences especially during the peak season between June and September to guarantee availability of permits. Gorilla trekking in the park is carried out in small groups of a maximum of eight persons per gorilla group.
Golden monkey trekking: Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park is also another great activity that is offered at the park. It is a great substitute especially for tourists who cannot afford to do gorilla trekking in the park.
Dian Fossey Hike: The Dian Fossey hike basically involves hiking to Dian Fossey’s gravesite and also taking a tour of Karisoke Research facility where Dian and her team carried out numerous research studies on mountain gorillas that live within Volcanoes national park.
Other activities offered in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda include; guided nature walks, exploring Musanze caves, birding and Iby’iwacu village community tour among others.
Accommodation in Volcanoes national park.
When it comes to accommodation in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, there are a lot of options that you can choose from such as; Bisate Lodge, One & Only Gorilla’s Nest Lodge, Virunga Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain gorilla view, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Kinigi guesthouse and Gorilla Volcanoes Lodge.
How to get to Volcanoes National Park.
Volcanoes national park can be accessed by road and air transport means. The park is located about 2½ hours drives from the capital, Kigali. You can also charter a domestic flight from Kigali International Airport to the park using Akagera Aviation.
