Rwanda, with its beautiful, rolling mountainous landscapes, was best known as Africa’s premier gorilla tracking destination, until it was stricken by war. However, the country has been peaceful for a decade now, and has by its own efforts achieved both reconciliation and reconstruction. Tourism has an important part to play in this recovery. You will find both the best gorilla tracking and a genuine welcome on your holiday to Rwanda.
Volcanoes National Park (PNV), two hours drive north of Kigali, is a high altitude park which protects the largest remaining population of mountain gorilla. No wildlife experience can surpass meeting a troop of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
The Park covers the Rwandan section of the magnificent Virunga Mountains, a range of six extinct and three active volcanoes that also straddles Uganda, and the Congo.
Visitors meet at the park HQ in the early morning. Up to 36 people are split into groups to seek the five habituated gorilla families. Tracking is not that arduous - it can be quick, or it can take a few hours to find the group. The Susa group of 37 gorillas is usually the furthest away and we suggest you visit them if you make a second trek. You are allowed to spend just one hour with the gorillas.
This is the world’s most endangered ape – there are only 650 surviving, around half in PNV. The whole park is patrolled by the army to prevent poaching. There are several other activities at PNV apart from gorilla tracking – visiting the golden monkeys, and the Dian Fossey memorial, climbing one of the volcanoes, visiting the crater lakes.
We can arrange any of these if you spend another day at PNV, along with tailor-making all aspects of your Rwanda tour. Speak to one of our Africa holiday specialists at Rainbow Tours today, or click here to visit their website.