Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage property that was established in April 1925. It is often regarded as the best national park to visit for people seeking to see Africa’s pure natural splendor. It is a credit to the park’s outstanding beauty and biodiversity that, despite the often unpredictable security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, many people still want to visit.
Virunga is Congo’s oldest game park, covering 7,800 square kilometers of territory. The wildlife park is located along the Great Albertine Rift to the east of DR Congo and borders Uganda to the west. The park is divided into three sectors: northern, southern, and central.
The northern sector, which includes parts of the Semiliki River basin, is dominated by Savannah vegetation and montane forests because of its high height and the presence of Mount Stanley, this section has Alpine vegetation and is Africa’s largest glacial region. The park’s southern sector comprises seven volcanoes, hence the name “Virunga Massif”.
These volcanoes were formed as a result of tectonic shifts in the earth’s crust, which resulted in extensive volcanic activity. The two most visible of the seven volcanoes are Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamulagira. Inter tropical Convergence Zone movements and southern El Nino oscillations have a significant impact on the climate of the park and the Albertine Rift as a whole. The park has both rainy and dry seasons.
The rainy season lasts from March until mid-May, then again from September to November. Because of the vast foliage and climate, Virunga National Park is home to a diverse range of animals.There are 196 mammal species, 67 amphibian species, 708 bird species, and 108 reptile species, the most prominent of which are Nile crocodiles.
Mammals found in the park include the Aardvark, African Buffalos, African Bush Elephants, African Leopards, Bay Duikers, Blue Duikers, Boehm’s Bush Squirrel, Bongo, Bushbuck, Checkered Elephant, Crested Porcupine, Emin’s Pouched Rat, Giant Forest Hog, Giant Pangolin, Lord Derby’s Scaly-tailed Squirrel, Marsh Mongoose, Okapi, Red River Hog, Tree Pangolin, Water Chevrotain, Western Tree Hyrax, and Yellow Backed Duiker.
The Virunga National Park is regarded as a lion conservation area, and despite poaching, surrounding communities, a large The park’s primate population is unparalleled in Africa, with Mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Blue Monkeys, Central African Red Colobus, De Brazza’s Monkey, Dent’s Mona Monkeys, Golden Monkeys, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Hamlyn’s Monkeys, Mantled Guereza, and Olive Baboons among others. Aside from mammals, reptiles, and birds, areas of Virunga National Park are home to native tribes like as the Batwa, Mbuti, Hutu, and Tutsi.
These tribes benefit from the park’s tourism industry, working as porters and local tour guides. Some of them present their diverse cultures and traditions to visitors through music, traditional dances, languages, traditional residences, and food, among other things. The obligation to manage the park has been allocated to the Congolese Institute for National Conservation (ICCN). Given the hazardous circumstances in Eastern DR Congo, the ICCN has experienced numerous obstacles in maintaining the park, which have frequently resulted in its closure.
In the last decade, rebel groups and poachers have killed approximately 175 park staff. The park’s most recent closure occurred from a May 2018 incident in which three tourists were kidnapped and eventually released safely. The park’s managers had no choice but to close the park until they were confident that it was safe for tourists.
Attractions of Virunga National Park
Despite the tumultuous nature of Eastern DR Congo and the park closures, the vast biodiversity in the Park makes it enticing to visitors. There are so many activities to do at the park that we won’t be able to cover them all in depth. Some of the main activities include:
Mountain Gorilla Trekking:
A safari in Virunga National Park is incomplete without seeing the endangered mountain gorillas. Virunga National Park has eight habituated gorilla families, the most common and largest of which is the Kabirizi family (32 individuals).
Regardless of which gorilla troop you track, gorilla trekking typically begins with a briefing in the early morning. Following the briefing, Park Rangers lead hikers in their hunt for the gorilla family. Finding the gang takes between one and four hours.
You have exactly one hour to watch and photograph the group members as they feed, groom, and care for the young. Gorilla permits in Congo cost $450, which is significantly less than Uganda’s $600 and Rwanda’s $1500. It is critical to book your gorilla permits well in advance of your safari date. Check out our two-day Congo gorilla tour package or our three-day Congo gorilla safari schedule.
Chimpanzee Habituation Experience:
For about USD100, you may participate in one of the best activities in the Virunga National Park. A naturalist named Frankfurt began chimp habituation in Virunga National Park in 1987. However, visitors to the park were not allowed to view the gorilla habitat until 2014. The Frankfurt Zoological Society provided financing, making this possible.
The chimp habituation experience is conducted under the supervision of researchers and rangers. Chimpanzees are unusual and interesting animals since they share around 98% of our DNA. The chimpanzee habituation process begins as early as 5:30 a.m., when the primates begin their exciting day.
Visitors accompany the chimps as they forage for food on the ground and on top of trees. Chimpanzees are extremely mobile and, unlike gorillas, rarely remain still for lengthy periods of time during the day. This adds excitement and adventure to the search and follow experience. By the end of the session, visitors will have a thorough understanding of chimpanzee behavior and group dynamics.
Hiking Mount Nyiragongo:
If you haven’t decided on the greatest destination to visit in DR Congo, here is certainly it. Mount Nyiragongo is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. The mountain has erupted 34 times in recent millennia, the most recent being in 2002.
Thousands were left homeless as liquid lava and ash spilled out of the peak and spread fast to adjacent places, including the coasts of Lake Kivu. The destruction was extensive, but it did not detract from the beauty of the mountain. Every year, thousands of people visit the volcano to view one of nature’s true wonders: boiling red lava up close.
The journey to the top of the volcano pays off Hikers are treated to stunning views of the Virunga hills, lovely woods, and nearby volcanoes. Climbing Mount Nyiragongo demands more mental and physical preparation than gorilla trekking.
Don’t forget to bring adequate drinking water and snacks to replenish your energy during the hike. Porters are available for hire at the base of the mountain to assist with heavy luggage, but one must be reasonably fit to accomplish the trek comfortably. Read more about our 2-day Nyiragongo hiking package.
Nature Walks:
As previously stated, the Virunga National Park has a diverse range of plant and animal species. Taking a guided nature walk through secure portions of the park rewards tourists with stunning views, terrain, and wonderful sights of volcanoes such as Nyiragongo.
While walking around the park, one can see a variety of fauna, including primates, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. While visiting Virunga National Park, visitors can take walks to see the eroding valleys of Sinda and Ishango, as well as see the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains across the border in Uganda.
The Batwa Community Visit and Cultural Trail:
For thousands of years, pygmy communities have lived in the woods of Virunga, Volcanoes, Bwindi, and Mgahinga National Parks. Unfortunately, civilization caught up with them, with terrible consequences. They were displaced from their forest habitats in Uganda and Rwanda and are now living in communities outside the parks.
In the Virunga National Park, they have been relegated Buniga, for example, prefers to live on the forest’s edge. The community goes for walks in Virunga National Park. The Batwa cultural walk is conducted by the Batwa themselves and allows visitors to discover how they build their huts, consume some of their locally made dishes, dance to songs/tunes played on native musical instruments, and learn their hunting abilities. Other activities during the Batwa village tour include learning how to extract honey and use ancient farming methods/tools.
The best time to visit Virunga National Park.
When is the optimum time for gorilla tracking and other activities? The Virunga National Park is open to tourism all year round, unless closed because to the difficult situation in Eastern Congo. However, like most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the park has two seasons: dry and wet.
The dry months of July and September, as well as December and February, improve conditions in the park for most tourism activities. If you decide to go during the wet season, you should be prepared for challenging conditions caused by severe rainfall.
They must bring appropriate shoes and dry-cleanable stockings. The rainy months of October and November, as well as March and June, attract fewer guests, decreasing the cost of accommodation at some lodges and hotels.
Note:
Those wishing to trek Mount Nyiragongo should realize that temperatures at the summit might drop to freezing conditions, especially during the wet season. During the dry season, daytime temperatures are cool, with an average of 250C.
Getting to Virunga National Park
Rwanda- Congo route: The Rwanda-Congo route is the most popular among travelers. The best travel plan is to arrange flights that arrive in Kigali late afternoon or evening. Because it would be too late to begin the journey to the Congo Border (which is closed at night), it is best to get a lodging for the night and prepare for the journey to Congo the following day.
The trip from Kigali to Gisenyi (the closest town to the Congo border) takes four hours by vehicle. To get to the border, you can utilize either private or public transportation. A private taxi costs $100, but public transportation is quite inexpensive. Once in Gisenyi, you can get a taxi to the to cross the border, you must have three vital documents: a yellow fever vaccination card, a valid passport, and a visa.
After submitting these documents, passengers receive a stamp from Rwanda before traveling into Congo for another seal. Once freed from the Congo side, the drive to Goma, which is extremely close to Virunga National Park, takes only 30 minutes.
Uganda-Congo route:
Once a traveler arrives at Entebbe International Airport, there are two routes to cross the border between Uganda and Congo. One is via road, while the other is by plane. The road travel from Entebbe to the border takes at least 8 hours.
If you intend to utilize public means, you can book. The services of numerous bus operators, such as Horizon, Jaguar, Bismarkan, and Post buses. These bus operators charge between $15 and $20 to get to Kisoro, the town closest to the Congo border in Bunagana.
Those who are not comfortable driving eight hours from Entebbe to Kisoro can book a chartered flight to Kisoro from Kajjansi flying school, which is located between Kampala and Entebbe. It simply takes 30 minutes to get to Virunga National Park from the Bunangana border.
Water transportation:
A three-hour boat tour along Lake Kivu is ideal for adventurers and environment lovers. The boat tour allows one to experience the amazing views of Rwanda’s rolling hills that are covered in green terraced plantations.
The volcanoes of the Virunga region can be seen from a distance. We encourage using public boats for security concerns.
Note:
International visitors may find it difficult and time-consuming to schedule and organize their own journey to the Virunga National Park. A good tour operator can help you address this difficulty.
Naleyo tours and travels can help you plan your complete Virunga National Park safari by arranging accommodations, transportation, and permits on your behalf. A backup Guide/Driver will ensure that you have a comfortable and safe safari.
Packing List for Virunga National Park.
Travel Documents:
As previously stated, anyone contemplating a safari to Virunga National Park must have a valid passport, visa, and yellow fever vaccination card. These Documents are essential when crossing borders, and failing to bring any of them may result in an extended stay at the border offices.
It is a good habit to produce both hard and soft copies of papers. Aside from those three things, you should include your medical insurance paperwork, an up-to-date local map, and your vacation itinerary/plan, if possible.
Clothes:
In a tropical rain forest location, weather conditions are variable. A rain jacket, sweater, long-sleeved shirt, and pants are all necessary for an African safari. You may also need to travel with decent hiking shoes that are basic, robust, well-fitting, and comfortable. Remember to bring decent stockings and indoor shoes for leisure when staying at your hotel.
Emergency phone numbers:
It is important to obtain a shim-card as soon as you enter the Democratic Republic of Congo. A local phone number is useful in the event of an emergency, such as an accident, or if you stray and become lost while on safari. Congo has many telecommunications networks, including towers in the most remote places.
Pocket change:
While dollars and other major foreign currencies are widely accepted, you may need to exchange some of them for local money once you get in Congo. This is because, at some time during your safari, you will need to make small transactions, tip, and pay for transportation, hotel rooms, and porters using local currency.
A camera and binoculars:
Virunga National Park is one of the most naturally gorgeous places! On Earth. You cannot afford to overlook recording the lovely trees, terrain, people, and animals.
A decent camera is essential for capturing all of the great events on your trip. Other electronic devices to bring along include a phone, iPad, and laptop for usage in your room. In the event of rain, keep these items secure in a waterproof backpack.
Other essentials:
The following goods are considered optional but may quickly become necessary during your safari in Virunga National Park. They contain allergy medications, antibiotics, power adapters, flashlights, hair shampoo, hand sanitizers, insect repellents, lip balm, pain relievers, and vitamins.
Accommodations at Virunga National Park
Accommodation is widely available within and around the Virunga National Park, depending on your budget. The hotels and lodges are categorized into three categories: budget, midrange, and luxury.
All categories provide high-quality services, but some additional services may be unavailable in economy rooms. To secure the nicest rooms and hotels, book ahead of time, either on your own or through your tour operator. There are various hotels, but we shall discuss only a few:
Mikeno Lodge:
Is a luxurious lodge located west of Goma town. The lodge features 12 luxurious grass-covered rooms made of lava rocks and mahogany. The rooms are spacious and feature en-suite bathrooms, curved baths, and stone showers.
The lounge area features a fireplace, bar, and dining hall, among other amenities. The Mikeno Lodge is situated near Blue Monkeys, Chimpanzees, Colobus Monkeys, Golden Monkeys, and birds singing pleasant songs next to your room windows may all be easily seen in this strategic location.
Kibumba Tented Camp and resort:
This resort, which opened lately, is located in Virunga Park. These provide all three types of accommodation (cheap, mid-range, and luxury), and are either tented or built with permanent buildings. The rooms are self-contained, with lounge and eating facilities. Other features include linen bedding, an on-site bar and restaurant, and many more.
Lac Kivu Lodge:
Lac Kivu Lodge is located within the park and features 20 African-style rooms surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds. The Lodge overlooks Lake Kivu with big rooms and offers luxuries like Italian baths, Nespresso, Coffee machines, a beauty/fitness center, meeting rooms, a swimming pool, WiFi, and uninterrupted power.