The size of volcanoes national park is 160 sq.km (62 sq.ml) comprised of rainforest. Volcanoes national park is located far in the north western part of Rwanda on the borders with Uganda and DR Congo. Volcanoes national park is the smallest national park in Rwanda and inside the park you find five out of eight Virunga mountains namely Muhabura, Gahinga, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo and Bisoke.

Like we said before; the size of volcanoes national park Rwanda is 160 sq.km and the park is the only place Rwanda to do gorilla trekking. Volcanoes national park Rwanda is the most visited national park with the most done tourism activity (gorilla tracking). The park is a home of endangered mountain gorillas, over 300 bird species, primates among which include golden monkeys only found the Virunga region and forest elephants. Volcanoes national park is made up of thick rain forest, swamps, marshes, alpine forests and grasslands.

While a visit to mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park is at the top on visitors’ list, the dramatic landscape of the Rwanda gives you an exciting hiking and visits to the charming golden monkeys. Volcanoes national park is one of the few national parks where you can track habituated gorilla families. You can also track mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga national park of Uganda as well as Virunga national park of DR Congo. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is believed to be a home half of the remaining mountain gorillas in the whole world.

Volcanoes national park was named after the chain of dormant volcanoes that make up the Virunga massif: Karisimbi is the highest mountain with an elevation of 4,507m, Bisoke, Mountain Bisoke with its verdant Crater Lake, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Sabinyo and Mountain Muhabura.

Tourists can also pay a visit to Dian Fossey grave or Dian Fossey gorilla foundation that was put in place to remember and appreciate her legacy of research and protecting mountain gorillas. Dian Fossey is an American primatologist known for undertaking an extensive study of mountain gorillas. She was found dead in 1985 in her cabin and she was believed to have been killed by poachers because she had chased them from the park and also burnt their houses.

Tourists who visit volcanoes national park Rwanda can visit local communities including the Iby iwachu visit. The cultural village puts an attention back onto the people. Tourists get a chance to understand more about the Rwandan village life by grinding seeds, taking part in traditional dances, firing bows and arrows and also taking part in marriage ceremonies of a king and a queen.

Around volcanoes national park you find Musanze caves and these are the newest attractions in Rwanda. Inside volcanoes national park Rwanda you also find Buhanga Eco – Park which is an old forest holding the country’s most intriguing folklore and the Musanze caves formed a million years ago after the last volcanic eruption.

Around volcanoes national park Rwanda you find a number of accommodation ranging from luxury, mid – range to budget ready to host the tourists in style. These include the newest Singita Kwitonda lodge, Sabinyo Governors camp, Gorilla Nests lodge, Bisate lodge and these are found in the natural amphitheater of an eroded volcanic cone, with beautiful views of the peaks of the Bisoke and Karismbi mountains. The other lodges include The Manors, Virunga Lodge, Five volcanoes, The Bishops House, Virunga Lodge, Da Vinci Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, and Le’Bambou Gorilla Lodge.

Volcanoes national park Rwanda can be accessed by road from Kigali international airport in just 2.5 hours on well-constructed roads to the park headquarters. One can also use air transport by hiring a helicopter from Kigali international airport to Musanze Airstrip in just 20 minutes using Akagera aviation.

Rwanda is one of the leading tourism destinations in east Africa that will always leave the tourists wanting to come back. Visit more places in Rwanda such Akagera national park for a game drive in Rwanda to see a number of animals in the park, Ngungwe forest national park for chimpanzee trekking and canopy walks and the newly gazette Gishwati Makura national park.