Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda is a place of dramatic beauty and profound significance. The park protects the Rwandan portion of the Virunga volcanic chain — eight mighty volcanoes whose bamboo-covered slopes rise steeply from the cultivated foothills to misty peaks reaching over 4,500 metres. It was here that the legendary primatologist Dian Fossey established her Karisoke Research Centre and dedicated her life to the study and protection of mountain gorillas.

Today, Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s premier gorilla trekking destination, offering intimate encounters with habituated gorilla families on the lush volcanic slopes. The trek itself is an adventure — ascending through zones of bamboo forest, hagenia woodland, and giant lobelia into a world that feels untouched by time. Meeting a gorilla family in this setting, surrounded by mist and the sounds of the forest, is an experience of staggering emotional power.

The park also offers golden monkey tracking, a charming experience following these endangered primates through bamboo forests. Hikers can summit Mount Bisoke to its stunning crater lake, visit Dian Fossey’s grave and the ruins of Karisoke, or explore the network of caves formed by ancient lava flows. Rwanda’s commitment to conservation has made this park a global success story, with gorilla numbers steadily increasing thanks to tourism revenue that funds protection and community development.