Most selling safari activities in volcanoes national park
Most selling safari activities in volcanoes national park- When you think about volcanoes national park the first activity that comes to your mind is gorilla trekking but, in this article, we are to look at the most selling activities gorilla trekking inclusive. There are so many activities in the volcanoes national park of Rwanda that tourists can engage in but the main one is gorilla trekking and others like golden monkey trekking, birding, hiking, and Iby’Iwacu cultural tour do-follow.
The above activities can be done at any time of the year but for gorilla and golden monkey trekking, you need to first acquire a valid mountain gorilla trekking permit to be part of the fascinating activity. We normally advise clients to book these permits 3-4 months before the final activity. Volcanoes is one of the major national parks in Rwanda located in the northwestern part of the country in Musanze and Ruhengeri.
Most selling safari activities in volcanoes national park
Gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park
What has made volcanoes national park Rwanda famous are the mountain gorillas which automatically means gorilla trekking is the most done activity in the park. Gorilla trekking activity in volcanoes national park is done by all persons that have valid gorilla trekking permits from the Rwanda Development Board. The activities are done among 10 fully habituated mountain gorilla families that are open for trekking at any time of the year.
To trek gorillas and enjoy the activity in volcanoes national park, you need to come fully prepared with all the trekking gears and on the day of trekking, you will report at the briefing point to meet other trekkers and rangers who will first brief you about the activity. Trekking starts early in the morning at 8 am and it takes you through different park trials led by the guide. When you set eyes on the mountain gorillas, you are able to be around them for 1 hour as you watch them do daily activities like hunting, nesting, playing, learn about their habits, and take photos.
Golden monkey trekking in volcanoes national park
After mountain gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking is another activity mostly done in volcanoes national park. The activity starts with trekkers gathering at the park headquarters where they get subjected to a briefing about the dos and don’ts of the trekking activity. After the briefing, the trekkers are divided into groups before, and then the armed ranger guides do lead them through different park trails while looking for the monkeys.
As they search for the golden monkeys, they are able to see different park animals grazing in the jungle such as elephants, duikers, giant forest hogs, buffaloes, bushbucks, several monkey species, and different birds. Once you spot the golden monkeys, you will be able to be around them for 1 hour, watch them do daily activities, learn about their habits, ask the ranger guide as many questions as you want, and take photos. There are 2 troops of golden monkeys in volcanoes national park and they mostly live in the bamboo vegetation because they eat bamboo shoots.
Iby’Iwacu cultural visit in volcanoes nati0onal park
A visit to the Iby’Iwacu cultural visit is one of the activities mostly done by tourists on a safari to volcanoes national park. The cultural visit is normally done after a successful gorilla trekking activity. The activity take tourists to the cultural village where they meet former poachers and other local people. The visit will still give opportunities such as interacting with former poachers and getting to know how they live their day to day life now. The visit will get you to be part of the ceremonies in the community if any, you will taste local food, visit craft shops, and in the end, you will be entertained by traditional dancers who will showcase their talent through dance and drama.
Hiking in volcanoes national park
There are 5 mountains seated in volcanoes national park and these are Bisoke, Muhabura, Sabyinyi, Gahinga, and Karisimbi. All these mountains are available for hiking but the most hiked ones are Mount Bisoke and Mount Karisimbi. Hiking Mount Bisoke takes 6 hours of which 4 are hiking to the top and the 2 hours are spent descending. Hiking Karisimbi on the other hand takes 2 days because the first-day hikers stop at 3700m for a night and proceed the next day to the summit before hiking back to the starting point.
Hiking Mount Bisoke and Mount Karisimbi start with a briefing at the park headquarters and the hike is led by a well-trained guide who leads you through the hike. While hiking you are likely to see some of the park animals like the buffaloes, elephants, several monkeys, mountain gorillas, spotted hyenas, duikers, golden monkeys, and several bird species among others. At the summit of Mount Bisoke is a crater lake and for Mount Karisimbi the summit is snow-capped but once you are there you will be able to see the surrounding mountains, national parks and vegetation.
Birding activities in volcanoes national park
Volcanoes national park is home to 178 bird species that make it one of the most important birding areas. Birding is one of the most done activities in the park and it’s done with a help of a well-experienced guide who takes you around different birding areas. With a pair of binoculars and a birding book, birders in volcanoes national park are able to spot birds such as red-faced woodland warbler, red-faced woodland warbler, handsome francolin, collared apalis, red-faced woodland warbler, dusky crimson wing, baglafecht weaver, and Rwenzori turaco.
Other notable bird species in volcanoes national park Archer’s ground robin, African green broadbill, purple-throated, black and white manikin, Rwenzori double-collared, lesser honeyguide, regal sunbirds, strange weaver, red-backed shrike, bateleur, Rwenzori batis, dusky crimson wing, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, white collared silverback, bat hawk, francolin, archer’s ground robin, and grauer’s rush warbler among others.
The best time to go for most selling safari activities in volcanoes national park
Most of the activities in volcanoes national park can be done at any time of the year but there are better than the rest and these are the dry months. The dry months do happen in June to September and December to February and in this period, there is little or no rainfall which leaves the trekking trails dry and the roads to the park passable. During the dry season, the vegetation in the park is thin which gives a clear view of the park animals.
Tourists most especially budget travelers can still visit volcanoes national park in the rainy season simply to enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities. The rainy season is characterized by too much rainfall which makes the roads to the park impassable and the trekking trails are muddy and slippery.
