Tourist Attractions in Virunga National Park
Tourist Attractions in Virunga National Park : Virunga National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site and founded on April 1925. It is arguably the best national park to visit for those who wish to experience Africa’s true natural beauty. It is a testament to the great beauty and biodiversity in this park that even with the sometimes-volatile security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, many tourists still desire to pay a visit. Virunga is the oldest national park in Africa and lies on 7, 800 Square Kilometers of land. The game park sits along the Great Albertine Rift to the East of Democratic Republic of Congo and bordering Uganda to the West.
The park offers a wide range of safari activities to its visitors such as mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, nature walks and hiking Nyiragongo volcano. Virunga National Park consists of savanna grasslands, swamps, rain-forests, steppes, 3 volcanoes and several water bodies. The greatest threat to Virunga National Park poaching, encroachment on park land and rebel groups operating in some parts of the park. However, this article emphases on the tourist attractions found at Virunga National Park and they include;
Mountain gorillas
Virunga National Park in central Africa is home to third of the world’s mountain gorillas saw six newborns in 2022 alone. the park’s dense forests are located on the slopes of Virunga volcanoes mountain gorilla in this park is the major tourist attraction boasting visitors from overall the world to Africa. The park is home to around 350 of the world’s estimated 1,075 wild mountain gorillas live in the resource-rich Virunga mountains, the exploitation of which threatens the species’ very existence. Far less abundant and more beautiful than any raw material, this majestic great ape is Democratic Republic of Congo’s real treasure. Mountain gorilla are rare endangered species found only in few destinations in the world. That’s is Mgahinga gorilla national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park in Uganda, volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Congo itself.
Other primate species
Besides the mountain gorillas, Virunga National Park is one of the national parks in Africa rich with a vast number of primates. Some of these incredible primates found here includes 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 Baboon among others.
Animals
Virunga National Park is one of the places reorganized with its diverse wildlife species. The park is home to over 196 species of mammal, 67 of amphibians, 708 bird species and 108 of reptile’s top of which are the Nile crocodiles. Some of the mammals found here includes Aardvark, African Buffalos, African Bush Elephants, African Leopards, Bay Duikers, the Blue Duiker, 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, Yellow Backed Duiker.
Birds
Virunga Forest being one of the most diverse forests in the tropics it has various habitats and landscapes ranging from Forests, swamps to grasslands. There are more than 706 recorded bird species that one on a birding safari will have a chance to spot and see. Some of the bird species found here includes Yellow-billed Barbet, White-fronted Bee-eater, Red-throated Bee-eater, White-throated Bee-eater, Olive Bee-eater, Croaking Cisticola, Short-winged Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Banded Prinia, Little Rush Warbler, Eastern Rush Warbler, Bracken Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Common Reed Warbler .
Other bird species that you may encounter here includes Bronzy Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco, Francolinus nobilis, Musaphaga, skimmers, shoebills storks, egrets, grey herons, ibises, grey-throated barbet, Grauer’s swamp warbler, alpine swift, African olive pigeon, white-headed woophoopoes, Angolan swallow, Rwenzori batis, tropical boubou, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird mentioned but few.
Mount Nyiragongo
Mount Nyiragongo stands out as one of the world’s most active volcanoes, having erupted 34 times in recent centuries, with the most recent eruption occurring in 2002. This powerful eruption caused widespread devastation, displacing thousands of people as rivers of lava and ash flowed down the mountainside, reaching the shores of Lake Kivu. Despite the destruction, the mountain remains a captivating destination, attracting thousands of visitors each year who come to witness its stunning natural phenomenon, especially the sight of vivid red lava.
Hiking to the summit of Mount Nyiragongo is a rewarding adventure, offering hikers spectacular views of the surrounding Virunga ranges, lush forests, and other volcanoes. Climbing Mount Nyiragongo requires even greater mental and physical preparedness than gorilla trekking.
The Best time to visit the Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park, located in a tropical region, is primarily covered in lush rainforests. Due to its climate, the park experiences unpredictable rainfall throughout the week. However, there are optimal times to visit, particularly during the dry season, which spans December, January, February, June, July, August, and September. During these months, the trails are easier to navigate, and the thinner vegetation makes it simpler to spot gorillas. Conversely, from March to November, heavy rainfall leads to dense foliage and slippery paths, causing many travelers to avoid gorilla trekking during these wetter months.
How to access Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is situated in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. To get there, you’ll first fly into Kigali International Airport in Rwanda. From Kigali, you’ll travel to Gisenyi, a town near the border. After crossing into Congo, you’ll arrive in Goma. From Goma, it’s about a two-hour drive to the park’s headquarters at Kahuzi Beiga National Park and Virunga National Park. This is where your thrilling gorilla trek will begin.
