The Ultimate Guide to the Best East African Safaris
Some of the main attractions that draw tourist to East Africa are:
Gorilla Trekking
Visiting the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda or the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda are the most popular to go gorilla trekking in. Getting close to these magnificent and endangered beasts is an experience you would never forget.
The Great Migration
This animal event that takes place in the Serengeti and Masai Mara is shared by Kenya and Tanzania. It is home to the largest concentration of mammals on earth that migrates every year and can be viewed in the parks almost any time of the year due to the abundance of wildlife.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the iconic mountains in Africa and whether you have desires to climb to its highest peak or just roam the plains below the mountain filled with wildlife, it will not disappoint.
Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania is a natural amphitheatre which host many animals. It is the world’s largest unbroken caldera, which was formed when its volcano top erupted, leaving fertile plains in its place.
Travel to and from East Africa
Tourists have four options of travelling when planning a safari to East Africa, namely by road, scheduled, to fly-in or a mix of the two.
By road you can either travel by yourself or do a private safari where you have a personal driver-guide for you and your group. This can be quite expensive but the places you visit and where you stay is much more flexible.
A scheduled trip is the more affordable way of travelling by vehicle. Here you can join a group of about seven people and share the costs of the vehicle and the driver. You will unfortunately, have to follow the itinerary and stay where the booking has been done.
The most convenient way of travelling to East Africa is to fly into the parks or as close as possible. The lodge where you stay will pick you up at the airport and the safari vehicles of the lodge will be at your disposal.
You are also able to tailor your trip in a way that it is a mix between a private road safari and flying. Many opt for this option as it gets you close but also allows the convenience of a bit more freedom and flexibility.
When to plan a trip to East Africa
To decide when to plan a trip you need to familiarise yourself with the climate and what kind of safari you want to do. To travel in the off season also has its advantages as the reserves are less crowded and you have easier access to the animals. It will also be much cheaper.
The Great Migration takes place between Tanzania’s Serengeti to the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenia. More than 1.5 million wildebeest and over 300 000 zebras and other antelope cross the plains and crocodile-infested rivers in search of food and water as the seasons change. The best time to experience this in Kenya is between July and September, but the animals tend to cross back and forth constantly during this time. If you go after September, you can still catch the tail end of the migration.
The rainy season in the Serengeti is in January and February and millions of wildebeest calves and zebra is born. Then follows the mating season before the area dries out and forces the animals to travel north again. Basically, you can visit this area any time of the year, and you will see an abundance of animals. Witnessing the migration in Tanzania is probably best in February and March when there is an immense number of animals in the area giving birth to their babies. During this time, the predators are also at their busiest.
The best time to visit Kenya would be during the dry season which is from January to March and again from July to October. Animals gather around water holes, rivers and lakes, the bush is not so lush and spotting them is easy.
The dry season in Tanzania is from June to November and the same applies here when animals tend to gather in the area where there is water. Tanzania also has different rainy seasons. In the south it is from November to March and in the north rain falls from November to December and again from March through to May. During April when the heaviest rainfall is usually experienced the roads get washed out and spotting animals become very difficult.
If you want to go gorilla trekking in the rainforests of Uganda, it will be better to go when it is drier and cooler. Although rain tends to fall all year round the best months are January and February and again from June to September. Trekking gorilla in the other months when rain falls basically every day is very difficult. The same applies to gorilla trekking in Rwanda. The short dry season from December to February or between June and September offers the easiest hiking conditions, and the lowest risk of catching malaria.
Let’s take a look at specific countries and some of the safaris that they have to offer.
KENYA
Kenya is home to a range of national parks and reserves boasting an abundance of wildlife and is the best base from which to observe the Great Migration. From wide open savannahs to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya, a Kenya safari holiday is a must on any bucket list. From the Indian Ocean in the east to where Lake Victoria joins Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in the west the possibilities and choices of a safari is endless. Join the dust clouds of the animal stampede on their annual migration, or walk in the footsteps of the Maasai guides as they lead you through the savannah, or soar high up into the skies with a hot air balloon getting a different perspective of this vast area.
The Masai Mara National Reserve
Masai Mara National Reserve is a unique wildlife conservation haven measuring 1 510 square kilometres that borders the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the south. It is the premier safari location in East Africa offering large numbers of lions, cheetah, rhino, elephant, African buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, a variety of antelope, bird life and much more.
The name Masai is the nomadic Maasai tribe’s word for spotted, referring to the unique flat topped acacia trees, shrubs and bushes that dot the landscape in the reserve. The wildebeest migration that takes place between July to September is the high light of the year and one of the best wildlife safari experiences. It is also home of the Big 5.
Travelling to Masai Mara is best by road starting from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Depending on where you have booked your accommodation the trip will take between 5 to 7 hours and it is best to do this in a 4×4 vehicle as the roads are in a below average condition. This is the cheapest way of reaching the reserve and gives tourist the opportunity to see a bit more of the Kenyan countryside and experience something of their culture. Independent travellers can either rent a tour minibus van or a 4×4 Toyota Landcruiser Jeep. Both have game viewing roofs, UHF radio calls and are fully safari customized. You also have the option of hiring these vehicles with a driver.
Tourist can also opt for a flying safari with flights taking off from Wilson airport in Nairobi and landing at the airstrip in the Mara reserve. Guests are transferred to their respective lodges from there with safari vehicles.
A wide variety of accommodation is offered in the Masai Mara that includes hotels, luxury lodges and tented camps, camp sites and private houses.
There is no lack of things to do in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Activities range from game drives, horseback safaris, hot air balloons, walking and hiking safaris, bush meals and sundowners. One of the very popular activities is a visit to the traditional Maasai tribal village where you get a glimpse into the unique way of life of theses nomadic people.
For more information on the Masai Mara National Reserve visit the website at https://www.masaimara.travel/
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru lies on the floor of the Great Rift Valley at an elevation of 1 754 metres above sea level. The lake is surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland and visitors can enjoy the wide ecological diversity and varied habitats this area has to offer. It was established in 1961 and originally only comprised of the lake and surrounding mountainous area. Today it includes a large part of the savannahs.
In the Maasai language, Nakuru means Dust or Dusty Place. Lake Nakuru National Park is ideal for bird watching, hiking, picnic and game drives. It is however, best known for its millions of flamingos that nest along the shores. It also boasts over 25 black rhinoceros, one of the largest concentrations in the country, and more than 70 southern white rhinos. The Big 5 is represented in the park together with the Rothschild’s giraffe, both subspecies of waterbuck, and much more. Pythons are also a common site and are often spotted crossing the roads or dangling from trees.
The park is situated about 156 kilometres north west of Nairobi and easily reached by road. The park has three entry gates – the main gate and Lanet gate link the park with the Nairobi-Nakuru highway and the lesser used Nderit gate that is used by people accessing the park from Masai Mara or Elementaita. It also has an airstrip serving the park.
Accommodation in the park consists of the self-catering Naishi Guest House, 13 campsites and picnic spots and two privately owned lodged, the Lake Nakuru Lodge and Sarova Lion Hill Lodge.
For more information visit the website at: http://www.kws.go.ke/lake-nakuru-national-park
Contact details:
- Telephone: 0728355267, 0728355207, 0728355401
- Email: [email protected]
TANZANIA
Tanzania is globally known for the Great Migration in the Serengeti and being home to the Big 5. But this is not the only reason tourists flock to this East African country. It is a land of contrasts including Lake Victoria, the Serengeti and the mighty Kilimanjaro mountains, the basin of the Ngorongoro Cradle, and the flamingo waters of Lake Natron. In the East visitors frequent the Afro-Arab islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. In between there are endless coffee plantations for which the country is known too. 
The Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti National Park must be the one park that is mostly featured on many National Geographic shows. It is a park rich with wildlife and the one place to go for a truly African safari. It is known for the Great Migration to the grasslands of the Maasai Mara in Kenya but also for its huge wildlife population including the Big 5, Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelle, roan antelope, oryx, eland, wildebeest, zebra, hyena, wild dogs, serval, the rare African golden wolf, variety of cats, and it is also a birder’s paradise.
The park was originally started as the lions in the area was hunted and caused the population to decrease to alarming numbers. The British Colonial government of the time created a game reserve in 1921 to protect the cats and other wildlife. It was the start of what we today know as the Serengeti that was finally established in 1951.
The word Serengeti comes from the Maasai word siringet that means that place where the land runs forever. This describe the area spot on as the grasslands seem to stretch never ending from horizon to horizon. Few safari areas are as untouched, unique and exclusive as one in the Serengeti.
The Maasai Mara tribe still manage to keep their culture as pure as possible and are one of the many reasons for tourists’ visits. Day trips are taken to their villages to learn about their rich history and culture.
To the west you find the Grumeti River where the large crocodiles have a feast during the Great Migration when herds of wildebeest and zebra try to cross over. The area has black clay soil that covers the entire savannah region. The region to the north has open woodland filled with elephant and the one area where you will probably see the dik-dik, one of the smallest antelope in Africa.
The plains of the Serengeti is treeless and provide spectacular views of the herds of animals. Even during the wet season large herds of zebra, hartebeest, wildebeest, buffalo and many more can be seen effortlessly.
The most convenient way to travel to the Serengeti is to fly-in from Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport. From here it will take approximately 1 to 5 hours to fly to one of seven airstrips within the Serengeti National Park.
Tourists have the option of staying in luxury safari camps in the Maasai Mara National Reserve to the North, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the southeast, Ikorongo and Grumeti Game Reserves to the West, the Maswa Game Reserve to the southwest, and the Loliondo Game Control Area to the northeast. All these regions is connected with free roaming animals.
Activities in the area include safari game drives, walking safaris, birding safaris, hot air- balloon rides and local Maasai tribe village tours.
For more information visit the websites at https://serengeti-national-park.com/ or http://www.serengetinationalpark.com/
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area was founded in 1959 and covers over 8 200 square kilometres. It is a unique protected area that managed to conserve natural resources with human development. The main feature of this area are the Ngorongoro Crater, The Serengeti Plains, and the Northern Highland Forest Reserve. The area also features archaeological and palaeontological sites located at Oldupai Gorge and the early human foot-prints that were discovered at Alaitole in Ngarusi area.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the only place on earth where mankind and wild animals co-exist in harmony. It became a Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1971 and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. Man, livestock and wild animals live in peace and the Maasai cattle can often be seen grazing alongside zebras on Ngorongoro’s grassland.
The Ngorongoro crater is the main attraction for tourism to this area. It is a large, unbroken, un-flooded caldera, formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed some three million years ago. The crater sinks to a depth of 610 metres, with its base area covering 260 square kilometres. It also features two other volcanic craters, Olmoti and Empakai, with waterfalls, a lake and lush green walls. Lake Natron is a major breeding ground for flamingos.
The area is home to black rhinoceros, wildebeests, zebras, eland, Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, lions, leopards, elephants, mountain reedbuck, buffalos, spotted hyenas, jackals, rare wild dogs, cheetahs, and many more. The Great Migration also passes through the region. Over 500 species of bird have been recorded that include ostrich, white pelican, and greater and lesser flamingo, to mention but a few.
Ngorongoro is home to lush green, rain-watered vegetation, as well as desert plants. The area has uncultivated lowland vegetation, arid and semi-arid plant communities, abundant short grass used for grazing, and highland forests. The basin has short grass plains with fresh and brackish water lakes, marshes, swamps, and two patches of Acacia woodland. These grasslands and bush are rich and untouched by cultivation, and huge numbers of animals can roam freely.
Tourists can travel to Ngorongoro by road and it takes about two hours if you travel from Arusha to the Lodoare entrance gate. It is suggested that if you travel by car to use a 4×4 vehicle which makes travelling in the park easier. To fly in you need to do so to Kilimanjaro International Airport at Moshi and either charter a flight to Ngorongoro or take a taxi or free shuttle service to Arusha.
The area boasts some of the best hotels, lodges and campsites in East Africa. Besides taking safaris in the reserve there is also cultural excursions in the area, nature trail expeditions and bird watching.
For more information visit the website at https://www.ngorongorocrater.org/
Tarangire National Park
The Tarangire National Park is founded south east of the Masai Steppe and the lakes of the Great Rift Valley to the north and west. It is the sixth largest park in Tanzania and gets its name from the Tarangire River that runs through the park. The river flows out north of the park into Lake Burungi and has a number of swamps which dry out into green plains that are favoured by the elephants during the dry season. The park is very dry although it is much greener than the Serengeti in the dry season.
The park only occupies and area of 2 600 square kilometres but is a popular safari destination. Taking into consideration of what you are looking for in terms of wildlife and birdwatching, you can consider travelling to Tarangire National park for your safari to Tanzania.
Being one of the most seasonal parks in northern Tanzania, Tarangire has a lot of migratory movement within the greater Tarangire ecosystem. The animals is the park differ depending on the season and many leave the park during the months of November to May which is the typical rainy season.
During the drier season from June to October the animals return to the green swamps. It is the best season to visit Tarangire National Park. Not only will your eyes feast on huge herds of elephants, but also wildebeest, zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, giraffes, Bohor reedbuck, Thompson’s gazelle, Coke’s hartebeest and the greater and lesser kudu. You might spot the endangered black rhino or on the odd occasion even the gerenuk and fringe-eared Oryx.
The cats like leopard, cheetah and lions seem to prefer the southern part of the park together with hyena and sometimes even wild dogs. Over 550 bird species have been identified, under them the yellow collared love birds that are widespread in Tanzania. For bird lovers Tarangire is a birders paradise.
The vegetation of the area is mainly made up of dry open woods like acacia thickets, as well as many baobab trees and the occasional palm tree. It has huge flat swamps within the woodlands in the south that is unpassable during the rainy season. The rest of the year it is dry but green.
Besides going on game drives, walk safaris have become very popular. Visitors can also take a trip to a Maasai or Barabaig village or go and have a look at the numerous paintings on the Kolo or Dodoma road.
Going to Tarangire is seen by many as a loner safari. Arusha is the starting point if you are travelling by car. You can also reach it by air, and it is the best option to fly into Kilimanjaro International AirPort which is 46 kilometres from Arusha. A cheaper option is to fly to Nairobi in Kenia and continue by bus to Arusha. Your tour operator will pick you up from there. Charter flights are also available from Arusha to Serengeti and then to Tarangire.
Accommodation in the park consists of hotels, lodges and luxurious camp sites. For more information visit the website at https://www.tarangiretanzania.com/
Contact details:
- Telephone: 2531280/81
- Email: [email protected]
ZAMBIA
Zambia is another of the East African countries that are popular for safaris. It lies landlocked in the tropics, between Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Angola and the DRC.
South Luangwa National Park
What makes South Luangwa National Park a great destination for a safari is the unparalleled variety of wildlife who visit and gather around the winding Luangwa River and its many lagoons. The park comprises of an area of 9 059 square kilometres. In the remote Muchinga escarpment that acts as a physical barrier to the park’s animal species, hartebeest, sable and roam, among others can be seen. Very few places in Africa can offer the unique combination of vegetation of grassy plains, woodlands, and the area around the river. South Luangwa National Park would be the highlight of a visit to Eastern Zambia.
The park was founded in 1904 and converted into one of three reserves in 1938. The area boast a high quality of safari guiding and the concentration of animals found here is the densest in all of Africa. The Big 5 roams the plains together with hippo, Crawshay’s zebra, bushbuck, kudu, eland, impala, wildebeest, crocodiles, not to mention the 400 bird species that include 39 birds of prey.
It is fairly easy to get to South Luangwa National Park which is located to the east in Zambia. Fly into Lusaka, the capital of Zambia and from there take a flight to Mfuwe Airport which is the main access point of the park. You can also travel by 4×4 to the park as the roads are in a fairly good condition.
South Luangwa National Park offers a wide variety of accommodation from a remote tented camp, with outdoor showers and close-up encounters with animals or you could opt for a luxurious lodge with 5 star treatment.
For more information visit the website at: https://www.southluangwa.com/
UGANDA
Uganda is a land of contrasts and home to half of the world’s remaining gorillas. Landlocked between Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and the DRC, with the magnificent Lake Victoria in the south that is the source of the White Nile. The landscape ranges from swampy lowlands and fertile plateaus to barren plains that stretch from horizon to horizon, and canopies of rainforests.
Go on a safari that include gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, or track chimpanzees in Kibale Forest, or spot the Big 5 in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in the southwestern part of Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. It was declared a national park in 1991 with the sole purpose of protecting the endangered mountain gorillas that are still found here. The area features the oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests that gives shelter to not only the gorillas but around 120 different mammals like elephants, antelopes, and other primate species like baboons and chimpanzees. The forest also host more than 350 different bird species.
The park has been declared a world heritage site in 1994 due to its great ecological biodiversity and is the number one gorilla trekking destination in the world. The park has 35 gorilla groups and 17 have been habituated for research and is open for trekking. If a gorilla family is found, tourists are allowed to spend four hours with the family. The gorillas are rare and endangered and less than 800 live in the forests of Bwindi Impenetrable and the nearby Virunga volcanoes.
Gorilla trekking is not the only activity that attract tourists to the area. Forest trails lead to scenic waterfalls and rift valley viewpoints while community walks through local villages offer insights into the lives of the Batwa (Pygmy) and Bakiga people living beside the forest. It is also a birders paradise that include many species such as 23 endemics (90% of all Albertine Rift endemics), and seven IUCN Red Data List species. Fourteen species, including the brown-necked parrot and the white-bellied robin chat, occur nowhere else in Uganda.
Other species found in Bwindi include over 310 butterflies, 88 moths, 200 trees, 51 reptiles and 120 types of mammals.
Bwindi can be reached by several roads for any direction but the main trailhead at Buhoma is about 460 kilometres from Kampala. Travellers can also fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kampala’s Kajjansi airfield to the Kisoro, Savanna and Ishasha airstrips, depending on which cluster of gorillas you are going to track. Transport arrangements need to be made prior to your fly in.
No accommodation is available in the park but the neighbouring towns of Buhoma and Nkuringo have more than enough luxury lodges, rustic bandas and budget campsites, as well as restaurants, craft stalls and guiding services to cater for every need.
For more information visit the websites at : www.ugandawildlife.org or www.bwindiugandagorillatrekking.com
Contact details:
- Telephone: +256 (0)414 355000, +256 (0)312 355000
- Email: [email protected]
Kibale Forest
Kibale Forest lies in southwestern Uganda and is a tropical rainforest that harbours various endangered species. It is best known for trekking chimpanzees. Of the nearly 5 000 chimpanzees found in Uganda, Kibale has around 1 500. The forest lies in an area of 795 square kilometres, about 1 590 metres above sea level with the lowest point of 1 100 meters in the Albertine Rift valley. Due to this different altitudes, different habitats are found, ranging from the wet tropical forests to woodland and savannah.
Kibale is the best option to track and see chimpanzees and you are allowed to spend only an hour with them. Before the chimpanzee families can be visited by tourists, they are first tracked by park rangers for about two years to habituate the chimpanzees. For tourists to encounter them involves walking through the jungles of the rainforest for about 2 – 5 hours before you might encounter them.
Beside the primates the forest is also home to over 70 forest mammals that include elephants, buffalo and various antelopes. It also offer bird lovers over 375 bird species and just as many recorded tree species.
Kibale Forest lies 22 kilometres from Fort Portal and can be easily reached by car. Other activities on offer beside chimpanzee trekking are forest walks, Bigodi swamp walk, the Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru rocks that you can see at a cave and crater lake walks.
Accommodation comprises of four lodges situated on the edge or very close to Kibala National Park, namely the Kyambura Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guest House and Isunga Lodge.
For more information visit the website at https://www.kibalenationalparks.com/
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is connected to Kibale Forest at the northern border of the park. The park lies in the east African rift valley escarpment and is a remarkable ecological system region covering an area of 1 978 square kilometres. The area includes lakes, savannah, forests and swamps making it one of the most famous national parks to visit in Uganda. Besides wildlife safaris the park also boast many attractive heritage or cultural tours. Travellers can visit the local population and be entertained with local music and cultural dances.
The park hosts over 95 mammal species such as lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, zebras, hyenas, jackals, many different antelopes, crocodiles, 10 species of primates that include chimpanzees, baboons, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkey and many more. It is also home to more than 600 bird species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly a birders paradise due to the biodiversity of the park giving you sightings of savannah grassland, forest, swamp and shore birds.
Another must in the park is a launch cruise on the 32 kilometre natural Kazinga channel that links Lake Edward with Lake George. Travellers get an opportunity to enjoy the cool breeze of the waters, views of animals like elephants, crocodiles, hippos, and other animals living around the water as well as many water birds.
The park is also one of a few places where the rare tree climbing lions can be seen. Most of these lions have tracking devices in their collars and with the help of a guide tracking them, they can be seen in the ishasha sector of the park resting in the grasslands or a tree.
The chimpanzee tracking happens in the most attractive scenic region of the park and while walking in search of the chimpanzee’s travellers will see many other animals and bird nesting or picking fruit in the trees. If you are not tracking chimpanzees, you can opt to go on a guided nature walk. One of the walks go to the Maramagambo forest caves where you will see millions of bars hanging on the walls of the cave.
Queen Elizabeth National Park can be reached by road and is about 420 kilometres from Kampala. Travellers can also use air transport with flights from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi airstrip flying to various airstrips in the region and then connecting to the park.
A variety of accommodation is offered in Queen Elizabeth National Park which include lodges, safari cottages, a tented camp and wilderness camp.
For more information visit the website at https://www.queenelizabethwildlifesafaris.com/
Contact details:
- Telephone: +256791217764, +256701308058
- Email: [email protected]
RWANDA
Rwanda is a small country found south of Uganda and renown for primate trekking, especially the endangered gorilla. The swamp marshes and savannah plains in the east of Rwanda melt into the rising hills and mountains in the west. Bamboo forests create a sanctuary for the rare mountain gorilla.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the oldest forests in Africa and runs into Burundi on its southern border. It covers an area of 100 000 hectare of grassland, swamp, bogs and bamboo offering a rich biodiversity which is home to the gorilla and the chimpanzee as well as many bird species and mammals.
The park was declared a reserve in 1903 but was reduced in 1958 and again in 1973 due to fires, poaching and deforestation. Elephants and buffalo were killed on a huge scale. In 1995 the government started with restoration of the destroyed tourist facilities and in 2004 it was declared a national park. It is one of the biggest national parks in the country and known for chimpanzee trekking. It has only two habituated chimpanzee groups.
Another very popular activity in the park is the canopy walk. Travellers hike up to the top of the trees and take a walk on hanging bridges with a clear view of the forest below and the animal life. Besides the animal and bird life the forest is also home to more than a 1 000 plant species including trees and orchids. Tourists can also visit the waterfall and go on various walking trials.
The park can be reached by car or a bus can drop you of at the Uwinka or Gisakura reception centre. The other reception centre is Kitabi. Travellers can also fly in or reach the park by boat. The only accommodation inside the park is camping sites. For lodges and other accommodation travellers would have to book outside the park.
For more information visit the website at: https://www.nyungweforestnationalpark.org/
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park lies in the northern part of Rwanda and is part of the great Virunga volcano conservation region spanning over 160 square kilometres. It forms part of the Virunga National Park in the Congo and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda.
It was initially a small area gazetted to protect the mountain gorillas that were facing the threat of extinction due to poaching. In 1929 the park was extended into Rwanda was named Albert National Park managed and run by the Belgian Colonial Authorities. In the early 1960s, the park was divided as Rwanda and Congo gained their independence and by the end of that decade, the park was almost half of its original size.
Dian Fossey, an American zoologist, who had been doing research on the mountain gorillas in 1967, established a research base that became known as Karisoke Research Centre. She spearheaded the conservation campaign of the gorillas and the fight against the poachers until she was murdered in 1985.
In the 1990s, the park was a battlefield for Rwanda’s civil war which stopped tourism activities until 1999. Today, Volcanoes National Park is home to around 400 gorillas that covers five of the eight volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains. Besides the gorillas the park is also home to the rare golden monkey, a few elephants, the black-fronted duiker, spotted hyena, buffalo, and bushbuck. It also harbours 178 bird species that include 29 endemics to Rwenzori mountains and the Virungas.
A gorilla tour to Volcanoes National Park is described as a life-changing adventure where travellers have close encounters with the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. Other activities offered at the park is a hiking the Karisimbi volcano, the one day Mount Bisoke volcano hike, visiting the Dian Fossey site, the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Bulera.
Volcanoes National Park accessible by public transport from Gisenyi or Kigali or from the airport. The drive to Volcanoes national park is about two hours which means you can drive there, participate in gorilla tracking and drive back to Kigali on the same day. You have to drive with your own vehicle as there is no public transport available.
The park offers no accommodation, but various lodges and hotels are situated on the boundaries of the park.
For more information visit the website at https://www.volcanoesnationalparkrwanda.com/
