The first ever national park of Africa, the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda is home to the rare specie of mountain gorillas. The mountain gorillas of Rwanda are one of the most endangered species of mammals in Africa and the park is the last hope of their survival as it is protecting hundreds of them from poachers. The park was built in 1925 by the Belgian colonial authorities in Rwanda for the protection of these animals and has become a major attraction of the Rwandan tourism sector.
Till 1990’s the park witnessed thousands of tourist visits from all over the world, but with the Rwandan civil war the tourist confidence received a massive blow and the tourist traffic decline to an absolute minimum. The park itself was a battleground during the clashes between the rival factions and its headquarters was attacked by the rebels in 1992. But the peace has long been restored to the country and the park and the tourists are rushing to this gorgeous park with its exotic wildlife.
After taking a cheap flight to Kigali, the capital and the largest city of the country you will have to hire a car for making your journey to the park. The park consists of seven volcanoes that make the natural borderline of the country with the neighboring Congo and Uganda. The best way to explore the park is do it in the company of a park ranger. If the main reason behind your arrival in the park is watching and meeting the mountain gorillas then head to the Gorilla Visits section of the park where after paying a small fee you will be allowed to stay with a group of wild gorillas for about an hour. The animals are quite friendly and are use to the human presence but as the park ranger will tell you try not to offend them as this may result into a violent behavior from their side.
Mountain Gorillas may be the biggest attraction of the park but they are hardly the only one. The golden monkeys of the park are also rare specie and there is a section in the park where you can meet and observe these animals as well. The park has a good infrastructure and there are quite a few resorts in it from which you can choose one according to your taste and budget. Volcano climbing is another exciting activity you can indulge yourself in the park.
The most famous and physically demanding climb will be to the summit of karisimbi Volcano which will take three days to complete. The volcano is more than 3000 meters high and provides an excellent view of the national parks of all three neighbors, Rwanda, Congo and Uganda. If you don’t think you are physically fit enough to get to the summit of this tall volcano then head to the smaller Bisoke whose summit can be reached within a day. Another place worth visiting is the tomb of Dian Fossey the female naturalist who gave her life to protect these rare mountain gorillas from the poachers.
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