Virunga National Park

• Rwanda

Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park,is one of the oldest and largest national parks in Africa, which was established in 1925. Fifty-four years laterin 1979, the park was designated as a UNESCO world heritage site. The park is located in eastern region of Democratic Republic of Congo and can be reached via Rwanda. It covers an extensive 7800 sq km area of diverse ecosystems including two active volcanoes, tropical rainforests, swamps, savannah, snowcapped peaks of Ruwenzori Mountains, flood plains, steppe. Virunga is one of Africa’s biodiversity hotspots with a variety of flora and fauna which includes three great apes. That is two sub species of critically endangered gorillas that is the mountain and eastern low and as well as chimpanzees. The main attractions for tourists in the park are mountain gorillas making virunga one of the best gorilla tracking safari destinations.

The park is also home to 218 species of mammals and more than 700 species of birds. While virunga is known for mountain gorillas in the southern area around Mt. Mikeno, the park also includes mammals such as forest and savannah elephants, hippos, buffaloes, lions, and the threatened okapi. Reptiles and amphibians are found in the area around Lake Edward towards the border with Queen Elizabeth national park. Virunga‘s biodiversity however has been threatened by civil conflicts and habitat loss and poaching. Lives of virunga rangers have lost and many gorillas have been killed which led to creation of Senkwenkwe gorilla orphanage center to take care of the orphaned gorillas.

But since 2014Virunga national park law enforcement has increased on the security and protection of wildlife. As a result a number of tourists visiting virunga for gorillas and hiking the active Nyiragongo volcano has been increasing. Watch the documentary Virunga to learn more about the efforts of rangers in their struggle to protect gorillas. Even though the park is currently closed due to security issues, it is set to open early 2019.The park tourism visitor center Rumangabo Bukima ranger post is located in the south on the foothills of Mikeno volcano about 90 minutes from Goma city. At this center there are 5 habituated gorilla families giving tourists an opportunity to track gorillas through dense virunga rainforests. At The park center, tourists can also visit the Senkwewe gorilla orphanage center which was established in 2009 to rehabilitate gorillas some which were rescued from Rwanda as well due to poaching and civil conflicts.

Gorilla rules for Virunga National Park

Gorilla trekking rules in Virunga are quite different from those in Rwanda and Uganda. Visitors in Virunga are required to cover their mouth with masks which is meant to minimize the risk of respiratory infections transmission to gorillas. Gorillas share almost 95% of their DNA with humans thus they are susceptible to human infectious diseases. Visitors will show proof of vaccination against infectious related diseases hence you need to have vaccinations cards for yellow fever card, measles and sometimes tuberculosis. Virunga area is a tropical forest and prone to malaria due to lots of mosquitoes. Medication to prevent you against malaria is essential on your gorilla trekking safari you also need other items such as insect repellant.