Virunga National Park

Virunga national park is one of the world’s most bio diverse treasures and Africa’s first or oldest National Park that was founded in 1925 as Parc Albert primarily to protect the gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Massif. Its a home to more mammal, bird and reptile species than any other protected areas on the planet including three extraordinary taxa of Great Apes.

Virunga National Park a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 is located in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo between Uganda and Rwanda stretching approximately about 7,800 square Kilometers (3,000 square miles) from the Virunga Massif in the south, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the north along the center of the Albertine Rift.

When it was first established, Virunga National Park was originally comprised of just three mountains but was later expanded northward to include the Rwindi plains, Lake Edward and the Rwenzori “Mountains of the Moon”. In 1969, following the country’s independence from Belgium in 1960, the Park was renamed Virunga National Park. Ten years later in 1979, Virunga was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The park’s locality has been deeply impacted by the effects of war and armed conflict for over 20 years often beginning in or around the park, but currently Virunga is protected by a dedicated team of over 700 Rangers. These local men and women go through intensive training, risking their lives on a daily basis to safeguard the Park’s exceptional wildlife, including the last of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.

In 2008, the Congolese National Parks Authority, (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, ICCN), and the Virunga Foundation (then known as the Africa Conservation Foundation), entered into a partnership to manage the Park. This partnership initiated a comprehensive reform program and planted the seed for what would become the Virunga Alliance – an innovative development programme to address the root causes of poverty and conflict, with the aim of eradicating illegal and destructive resource extraction in the region.

Activities in Virunga national park

• Gorilla trekking
• Chimpanzee tracking and habituation
• Nature walks
• Nyiragongo hike
• Bird watching

Getting to the park
Virunga National Park is located in Eastern DR Congo. Travel by road to Virunga is challenging in some way from the rest of DR Congo except Goma Town 32km close. Many travelers to Virunga National Park fly to Kigali International Airport, connect by road through Gisenyi town, and cross to Goma in DR Congo by dirt road. From Gisenyi it is average 2-hour drive to reach the park headquarters at Bukima.

Travelers from Uganda side cross at Bunagana border post in Kisoro town and take an hour drive to Bukima the Mountain gorilla trek starting point. Ethiopian Airways operates single flights each week to Goma. The park arranges private transport for travelers arriving by air at Goma Airport. Seek guidance from Virunga National Park on the best way to travel into the park. Travelers may need ranger escorts at times to guide them on the best way to make it to the tourism zones.

Accommodation choices in and around the park
The Park also offers a range of accommodations for those looking to relax and unwind amongst stunning views – including the luxurious Mikeno Lodge, the serene simplicity of Tchegera tented camp, and the newly built Kibumba tented camp, starting point for gorilla trekking.