Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park protects the world’s endangered Mountain Gorillas in a total land area of 790,000 ha, and is a highly bio-diversified region on earth. Situated in the Albertine Rift Valley in Eastern Democratic Republic Of Congo, Virunga National Park became a national park in 1925, a World Heritage Site in 1979, but later listed under WORLD Heritage In Danger in 1994, due to the increased persistent settlements inside the Park.

3 Days Mountain Gorilla trekking-Virunga National Park-Congo Safaris

This Comprehensive Guide Of Virunga National Park features  the latest information about Virunga National Park, Activities, attractions, how to get there, best time to visit there, lodges and related Congo gorilla trekking safaris, to help you plan better your next gorilla trekking safari in Virunga National park.

All You Need To Know About Virunga National Park Before You Go

Virunga National Park is not only home to 1/3  of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorillas for which it is famed, but also protects thousand species of mammals, bird reptile, and amphibians.  The park features: the second largest tropical rain forest in the world and several habitat from, Rwenzori Mountain ranges, to the impressive Savanna a volcanic and the volcanic plains.

Virunga National Park , formerly  Albert National Park is located in the Eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is nestled in the Albertine Rift Valley, and sits in the Congo-Nile Watershed.

With a total area of 8,090 km2 (3,120 sq mi), Virunga National Park  was declared a National in 1925, a UNESCO world Heritage Site in 1979, because of its varied habitats, remarkable biodiversity and endemism, and its protection of rare mountain gorilla habitat

By elevation, the park stretches from Semiliki River Valley at 680 m (2,230 ft) to the Rwenzori Mountains  at 5,109 m (16,762 ft), extending  for about 300km along the contagious international borders, of Uganda & Rwanda.

However, Virunga  National Park, has been  included in the list of the World Heritage in Danger, since 1994, following the frequent civil  unrest, resulting from various deadly attacks by the rebel groups, against the multiple number of the people.

Virunga National Park protects  Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira, that has contributed to the formation of the varied habitats and Wildlife of the National Park. The park has recorded over faunal and floral species, where 300 are endemic to Albertine Rift, with eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and golden monkey (Cercopithecus kandti).

Location Of Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park covers apportion of Semliki River basin, the savanna and montane forest of the Albertine Rift, whole altitude  varies from 680 m (2,230 ft) in the Puemba River valley to as far as Margherita peak of Rwenzori Mountains’ Mount Stanley at 5,109 m (16,762 ft) within 30 km (19 mi).

While the northern sector of Virunga National Park borders Uganda’s Semuliki park, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and the middle sector with Queen Elizabeth National Park. The southern sector borders Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park

The national park’s central sector covers about two thirds of Lake Edward up to Uganda’s international border in the east. A thin corridor of 3–5 km (1.9–3.1 mi) wide on the edge of the lake Edward’s western bank joins the northern and southern sectors of the national park.

The southern part which covers Nyamulagira, Nyiragongo and Mikeno volcanoes with montane forests at the foothills, extends to the shores of Lake Kivu.

Location Of Virunga National Park

Animal species in Virunga National Park.

Apart from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Volcanoes National Park, Virunga National park is also famous for Mountain Gorillas as the major attraction, and Gorilla trekking, the key activity, bringing majority of the adventure travelers to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Apart from mountain Gorillas, Virunga National Park is a home to chimpanzees, golden monkey, red-tailed monkey, Dent’s mona monkey, blue monkey, Hamlyn’s monkey, De Brazza’s monkey, Central African red colobus, mantled guereza, olive baboons and grey-cheeked mangabey. The central part of the Park,  protects the: African bush elephants, hippopotamus and African buffalo.

While in 2008 the northern section of Virunga recorded  Okapi, blue duiker, bay duiker, Weyns’s duiker, yellow-backed duiker, water chevrotain, red river hog, aardvark and bongo and the  southern sector has, Harnessed bushbuck and giant forest hog.

The topi population inhabit the south of Lake Edward in the Ishasha Flats region, and often cross through the Congo border into Uganda. Other common animals are  Ugandan Kob, waterbuck and common warthog.

Virunga National Park and the nearby Queen Elizabeth National Park form a lion conservation Unit, which is regarded as a prominent lion stronghold, only if poaching reduces, and the pray population increases.

8 days gorill trekking virunga & okapi

Animals that inhabit the northern sector of Virunga National Park include: the African leopard, marsh mongoose, giant pangolin, tree pangolin, crested porcupine, Lord Derby’s scaly-tailed squirrel, Boehm’s bush squirrel, western tree hyrax, Emin’s pouched rat, and checkered elephant shrew,  all recorded during the 2008 surveys.

Birding In Virunga National Park

Not only does the park  has animals, but Virunga National Park’s Southern sector, has  the numerous bird species which are endemic to the Albertine Rift as, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, Archer’s ground robin, red-throated alethe, Kivu ground thrush, collared a palis, mountain masked apalis, dusky crimson-wing, Shelley’s crimson wing, red-faced woodland warbler, stripe-breasted tit, blue-headed sunbird, regal sunbird, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, handsome spurfowl and strange weaver.

While Non-endemic bird species include Wahlberg’s eagle, African goshawk, African hobby, harrier hawk, common buzzard, mountain buzzard, hadeda ibis, grey-crowned crane, black-and-white-casqued hornbill, black-billed turaco, African olive pigeon, tambourine dove, blue-spotted wood dove, red-eyed dove, brown-necked parrot, red-chested cuckoo, olive long-tailed cuckoo, barred long-tailed cuckoo, Klaas’s cuckoo, Diederik cuckoo, blue-headed coucal, Narina trogon, white-headed wood hoopoe, white-necked raven, white-tailed crested flycatcher, African paradise flycatcher, white-eyed slaty flycatcher, African dusky flycatcher, white-tailed blue flycatcher, mountain oriole, speckled mousebird, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, grey-throated barbet, yellow-billed barbet, western tinkerbird, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, cardinal woodpecker, olive woodpecker, black saw-wing, Angola swallow, Alpine swift, mountain greenbul, yellow-whiskered greenbul, common bulbul, white-starred robin, Archer’s ground robin, white-browed robin-chat, African stonechat, rufous thrush, African thrush, olive thrush, grassland pipit, cinnamon bracken warbler, black-faced rufous warbler, mountain yellow warbler, brown woodland warbler, green sandpiper, Chubb’s cisticola, banded prinia, chestnut-throated apalis, grey-backed camaroptera, white-browed crombec, black-throated wattle-eye, chinspot batis, mountain illadopsis, grey-chested illadopsis, olive sunbird, bronze sunbird, malachite sunbird, collared sunbird, variable sunbird, yellow white-eye, Mackinnon’s shrike, Doherty’s bushshrike, Lühder’s bushshrike, northern puffback, mountain sooty boubou, tropical boubou, narrow-tailed starling, Sharpe’s starling, baglafecht weaver, black bishop, grey-headed nigrita, common waxbill, black-headed waxbill, bronze mannikin, black and white mannikin, pin-tailed whydah, African citril, streaky seedeater and thick-billed seedeater.

How To Get To Virunga National Park

Whats Needed? Each Visitor traveling to Congo must have  all the Necessary documents including passports, Visa & Congo gorilla trekking or Nyiragongo Volcano permit, in order to access to Virunga National Park.

Location: Virunga National Park is situated 15 minutes by road from Goma, and 3 ¼ hours from Rwanda’s Kigali international Airport.All visitors getting to Virunga National Park often fly into Kigali international Airport, then after opt for either road or flight to Goma, yet from Bukavu, it is easier to get there by Water(Speedboats)

Border  Crossing: Visitors from Uganda cross to Congo via Bunagana border, while from Rwanda, visitors are driven to Gisenyi Border in Rwanda, to cross to Goma’s Grand Barrière border, where documents will be examined.

How to get to Virunga National Park or getting there

Best Time To Visit Virunga National Park

The Best time to visit Virunga National Park runs between 2 dry seasons from July to September, and December to March

The most popular months to visit Virunga National park (for gorilla trekking, Nyiragongo hiking, chimpanzee habituation) are the driest months of June, July August, September, December, January, February and March, because, it is easier to trek through the dry trails, clear blue skies for taking photos, without obstruction from mist, less rains, the dirt roads leading to the park are dry.

The dry season also coincides with the best time for wild life safaris as well as best time to go gorilla trekking , not forgetting the popular time to go for chimpanzee tracking, hence resulting to many tourists flocking into the country any activity.

6 days Congo gorilla trekking safari & habituation in Kahuzi Biega national park

Must Do Activities In Virunga National Park

Virunga National National Park boasts a range of attractions including: The famous Mountain Gorillas, Mount Nyiragongo Volcano, Chimpanzee and a plethora of bird species. which is the major reason drawing most travelers into the country.

Ranking of the best activities to do in Virunga National Park include, Mountain Gorilla Trekking, Nyiragongo Volcano Hiking, Chimpanzee trekking & habituation, Visiting Senkenkwe Gorilla Orphanage, Bird Watching, Nature walks among other

Activities/Things to do in Virunga National Park

What To pack on a Safari To Virunga?

Recommended clothing list: Hat, cap, beanie, Sunglasses and case, Fleece, Quick dry t-shirts and sweatshirts, Warm & waterproof lightweight jacket, Shorts, Long pants/trousers, Warm socks, sturdy boot with ankle support for hiking, lip flops/ thongs/ or sandals.

Travel Documents & Money: Emergency Contact details, Passport, Visa, Mountain Gorilla Or Nyiragongo permits, Insurance details, Extra Cash, Credit card, Guide Books, Camera and charges, Camera Memory cards, Day Bag, Toiletries, Hand sanitizer, Toothbrush and paste, Sunscreen lotion, Moisturiser or after sun

What to wear or Pack/packing list for Virunga National Park