Things To Do In Virunga National Park

Mountain gorilla trekking

One of the main attractions in Virunga national park that draws lots of tourists to the nation is gorilla trekking. The first step in gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park is a briefing at the park headquarters, after which you will be assigned a gorilla family to hike with and a park guide who is familiar with the jungle’s pathways. Mountain gorilla trekking in the park lasts from 30 minutes to 6 hours, and during that time you can see other animal species like red-tailed monkeys, baboons, and several bird species. Once the mountain gorillas have been found, you will have an hour to spend with them in their natural environment. During this time, you will have the chance to observe their habits and lifestyle, watch them breastfeed, relax, play, and prepare young ones etc. and you can take pictures with them.

Nature walks

Tourists visiting Virunga national park can take nature walk in the morning and witness the awe inspiring and magnificent charmer of the environment and the entire wilderness. A designated trail guides tourist to un revealed secluded spot with un thinkable and incredible sightings and distinctive sound from wilderness.

Chimpanzee tracking

Another activity in the park that has drawn a lot of visitors is chimpanzee trekking. Chimpanzees tend to roam around in search of food. Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga National Park begins early in the morning after the briefing and lasts for around 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the location of the chimps. Several wildlife species, including as mammals, monkeys, and birds, can be seen while trekking. After the chimpanzees are located, you are permitted to spend an hour with them in their natural habitat where you can observe their behaviors and watch them play, hunt, feed, fight etc.

Nyiragongo hikes

On your trip to Virunga national park, you shouldn’t skip hiking Mount Nyiragongo. It is one of the 8 volcanic mountains in the Virunga conservation area and the biggest active lava lake in the world located at a height of 3,470 meters above sea level. A briefing is given at the beginning and the hike up Mount Nyiragongo begins around 9:00 am and lasts for about 5 to 6 hours. Visitors must be physically fit because climbing Mount Nyiragongo is difficult. You will pass through lower elevations, slippery stones, lava rocks, steep slopes, and harsh terrain while trekking, and once you reach the summit, you will enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding beauty, smell the bubbling lava, and spend the night there. After breakfast, the following morning, you will begin the approximately 3-hour sloping down of the volcano. You will see breathtaking views of the park, Lake Kivu, and other volcanic mountains as you slop.

Senkwkwe gorilla orphanage tour

There’s one mountain gorilla sanctuary in Virunga National Park Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage Center. The Virunga charity runs the orphanage, which is free for visitors staying at the Mikeno lodge. Six orphaned gorillas that were taken from the Virunga and Kahuzi Biega national parks after losing their parents to poachers, rebels, and pet traders now reside in the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage. A group of caregivers and veterinary professionals are caring for the orphaned gorillas who were brought into the facility for rehabilitation and medical treatment. When people visit the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage, they may get up close and personal with the orphaned gorillas, watch them feed, play, and build nests, and they can even feed the mountain gorillas with the help of the caregivers.

Birding

One of the best birding places in the DR Congo is the Virunga National Park, which is home to more than 706 documented bird species, including endemic species from the Albertine Rift, Congolese birds, and forest birds. An expert bird guide will accompany you while you go bird watching in the Virunga National Park. The guide will help you identify various bird species, including the mountain wagtail, red knobbed coot, African paradise flycatcher, white thighed hornbill, brown throated wattle eye, blue headed sunbird, blue crested flycatcher, cinnamon breasted bunting, mourning collared dove, black winged stilt, white fronted plover, blue headed sunbird, red backed shrike, striped kingfisher, willow warbler etc.

Best time to visit Virunga national park

Virunga national park can be explored any time of year, but the dry seasons from June to September and December to February are the finest times to visit. Due to the good weather and climatic circumstances, these months are also thought of as the busiest times of the year, and the majority of tourists choose to make reservations for their intended activities. The tails are frequently dusty thus moving tourists through jungle becomes simple. Hikers of Mount Nyiragongo and gorilla trackers are highly urged to schedule their expeditions throughout this time.

It is acceptable for individuals who want to visit the park in the rainy season of March, April, May, and from October to early December. The encounter will be identical! Unfortunately, heavy downpours during tracking may cause disruptions and make it difficult for visitors to walk around because of the park’s slippery and muddy trails.

As a word of caution, the wet season is the greatest time to visit Virunga National Park due to the outrageous discounts offered by various service providers. For example, the gorilla trekking permits during this season are at a discount and lodging facilities reduce on their room rates.

Virunga national park in the DR Congo is therefore able to be visited at any time of the year by making a direct reservation with the park or any trusted tour operator like Adventure in the wild safaris based on your financial capabilities and convenience.

Accommodation options in Virunga national park

The park has a number of accommodations facilities best suitable for any traveler. The accommodation options range from luxury, midrange and budget

Tchegera tented camp

Tchegera Island is situated in Virunga national park in the northern area of lake Kivu. It is distinguished by its exclusive shaped form, which is actually the top crater rim of a long-extinct volcano. The island provides breathtaking views of Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira on clear evenings as their flaming red lava pierces a starry sky. Furthermore, visible from Tchegera tented camp are the two tallest Virunga volcanoes, Mikeno and Karisimbi, as well as expansive vistas of Lake Kivu and its surrounds.
Mikeno lodge,
The lodge is located near the park’s administrative center in Rumangabo, in the thick Mahura Forest. The lodge is in an ideal destination for breathtaking views of the picturesque Albertine rift. Visitors can enjoy viewing numerous indigenous bird species, blue and colobus monkeys, olive baboons, the elusive bushbuck in the area’s abundant fauna. From your cozy bungalow, you can take in the morning bird song and the eastern chimpanzees while enjoying coffee or tea made with locally produced ingredients on your balcony.
The lodge is an opulence facility with over 14 ample rooms constructed with magma stones and mahogany tree with pleasant single, double and twin beds.

Lulimbi tented camp

The Lulimbi Tented Camp is a mid-range lodging facility situated on the banks of the Ishasha River in the center of the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A variety of animals, including elephants, hippos, buffalo, warthogs, crocodiles, Uganda Kobs, impala, giant forest hogs, and a variety of bird species, may be found in the area where it is strategically positioned.
The camp was created to draw numerous tourists eager to see various savanna animals in person and to provide guests the opportunity to actively take part in conservation efforts.

Bukima tented camp

The Bukima tented camp is located in Bukima Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The word “Monkeys” in the Bukima language is where the lodge got its name.
Bukima Tented Camp is a luxury facility and attractive with everything you would expect from a traditional tented camp. The lodge was originally constructed to house researchers of Virunga National Park. The mess tent serves as the main structure and features a large dining table in the restaurant, an extraordinarily well-stocked bar with a variety of alcoholic beverages, and distinctive safari chairs fashioned in an African style for the lounge, spacious rooms with comfortable beds. In the evenings, guests congregate around the camp fire at the lodge to tell.

Mount Nyiragongo summit shelter

On top of the Nyiragongo volcano is the modest lodging facility known as Mount Nyiragongo Summit Shelter. This is a camping area for visitors who reserve their hiking excursions to Virunga National Park, DR Congo’s most spectacular and active volcano. There is a total of 12 cabins at the Mount Nyiragongo Summit Shelter, each with two single beds where guests can lay their separate sleeping bags. Also, the cottages are erected around 5 feet above the ground so that visitors may take in the breathtaking views of the region, including the lake. Without a doubt, this Camp is the only site where you can unwind while taking in the breathtaking views of Virunga National Park. Those who didn’t travel with their own tents are provided with comfortable ones