Did you know that the largest glacial region in Africa is found in Virunga National Park in the northern sector? Virunga National Park also happens to be the oldest national park in Congo. Virunga National Park is situated in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo along the great Albertine Rift Valley to the east bordering Uganda to the west and Rwanda in the east. Virunga National Park was listed among the UNESCO heritage sites in the world in 1979. This was done due to its richness in biodiversity, flora and fauna, endemism, and to protect the endangered gorilla species. As you continue reading, you will get to know more information about Virunga National Park,

Attractions in Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park is one of the top destinations to visit on your African safari, tour, or trip. This is because it is blessed with amazing attractions that will leave you wanting more the moment you set your eyes on them. Some of the attractions you should expect to set your eyes on in Virunga National Park include,

Mountain gorillas

Endangered mountain gorillas call Virunga National Park home making it one of the few destinations with mountain gorillas in the whole world. Virunga National Park has about 8 habituated gorilla families, mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga notational Park starts early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters. Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park takes about 1-4 hours of looking or searching for these endangered species in their natural habitat.

Tourists are led by professional guides and protected by game rangers from wild animals. When a group of tourists finds a gorilla family, they are given time not more than an hour to spend in its presence to stay in their presence. Also, mountain gorilla habituation is done in Virunga National Park. Mountain gorilla habituation involves tourists or visitors spending more than an hour in the presence of these endangered species. During this period, you will get to learn more about the way of life of these endangered species.

Chimpanzees

Apart from mountain gorillas, Virunga National Park also happens to be home to chimpanzees. These primates are also one of the endangered species that are under threat of extinction. Chimpanzees are very interesting species and are unique since they share approximately 98% human DNA in other words they are our cousins or brothers.  Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga National Park was introduced by Frankfurt in 1987, a zoologist. Just like gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking in Virunga National Park starts with a morning briefing at the park headquarters. Chimpanzee trekking takes about 1-3 of looking for these endangered species in their natural habitats and when found 1 hour is given to you to spend in their presence. Chimpanzee habituation is also done in Virunga National Park where visitors or tourists can spend more than an hour in the presence of these endangered species.

Mountain Nyiragongo

Mountain Nyiragongo is also an attraction in Virunga National Park the most active volcanic mountain in the whole world. Mountain Nyiragongo has erupted about 34 times in the past centuries with the last eruption in 2002. Since then a lot of visitors or tourists have flooded into the country to witness the amazing wonder of nature seeing the hot red boiling lava from an up-close distance. But getting the reward of this amazing view of the boiling lava requires you to be mentally and physically stable. This is because the hiking of mountain Nyiragongo is very difficult and filled with a lot of challenges.

Walking trails in Virunga National Park

The walking trails in Virunga National Park offer beautiful views while doing guided nature walking activities in the safe sectors of the park. Guided nature walks in Virunga National Park involve tourists or visitors to be led by a professional tour guide to walk through the trails in the safe sectors of the park. While walking through the trails, you will be able to encounter some wildlife like primates, mammals, tree species, and bird species, to mention a few.

Batwa community

Batwa community is one of the communities that tourists visit or love to go to so that they engage in different activities plus get to learn more about the different cultures of the Batwa people. This is done through storytelling, cultural dance performances, and testing food, to mention but a few. The Batwa people originally stayed in the Bwindi impenetrable forest, Virunga National Park. They were relocated to new places on the Ugandan side from Bwindi due to the civilization that came their way. Also, due to the same reason they have been forced to live on the edge of forests like Buniga on the side of Virunga National Park.

Birds in Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park is blessed with different bird species offering beautiful views to the visitors or tourists who visit. Home to approximately 706 different bird species that make the park very sounding and colorful flying all over the place. Some of these birds include Congolese birds, knobbed coot, white-thighed hornbills, blue-headed sunbird, and black-winged stilt, to mention but a few. For bird lovers, Virunga National Park is the perfect place for you to go and tick off birds from your birding list. During the birding activity, you will be escorted by a professional birder who will help you spot different birds.

What is the best time to visit Virunga National Park?

Virunga National Park is always open throughout the year for visitors or tourists to visit. But just like any other tourist destination, Virunga National Park happens to have the best time for visiting when all activities can be done by tourists with a lot of ease despite them being difficult. The best time to visit Virunga National Park is during the dry season in July, June, September, December, and February. This is because the trails are dry and more accessible than during the wet season when the trails are covered with mud and slippery. When it comes to packing, it will depend on the major activities that you are going to do in Virunga National Park. For example, if you are going to do gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking, you will pack long-sleeved shirts and trousers, bag pack, cap, or hut, to mention a few.

For more information about Virunga National Park, planning, or bookings you can contact our team of professional tour consultants, we shall be glad to help out.