There are various things to do in Virunga National Park. From gorilla trekking to climbing active volcano, there are many adventure activities that you can enjoy on a tour within the Virunga National Park.
The Southern part is the most accessible and visited by tourists who come come from all over the world for mainly gorilla tracking adventure, Nyiragongo Hiking and Chimpanzee tracking.
Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla Tracking is the most thought after tourist activity in Virunga National park. There are five habituated gorilla families in Virunga National Park which can all be accessed through Goma side and two of the gorilla groups can best be accessed when you cross via Bunagana border or Uganda-DR Congo border. The gorilla permit costs USD400 for foreign non residents and USD150 for the Congolese. Gorilla tracking is a life changing adventure which is so far the best and memorable activity tourists look out for in the world. Read More
Nyiragongo Trekking
Nyiragongo hike is another top activity in Virumga National park. Nyiragongo Volcano has the largest lava lake on top and is one of the few active volcanoes in the world. Hiking Nyiragongo takes 5-6 hours depending on the fitness and speed of the hikers. The hiking starts at 10am from Kibatsi Village and the tourists have an overnight at the top shelters enjoying the scenic view of the molten lava lake.
Nyiragongo Volcano stands at 3470 meters above sea level which makes it necessary to consider the high altitude effects before hiking up to the top.
The Volcano can be hiked in one day ascend and descend but most tourists prefer to overnight at the top for clear view of the lava lake at night.
Chimpanzee Tracking
Chimpanzee habituation is another great activity in Virunga national park. This is done around the Park headquarters near Mikeno Lodge. Chimpanzee habituation walks starts at 6am and is limited to four people. Like gorilla tracking, a maximum of one hour is allocated to stay in presence of the chimpanzees. The chimpanzee permit costs USD100 and booking chimpanzee habituation is done through the park.
Other Adventure Activities to Do in the Virunga Region
The Virunga Mountains are an extraordinary place to visit. An unlimited array of possibilities await you in the Virunga. Most adventure activities involve sightseeing and learning about the scenery, wildlife tourism including great experiences like gorilla trekking, bird watching and more. From popular gorilla trekking in national parks to cultural interaction tours, there are lots of rewarding adventures that you can enjoy on your holiday. Here are the best adventure activities to enjoy within the Virunga.
Here are the most popular things to do on your next holiday.
Top Adventure Activities
- Mountain gorilla trekking
- Volcano Climbing / mountain hiking
- Golden Monkey Tracking
- Voluntourism
- Conservation Safaris
- Chimpanzee Watching
- Hike to Dian Fossey Grave