Virunga National Park

Planning to visit Democratic republic of Congo , the youngest country to join the East African Community? Dont miss to visit the lovely and the oldest national park in Africa ( Virunga national park ) that hosts the Mountain gorillas in the virunga Massif  and unique climbing to the most active Nyiragongo Volcano.

Virunga national park is one of the top destinations positioned in the Albertine Rift Valley in the eastern part of Congo. This National Park was created in 1925 and ranges in elevation of 680m and sharing the border with Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains national Park which boost Mountaineering tours in Uganda.

Virunga National Park is the Congolese part and in Rwanda its volcanoes national park yet in Uganda its Mgahinga National park which all host primates like the mountain Gorillas , Golden Monkey and Chimpanzee although they are known for Gorilla trekking Safaris and Climbing Tours of the Virunga Massifs.

Virunga National Park encompasses the two active volcanoes – Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira. These active volcanoes have shaped the national park’s diverse habitats and wildlife hosting more than 3,000 faunal and floral species of which about 300 are endemic to the Albertine Rift.

Virunga National Park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 because of its rich diversity of habitats, endemic and its protection and conservation of the mountain gorilla habitat.

 Flora of the park

Virunga National Park is a home to more than 2,077 plant species including 230 plants that are endemic to the Albertine Rift and 264 tree species which makes it the best destination to visit while on Congo safari.

The plains of the park are dominated by wetlands and grasslands with papyrus sedge, jointed flat sedge, common reed, sacaton grasses, am-batch conker berry, and paperbark thorn and kowai fruit.

The park is also encompassed by the remains of dicots like the African caper, maerua species, wild cucurbits, and the nightshades which were found in the dung balls of the African Elephants.

Primate Watching In Virunga

Virunga National Park is famous for hosting the primate species especially the Mountain gorillas. The gentle species can be watched during the gorilla trekking experience that involves hiking through the mountainous and forests of the park.

Other primates:

1. common chimpanzees
2. Golden monkeys
3. Red tailed monkeys
4. Dent’s Mona monkeys
5. Blue monkeys,
6. The Central African red colobus
7. Olive baboons
8. Grey cheeked mangabey
9. Mantled guereza.

Best time to visit Virunga national park

Virunga national park can be visited anytime through the year but the best season is during the dry months of July to September. We do operate Congo Tours through out the year and we do multi country adventure to visit the Virunga Gorillas and Rwenzori Trekking at affordable prices.

When it comes to promotional discount, travel as a group we do run promotional tours on black Friday deals and discounted Rwenzori treks 2023/2024