Best Attractions to Visit in Virunga National Park Congo
Gazetted purposely to protect the rare mountain gorillas, Virunga national park is the first and oldest Africa’s national park established in 1925 by the Belgium’s first king Albert. The national park covers a total land area of 7800 square kilometers and is part of the Virunga conservation area neighboring the Uganda’s Mgahinga gorilla national park and Rwanda’s volcanoes national park. Although tourism in the national park was hindered by civil conflicts and wars that hit Democratic Republic of Congo in the past decades, the country has now stabilized and tourism takes place peacefully. The national park consists of various plant species approximately 2000 of which 10% are endemic to the region. These favor the habitation of various wild animals that feed on different vegetation types.
Mountain gorilla trekking
This is the most done tourism activity in the Virunga national park. There are six habituated gorilla families in the national park available for trekking. Virunga national park is one of the four national parks in the whole world with the surviving mountain gorillas alongside the volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both in Uganda. Kabirizi is the largest family in the national park with approximately 32 members including 10 babies, 4 sub adults, I black back, 11 adults, five juveniles and 1 silver back named kabirizi. The other gorilla families in the national park are Rugendo, Munyaga, Humba, Mapuwa and Lulengo families.
Chimpanzee habituation
This is yet another interesting wild life activity done in virunga national park started by a zoologist named Frankfurt in 1987. Chimpanzees were made familiar to human beings and since the travelers have been flocking into the national park for chimpanzee habituation and trekking experiences. The chimpanzee habituation permit is sold at 100usd and allows travelers to interact with the chimpanzees learning more about them.
Nature walks
Virunga national park is a tropical rain forest with dense vegetation. There are various trails that travelers follow leading to different directions and sites. Travelers encounter various animals during the walks, which include buffalos, elephants, different types of monkeys, Thomas cobs and large concentration of hippotamuses approximately 20,000 living on the banks of lake Edwards and other water in the national park.
Nyiragongo hike
The experience does not only stop at wild life but also include hiking the Nyiragongo volcanoes. Virunga national park has the very active Nyiragongo volcano in its center whose summit harbors the largest large lava lake in the whole world. The volcano is very active in that records show that it has erupted over 34 times and the last one was in 2002 when the lava lake drained and lava flowed to the near by communities. Travelers hike up to the summit of the volcano and have a clear view of the dazzling lake with lots fumes coming out of melilite nephelinite.
Landscape viewing
Virunga national park is the best site for viewing the spectacular montane landscapes in the neighboring countries. These include the snow summits and the jagged relief of the Rwenzori Mountains, the volcanoes in the virunga conservation area together with the Afro alpine vegetation of tree ferns and the dense forests. More still, travelers see the eroded valleys spotted in the ishango and Sinda regions. The views provide travelers with extra ordinary experience since they do not need to travel to the places viewed while in the virunga national park.
In conclusion therefore, virunga national park situated in the virunga conservation area in the democratic republic of Congo. The national park is rich in unique and diverse features ranging from natural, cultural, historical and manmade resources a combination that provides travelers with a phenomenal experience.
For guests who would wish to explore the Congo virgin wilderness, Gorilla Trek Africa offers you some Virunga safari packages.
