Volcanoes National Park

Just a three-hour drive from the Rwandan capital city of Kigali, Volcanoes National Park hosts roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas.

And while the gorillas may be the stars, visitors are equally likely to find themselves blown away by this volcanic landscape's breathtaking scenery and astonishing biodiversity. Vegetation types include tropical, bamboo and montane forests, Afroalpine shrubland, thicket, and grassland with marshes and small lakes interspersed.

Tucked in Rwanda’s north-western corner on the borders of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, this 160km 2 (16,000 hectare) gem consists of five major (non-active) volcanoes. Mount Karisimbi is the highest peak, at 4,500 metres above sea level.

Volcanoes is also home to troops of habituated golden monkeys. These charismatic monkeys are almost as scarce as their gorilla cousins and are only found around the Virunga region.

The forest is also home to forest elephants (although few in number), forest buffaloes, bushpigs, giant forest hogs, black-fronted duikers and other illusive inhabitants.

Volcanoes offers exceptional birding, with over 200 species, including 17 Albertine Rift endemics. Highlights include scarlet-tufted sunbird, Shelley’s crimsonwing, African pittas, Rwenzori turacos, handsome francolins and African green broadbills, to name a few.

Volcanoes is also the setting for the film Gorillas in the Mist, an autobiography about Diane Fossey, who set up the Karisoke Research Center and dedicated her life to these wonderful animals.