Virunga mountains, with an area of 8,000 kilometres square, cover an area that hugs 3 different countries – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and Rwanda. Within the Virunga are found 6 active volcanoes and 3 extinct ones. Most of this area is protected as national parks, including Volcanoes National park which is found in Rwanda. Parc National des Volcans is home to over half of the remaining mountain gorillas – about 350 of them are found here.

Gorillas are special. So different from man, and yet in many ways so alike. Few animals have sparked the imagination to the same extent as the gorilla. But only in the last few decades have scientist learned sufficient details about the gorilla life in the wild to be able to dispel the many myths and misconceptions about them. The rarest of the gorilla species, the mountain gorilla is found only in the high Virunga Mountains where the borders of the 3 countries meet. They are also found in the tiny Impenetrable Forest in Bwindi.

The gorilla is shy and retiring, and not – as folklore would have you believe – ferocious and treacherous blood-thirsty beast. It seeks no trouble unless threatened, but a male will valiantly defend its family group.   The only known enemies of gorillas  are man and leopard.

WHERE TO STAY AT VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
There are several options for accommodation near the park, and quite a range of choices – from simple and basic, to more upmarket:

Gorilla Mountain View Lodge
Gorilla Mountain View Lodge is a good, mid-range option with 30 individual cottages, a restaurant and a bar, all with views over the surrounding hills and volcanoes. It’s affordable and within 15 minutes’ drive of the park headquarters.

Kinigi Guesthouse
The village-run Kinigi Guesthouse is a very simple and basic place to stay, close to the meeting point of many gorilla treks. It has a lounge area, a bar and 20 guest rooms.

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
The newest lodge in the area, and by far the most comfortable and luxurious, Sabyinyo Silverback offers spectacular views from its elevated position. Its six cottages and two suites are set in well-maintained gardens, all with private verandas, en-suite bathrooms and sitting rooms featuring fireplaces.

Virunga Lodge
In 2004, the up-market Virunga Lodge opened in a stunning location, high on a ridge between Burera and Ruhondo lakes. It has eight spacious chalets, each with a large private veranda. It is eco-friendly, with hot bucket-showers and composting toilets, and furnished in a rustic fashion – it’s not plush and luxurious but is a very good lodge.

GORILLA TRACKING SAFARIS IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
A good number of tourists to Parc National des Volcan come to see the gorillas. Even though there is never any guarantee that one would get a chance to see them, for those who encounter the gorillas, it is an experience that stays in your mind forever.