Is Virunga National Park Worth Visiting?

Is Virunga National Park Worth Visiting?: Exploring different national parks is one of the most thrilling adventures any spirit of tourism could love to be involved in and that is one of the major reasons why various travel from far and near just to get to be part of these experiences.

Virunga National Park is one of the most visited national parks with thousands of attractions including the world’s most endangered species the mountain gorillas.

The national park is located on the Eastern edge of the Democratic Republic of Congo created in 1925 with the aim of conserving the critically endangered mountain gorillas.

The national park as was shares its borders with the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and the Mgahinga National Park of Uganda and it is currently known to be home to over 200 mountain gorillas.

While on a safari to the national park, sightseers have a chance to get to know a lot about the national park and its beauty and this is possible due to the fact that sightseers get a chance to be involved in various safari activities carried out at the national park.

There are so very many safari activities that are carried out at the national park and these include; hiking volcano summits, embarking on wildlife safaris, bird watching, and cultural encounters among others all allowing sightseers to view the various tree species and animal species in the national park.

Safari activities at Virunga National Park

Wildlife viewing

The national park is also home to a lot of different wildlife species and sightseers who would love to have a clear view of all of the wildlife in the national park to go for a wildlife viewing in the national park having chance to sightsee animals such as; African elephants, lions, hippos, topi, Uganda Kobs and warthogs, hyenas, leopards, Congo buffaloes, red river hog, giant tree pangolin, bongo and forest giraffes.

Bird watching

Bird watching in Virunga National Park starts early morning at 5:00 am and this is the perfect time to start birding in the park because it’s the right time to prove that the national park is a true birders paradise. And birders get to view birds such as; Rwenzori Turaco, Francolinus nobilis, Musaphaga, skimmers, shoebills storks, egrets, grey herons, ibises, grey-throated barbet, Grauer’s swamp warbler, alpine swift, African olive pigeon, white-headed woophoopoes, Angolan swallow, Rwenzori batis, tropical boubou, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet, Double-toothed Barbet, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, European Bee-eater, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Bronzy Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Scarlet-tufted Sunbird, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Woolly-necked Stork, European White Stork, Saddle-bill Stork, Great White Pelican, Pink-backed Pelican, Regal Sunbird, Little Bee-eater among others.

Chimpanzee trekking

This is a basic safari activity that can be combined with almost all safari activities in the national park and still can be carried out as a standalone activity in the national park as visitors get to witness these remarkable species playing in the national park as they are led by well-trained safari guides to various trails to catch up with the species.

Gorilla trekking

Majorly known as the most desired safari activity in the national park by all those who choose to have a safari at Virunga and this is because the national park is home to over 200 mountain gorillas.

Volcano hiking

Because the national park is home to volcano summits visitors can as well get to hike on the top of Nyiragongo volcano and get to marvel at the beauty that it holds and numerous bird species and wild animals.