Volcanoes National Park tours & holiday packages
Africa's oldest national parkCustom Volcanoes National Park
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The park was made famous by the movie Gorillas in the Mist and you can still see mountain gorillas related to those Dian Fossey studied
There are only two places where you can see the endangered mountain gorilla – the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda's Virunga mountains and Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It's easier to get to Volcanoes National Park from Kigali than it is to get to Bwindi from Entebbe, so the shortest, easiest way to see the mountain gorilla is on the Rwandan side of the Virungas.
Gorilla permits are more expensive in Rwanda than Uganda, but what you save on the permit in Uganda you'll have to spend on accommodation because Bwindi requires an overnight stop from Entebbe.
Popular Volcanoes National Park safaris
These popular itineraries can be customised to match your budget and travel dates
The Complete East Africa Experience (13 days)
Enjoy East Africa's most celebrated highlights, from a snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, to sailing above the Serengeti in a hot-air balloon and meeting mountain gorillas
Price on Request
per person
13 days
Gorilla trekking and the Great Migration Combined
Unforgettable experience in the jungles of Rwanda to track the last Mountain gorillas on earth and view the awesome Great Migration river crossings
Price on Request
per person
11 days
Best of Africa Safari (16 days)
Experience the best of Africa, from the Okavango Delta – one of Africa's Seven Natural Wonders – to the endangered mountain gorillas and East Africa's Great Migration
$ 18,705
£ 13,433
R 282,728
€ 15,494
per person
16 days
Meet the Primates of Uganda and Rwanda (12 days)
See mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys and tree-climbing lions, take a boat cruise and visit Rwanda's genocide memorial
$ 9,125
£ 6,553
R 137,925
€ 7,559
per person
12 days
More on Volcanoes National Park holidays
The Volcanoes National Park is the oldest national park in Africa. There are some reserves that are older, but Volcanoes was the first national park, proclaimed in 1925 to protect the mountain gorilla. The park was where Dian Fossey was based during her research on mountain gorillas. She arrived in 1967 and set up the Karisoke Research Centre. It's widely believed that her fight for the mountain gorilla and the subsequent publicity saved the species from extinction as a result of the bushmeat trade. Fossey was murdered in 1985, probably by poachers, or so it's thought. She was buried in the park in a grave close to the research centre to which she devoted most of her life. Her story was later documented in the film Gorillas in the Mist. When you go to see mountain gorillas we recommend that you trek on two consecutive days and see two separate habituated families. Trekking in both Volcanoes National Park on the Rwandan side and also at Bwindi on the Ugandan side would give you the best of both worlds.
Volcanoes National Park Map
Volcanoes National Park's location on Google Maps
Frequently Asked Questions about Volcanoes National Park
December to March are the sunniest months and perhaps the best time to visit. There are some cloudy periods and rain from March to May, and drizzle from October to early December which may restrict clear views. However, Mount Kenya National… go there.
The months of December through March and July through October are dry, making them by far the best months to visit the Samburu National Reserve. When the wildlife viewing is at its prime. go there.
May to October is the best time to visit Tsavo East and West National Park. The wildlife is easier to spot - since they gather around the waterhole. go there.
During the drier season, periods between December to early March and June to September - the excellent weather makes it easier to spot the wildlife and trek gorillas. go there.
The best time to see the wildebeest migration is in August as the herds cross the Nile crocodile infested Mara River, crossing an international border between Kenya and Tanzania. go there.
Botswana: Electric plug M 230V and 50Hz Kenya: Electric plug G 240V and 50Hz Malawi: Electrical plug G 230V and 50Hz Mauritius: Electrical plug C & G, 230V and 50Hz Mozambique: Electrical plug C,F,M, 220V and 50Hz Namibia: Electric plug… go there.
Kenya has a world of variety when it comes to tented accommodation camps, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another realm in the bush as your every desire comes try. go there.
Whether you are in the Southern or East Africa you will generally be able to see the big five. The difference really comes in when considering antelope as they are based on your chosen location. go there.
This is all dependant on the countries that you will be visitng and due to the status of certain vaccinations changing at times, please consult our experts before getting vaccines. go there.
Reviews on our Volcanoes National Park safaris
This was my first safari. I didn’t expect to be so pampered. Everything was first class. We had everything provided for us before even asking. We had a dedicated team at our service. Megan was on call whenever we needed something and she…
Saada
from Nigeria
Tanya was an absolute delight to deal with. From the first phone call she was extremely polite, professional and very eager to facilitate my requests regarding our safari. Our 3 nights at the V & A Hotel were fabulous and Motswari Game…
Debbie
from Australia
Perfectly tailor-made tours that take all your wishes and requests into consideration. All my expectations were beyond fulfilled.
Henrik Wetterstrand
from Sweden
Living afar and trusting in an organisation with whom you have no previous knowledge can lead to feeling of mistrust and wondering whether what we have paid for actually exists. A little more proactive communication would have eased those…
Tony Russell
I just wanted to thank Discover Africa and Karl Svendsen - the safari was great - we saw many more animals than expected including cheetah, leopard, many lions and even a three-day old elephant calf. Additionally, we had our own hippo…
Margaret Dean
Planning the trip was managed extremely well especially since travel was at a busy time of year and not much notice was given. All communication was by email, and was responded to promptly and efficiently. Different options were provided…
Suzanne McKeen
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