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Straddling the border of Uganda, DRC and Rwanda, the Virungas are the luscious, magical and utterly spellbinding home of 480 mountain gorillas (sadly, that's more than half the world’s remaining population). On the Rwandan side, the Parc National des Volcans, or Volcanoes National Park, is the place to go for face-to-face encounters with these wonderful primates – an experience worthy of every superlative in the dictionary. But don’t stop at the gorillas; the Virungas are also home to the rare golden monkey and offer a variety of excellent climbing and trekking options, both deserving of an extra linger.
Not only is the Volcanoes Park dramatic and stunningly beautiful; top-class conservation ethics and excellent transport links to the major safari destinations on the continent make gorilla trekking in the forested mountains an absolute joy.
Active Bisoke Volcano is often described as the "perfect" volcano due its iconic pyramid shape, and hiking to the beautiful crater lake at its top is one of the most memorable experiences in Rwanda (after gorilla trekking of course!).
Permits for trekking in Rwanda currently cost US$1500 for a single day excursion. Funds are channelled directly into the conservation of the endangered gorillas and to the communities on the edge of the park, which is always good news – but there’s no denying it’s expensive…