Volcanoes National Park is situated a short drive from the capital Kigali, in the north-west corner of Rwanda which shares a border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Virunga mountains. The sometimes steep slopes are covered with thick vegetation and the scenery is spectacular.

The park is best known as one of the last places where the endangered mountain Gorilla can be seen. There are four habituated groups (Susa, Amahoro, Sabyinyo and “13”). Seeing them is not guaranteed, but the percentage chance of success is in the high 90’s.

This great ape is an endangered species – there are only about 800 of them left on earth. Over half of the remaining mountain gorilla population roam in the Virunga Mountains stretching across Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC (Congo). In this area, Rwanda’s Volcans National Park is the best option as Uganda’s Mgahinga group frequently cross over into Rwanda anyway, and the remaining Gorillas are in Uganda’s Impenetrable Bwindi Park.

Going on a Gorilla trek and watching them go about their daily business is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences, worth every cent of the high permit price.