Virunga National Park in Congo is considered a World Heritage Site. It is also known as the gorillas haven in this part of Africa. Definitely, the 790,000 hectare park is a must-see if you happen to be in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Location and How to Get There
The Virunga National Park lies in the Virunga Mountains. In its borders lie the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda. It is Africa’s first national park and definitely one of the best.
How to get to the Virunga National Park? You just need to take a flight to Kinshasa if you are already in Africa. If you want a no-fuss travel, you can just take a mountain gorilla trek. That already includes a trip to the mountains of Virunga.
What to See
The main attraction of Virunga National Park is no less than the mountain gorillas. But more than that, it is a very huge community of wildlife, flora and fauna, swamps, snowfields, and savannahs. You will never get short of things to do and things to see while you are at the park.
Nature lovers would definitely savor the many sights available, including the huge number of species thriving in the huge area of land. If Virunga National Park is a must-see, its being the sanctuary of mountain gorillas is not just its only attraction. Hippos are also stars in this in demand tourist destination.
Most tourists who take a trip to Virunga National Park do not get contented wit just a trek to see the gorillas. They also climb to see the beautiful lava lake of Nyiragongo Volcano, which looks even brighter at night.
History
The Virunga National Park is formerly known as Albert National Park. It was established as Africa’s very first national park in 1925. In 1979, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Virunga National Park has a very wealthy wild life that was constantly threatened. It has been seriously damaged by poaching as well as the Congo Civil War. But since it became a World Heritage Site, it has been kept protected and well-managed. A ranger force of about 680 men patrols the area against intruders.
Cost
Traveling to Virunga National Park does not cost much. Hotel deals range from $90-$150. If you want to climb the Nyiragongo Volcano, you may have to pay about $200. For the main attraction, which is climbing to see the mountain gorillas, you will have to pay $400.
With the exceptional diversity that awaits every visit, those amounts are surely worth it.
