Hiking the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda
Hiking the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda: The Virunga Mountains in Rwanda are one of the most rewarding attractions that can be seen during your Rwanda safari. There are 8 virunga mountains in Rwanda that can be seen when you visit volcanoes national park and these include Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, Mount Bisoke, Mount Karisimbi, and Mount Sabyinyo that will offer rewarding experiences while you hike them. The mountains have a lot to offer from the different primate species that can be seen in the forests on the slopes of the mountains, a number of animal species to numerous bird and butterfly species not forgetting breathtaking views within the park while taking part in the activity for an amazing experience during your safari.
MOUNT GAHINGA
Despite the fact that Mountain Gahinga is one of the smallest virunga mountains in Rwanda, it has a number of rewarding attractions to offer to hikers interested in wildlife adventure. While hiking the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, mount Gahinga will give you the chance to see interesting features like bird species for instance; the blue turaco, Ross’s turaco, coqui Francolin, long tailed cisticola, bubbling cisticola, Miombo wren warbler, Chubb’s cisticola Archers ground robin, red faced woodland warbler, Ruwenzori double collared sunbird, Collared Apalis, Ruwenzori turaco, handsome francolin, strange weaver and many more that can b e seen along the slopes of the mountain in the bamboo trees and at the peak of the mountain.
At the peak, you will get to see the caldera which is also used as a picnic area, and a captivating area for photography which helps you capture beautiful pictures that will make your stay in the park quite memorable. Interesting about the hike on mount Gahinga is the fact that you will get to see a number of primate species aswell in the bamboo trees which they use as a source of food and these include primates like the vervet monkey, the endangered golden monkeys habituated mountain gorillas that is the Hirwa gorilla families and the Ugenda gorilla family that usually cross over to mgahinga national park in Uganda this is because the mountain is shared by both Uganda and Rwanda which is also another interesting feature of the mount Gahinga hike which will give you the opportunity to see the park while at the peak of the mountain.
Mountain karisimbi
While hiking the Virunga mountains in Rwanda, you will get the opportunity to hike Mount Karisimbi which is quite a memorable mountain characterised with thick and dense vegetation that acts as a habitat to a number of attractions including bird species like handsome francolin, strange weaver, Archers ground robin, red faced woodland warbler, Ruwenzori double collared sunbird, Collared Apalis, Ruwenzori turaco, handsome francolin, strange weaver and butterfly species that will make birders have an amazing time during their stay in the park.
As you hike mountain karisimbi, you will come across the Karisoke research centre that was established by the Late Dian Fossey that played a major role of protecting the endangered mountain gorillas to ensure the sustainability of the primate species. Therefore while hiking mount karisimbi you will get to see the research station. Additionally while hiking the mountain you will get to see the mountain gorillas for instance the Susa gorilla family that was studied by the late dian fossey the American primatologist and other gorilla families you will also have the chance to see the golden monkeys other interesting primates in the park that can also be seen along the bamboo trees along the mountains. Important to note about the karisimbi mountain hike is the fact that it takes two days for a hiker to complete the hike there you should have the right hiking and sleeping gear to ensure that you have an amazing time in the park.
Mountain Sabyinyo
Mountain sabyinyo will offer the most rewarding experience while you participate in hiking the virunga mountains in Rwanda in a way that you will see rewarding attractions along the slopes of the mountain and the mountain itself that is at the peak of the mountain you will see how the mountain got its name sabyinyo which means old teeth that the peak of the mountain which looks like an old man’s teeth. As challenging as Mountain sabyinyo hike can be, with every step you will get to see new and rewarding attractions from the many crater lakes, ridges which can be seen, a number of bird and primate species that will make your safari quite rewarding. Handmade ladders that also offer nice scenery that will ensure that you have a safe activity by avoiding slipping during the rainy season which can interrupt your activity in the park. Other rewarding attractions that can be seen during the hike include a number of mountain gorilla families and if you’re lucky enough you will get to see Guhonda is the heaviest and largest mountain gorilla in the park. You can also see the golden monkeys, animals like the forest elephants and buffaloes among other attractions within the park.
Mountain Bisoke hike
Interesting about the hike is the fact that you can start in Rwanda or Congo because of the fact that the mountain is shared by both virunga national park in Congo and volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Rewarding attractions that can be seen while hiking mount Bisoke include; the Mountain Gorillas, Golden, vervet monkey, dent’s monkey, the Forest Elephants, Buffaloes waterbucks and many other species that make the activity rewarding. You will also have a chance to see the biggest Crater Lake in Lake Bisoke which is a habitat of water birds like the African fish eagle, African grey horn bill, heron and many more the hike. As you carry out mountain Bisoke hike, you will have the opportunity to see the Karisoke research centre
Mountain Muhabura
While hiking the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, hiking mount Muhabura will give you the chance to hike the third highest and the steepest of the Virunga Mountains which can be seen in both volcanoes and Mgahinga National Parks in Rwanda and Uganda respectively. Just like the other virunga mountains in Rwanda, you will see a number of rewarding attractions like; the Amahoro gorilla family the most peaceful gorilla family in Rwanda.
Muhabura Mountain can be found in Volcanoes National Park and Mgahinga national park and tourists can start the hike at either sides that is from Uganda and Rwanda and the experience are quite the same interesting and worth the hike. Other attractions include primate species like the Mona monkey, dent’s monkey, black and white colobus monkey, grey cheeked mangabey, bird species endemic to the albertine rift and migratory species among other bird species like Collared Apalis, Ruwenzori turaco, handsome francolin, strange weaver and many more for a rewarding Rwanda safari.
