Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park, in the far east of the Democratic Republic of Congo along the Rwandan and Ugandan borders, is Africa’s oldest national park, established in 1925, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary range: active volcanoes, savannah, swamp, and some of the last remaining mountain gorilla habitat on earth, all within a single protected area. Covering roughly 7,800 square kilometres, Virunga is the most biodiverse protected area on the continent, though decades of regional instability have also made it one of the most difficult African parks to manage and, at times, to visit.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Virunga holds a share of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population, alongside neighbouring Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Uganda’s Bwindi and Mgahinga parks, all part of the same Virunga Massif ecosystem. Gorilla trekking here follows the same permit-based, ranger-guided model used across the region, typically involving a few hours of forest walking to spend a closely regulated hour with a habituated family group.
Mount Nyiragongo
Mount Nyiragongo, one of the most active volcanoes in Africa, holds the largest lava lake on earth within its crater. A demanding but non-technical overnight hike to the summit, staying in basic cabins on the crater rim, lets visitors look directly down into the glowing lava lake after dark, widely regarded as one of the most dramatic single sights available on any African itinerary.
A Park of Extraordinary Range
Beyond gorillas and volcanoes, Virunga spans savannah plains grazed by hippos and antelope near Lake Edward, montane forest, and the glacier-capped Rwenzori Mountains at its northern edge, a range of habitats unmatched by any single park in the region.
Security and Access
Virunga’s location in a historically unstable part of eastern DRC has periodically affected visitor access, and the park has, at times, closed sections or suspended tourism entirely in response to regional security conditions. We monitor conditions closely and only operate trips into currently accessible, cleared sectors of the park, coordinating directly with Virunga National Park’s own tourism authority before confirming any Congo itinerary.
Where to Stay
Mikeno Lodge, run by the park authority itself, is Virunga’s principal tourist accommodation near the gorilla trekking sector, with basic cabin accommodation also available on the Nyiragongo crater rim for summit overnight stays.
Best Time to Visit
The dry seasons, roughly June to September and December to February, offer the firmest trekking conditions for both gorilla trekking and the Nyiragongo summit hike.