Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda's Virunga Mountains protects several habituated mountain gorilla groups available for daily one-hour trekking permits, widely considered one of the most emotionally profound wildlife encounters accessible to travellers. The park's five dormant volcanoes — Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Sabyinyo — rise above a mosaic of bamboo forest, hagenia woodland, and alpine meadow that can be explored on guided day hikes to crater lakes and summit ridges. Dian Fossey's former research station at Karisoke can be visited by permit.