Virunga Mountains are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, along the northern border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Uganda. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. They are located between Lake Edward and Lake Kivu. The name “Virunga” is an English version of the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means “volcanoes”. You can experience this on your Rwanda Gorilla & Nyiragongo Hike Tour.
The mountain range consists of eight major volcanoes. Most of them are dormant, except Mount Nyiragongo 3,462 metres (11,358 ft) and Mount Nyamuragira 3,063 metres (10,049 ft), both in the DRC. Recent eruptions occurred in 2006 and in January 2010. Mount Karisimbi is the highest volcano at 4,507 metres (14,787 ft). The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo, which rises 3,634 metres (11,923 ft) above sea level.
The Virunga Mountains are home of the critically endangered mountain gorilla, listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species due to habitat loss, poaching, disease, and war. The Karisoke Research Center was founded by Dian Fossey to observe gorillas in their native habitat, is located between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke.
Virunga National Park
Virunga is one of the most inspiring destinations in the world; it is Africa’s oldest national park, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and the continent’s most biologically diverse protected area. It is also home to a quarter of the world’s approximately 480 remaining mountain gorillas promoting gorilla safaris in DRC Congo.
Two other Great Ape species can also be found in Virunga, the eastern lowland Grauer’s gorillas and chimpanzees. The 3,000 square mile site of Virunga boasts volcanoes, forests, savannas, lava plains, swamps, erosion valleys and the glaciated peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains.
Other distinctive animal inhabitants of the park include the Okapi, an endangered species that resembles a zebra but is more closely related to the giraffe, large colonies of hippopotamus, forest and savanna elephants, lions, and numerous rare bird species can also be found in the park.
Location
The Park is located in the centre of the Albertine Rift, of the Great Rift Valley in the Eastern direction of Democratic Republic of Congo at the border of Uganda is a worldly known World Heritage site as declared by United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which is not only the Africa’s oldest park but also the most biologically diverse of all protected areas on the continent of Africa. Covering a geographical landscape of 7800km2 about 3000 square miles, the Virunga National Park features extensive Savannah, dense forest jungle, erosion valleys, lava plains, active volcanoes and Mountain Rwenzori with its glaciers as viewed in safaris and tours in Congo.
