Southern Virunga
Virunga National Park is Africa's oldest national park and unmatched in its diversity of landscapes and ecosystems. This UNESCO World Heritage Site bordering Uganda and Rwanda is one of the last places in the world where the very rare mountain gorillas live. In addition, it is the habitat of the Eastern gorilla or 'Grauer gorilla' and chimpanzees. The primates live in the southern part of the park, on the densely forested flanks of the dormant Mikeno volcano which are overgrown with fairy-tale high-mountain vegetation including giant lobelias, hanging mosses and senecios. Accompanied by expert guides, you will search for the mountain gorillas on foot. An unforgettable but sometimes arduous trip where you have to walk two to ten hours. Great apes are very intelligent, benign and extremely fascinating to observe. The powerful look of the silverback is awesome, but it is his composure that has earned him the title 'Gentle Giant'.
The northern and central part
In the north, Virunga N.P. is dominated by the Rwenzoris Mountains, with its permanently snow-capped peaks. The meltwater is one of the most important sources of the Nile. In the valley along the Semliki River valley lives the okapi, another prominent inhabitant of the park, an endangered species that resembles a zebra but is related to the giraffe.
The central part of the park is characterized by Lake Edward and the adjacent Ishasha Valley. This is home to a recovering hippo population, once the largest in the world. There are numerous bird species and more than 50 species of fish! On the Rwindi plains you will find high concentrations of elephants, lions, buffalo, warthogs and topi.