Volcanoes National Park Rules and Regulations – Volcanoes National Park is located in northwestern Rwanda, in Musanze district. The national park spans 160 sq km and encompasses 5 of the 8 Virunga mountains: Sabyinyo, Karisimbi, Gahinga, Muhabura, and Bisoke.
It is also part of the Virunga conservation area. Volcanoes National Park is widely known for being a home for the endangered mountain gorillas, making it a popular destination for tourists.
It is a 2.5-hour drive from Kigali International Airport, making it very accessible to tourists at any time.
It is also a famous historical site following the works of Dian Fossey, who conducted research about gorillas and was also involved in conservation works.
There are many tourist activities available for any visitors who come to the park, such as gorilla trekking, mountain hiking, tours to Musanze caves, tours to the twin lakes Ruhondo and Burera, and tours to Dian Fossey’s gravesite, among others.
To visit Volcanoes National Park, permission is required from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). For example, to carry out gorilla trekking, a gorilla permit is needed.
Volcanoes National Park is not only endowed with unique vegetation but also hosts other countless wildlife species.
The different faunal species to encounter in Volcanoes NP include mountain gorillas, spotted hyenas, golden monkeys, buffaloes, bushbucks, black-fronted duikers, and more than 180 bird species.
Rules and Regulations of Volcanoes National Park
When tourists visit the National Park, they are required to follow the following rules and regulations in order to have a great tourism experience:
- Avoid littering in Volcanoes National Park. The park should be kept clean at all times to protect wildlife for future generations.
- Noise-making is not allowed in the park premises. All tourists are required to keep silent since animals like gorillas hate noise and can be scared. Also, it helps to maintain convenience for other tourists as well.
- No smoking is allowed inside the park because it can make animals like primates, particularly gorillas, contract respiratory diseases.
- Avoid taking anything from the park to protect wildlife. Picking flowers, vegetation, or volcanic stones is not allowed.
- Tourists should maintain a distance between themselves and the animals. Visitors should maintain at least about 7m away to avoid spreading diseases to animals like gorillas and also for their safety.
- Dangerous objects like knives are not allowed as they are a threat to animals and other tourists.
- The use of flashlight cameras is not accepted as gorillas don’t like light and can feel threatened.
- While in the park, avoid petting animals because they can easily attack and cause harm.
- Children below the age of 15 years are not allowed to go Gorilla trekking.
- Use only open trails and roads and stay on marked trails. Stay away from cliffs, cracks, and steam vents.
- Eating is not allowed inside the park, especially while carrying out tourism activities.
Simultaneously, visiting Volcanoes National Park can be enjoyable when all the rules and regulations are observed.
