How much does it cost to visit Virunga National Park?

The price tag for a visit is high: $400 a day for a mountain gorilla trekking permit, while staying at a lodge costs at least $300 a day. However, this is far cheaper than Rwanda, just across the border from the gorilla section of Virunga, where prices were raised to between $750 and $1,500 last year.

Is Virunga safe to visit?

Virunga National Park activities are safe for anyone interested in them because of the security personnel that accompany you in order for you to have a safe activity, the park rangers and military accompany the tourists so that they are protected and also their property during the numerous activities that are carried …

What type of tourist would visit the Virunga National Park?

adventurous type
Travellers who are the adventurous type can travel to Virunga park by road. Virunga park in Congo can be accessed by travellers from Uganda and Rwanda. Travellers accessing the national park from Uganda will have to drive to Kisoro town and cross over to Goma town via the Congo-Uganda border at Bunagana.

Why is Virunga National Park closed?

The Virunga National Park saw closure in April 2020 where every entity was responding to the global pandemic that hit the whole world and was spreading vastly and claiming lives. This global pandemic of Corona virus needed some standard operating procedures to be put in place so that the spread could be curbed.

Is Virunga national park still getting destroyed?

Even through times of armed conflict, the park has survived. But now Virunga itself is under attack. Oil concessions covering 85 per cent of its territory have been designated, and exploration companies are on its doorstep.

How many gorillas are there in Virunga national park?

Despite years of civil unrest in the region where mountain gorillas live, conservation efforts have found success. Findings show populations in the Virunga Massif have grown to 604 individuals, up from 480 individuals in 2010. This puts the total global wild gorilla population over 1,000 individuals.

What are three things you can find in the Virunga national park?

Regarding mammals, the park has the Aardvark, African Buffalos, African Bush Elephants, African Leopards, Bay Duikers, the Blue Duiker, Boehm’s Bush Squirrel, Bongo, Bushbuck, Checkered Elephant, Crested Porcupine, Emin’s Pouched Rat, Giant Forest Hog, Giant Pangolin, Lord Derby’s Scaly tailed Squirrel, Marsh Mongoose.

Is Virunga open?

The Virunga national park is currently open for only the hike up Mount Nyiragongo and the mountain gorilla trekking experience staying in the Kibumba tented camp. This is majorly because of the less traffic and the COVID-19 protocols that have to be put in place.

Why is Virunga National Park in danger?

The park’s magnificent volcanic mountain ranges and endemic species placed it on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979. Political insecurity, poaching, and resource extraction landed the park on the List of World Heritage in Danger, where the park’s status has remained since 1994.

Who owns Virunga National Park?

Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature
In elevation, it ranges from 680 m (2,230 ft) in the Semliki River valley to 5,109 m (16,762 ft) in the Rwenzori Mountains….

Virunga National Park
Area 7,768.93 km2 (2,999.60 sq mi)
Established April 1925
Governing body Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature
Website virunga.org

Why visit Virunga National Park?

The Park abounds with breathtaking sights – dense jungles, vast bubbling lava lakes, wide savannah plains and glacier-clad mountains. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, a visit to Virunga is an experience unlike any other.

What happens when I arrive at Virunga?

If arriving by plane, a Virunga staff will meet you at the arrivals area upon clearing passport control. In both cases, Virunga staff will guide you to the appropriate transport thereafter.

How do I contact the Virunga tourism office?

For general questions about the Park, please email [email protected]. For tourism related questions, please email [email protected]. Virunga’s tourism office in location in Goma, at the Grand Barrier border crossing. Q. What forms of payment can I use in Virunga?

How much does the Virunga National Park visa cost?

The cost of the visa is USD 105. To qualify for a tourist visa, you must first purchase a package. Tourist visas purchased online through Virunga National Park are non-refundable. Once you have booked a package and have received confirmation of your payment, you will receive an order number immediately.