Virunga Apr 2026

Virunga : A Century of Guardianship and Untamed Beauty Deep in the Albertine Rift Valley of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) lies a land of extremes, where fire meets ice and ancient primates share the shadows with forest elephants. This is Virunga National Park , Africa’s oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site that has stood as a beacon of hope for over 100 years. The Wildlife: Meeting the Mountain Giants

: Beyond gorillas, the park is the only site on Earth to host three types of great apes: mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, and eastern chimpanzees. It also boasts more bird species than the entire United States. The Landscape: Fire, Ice, and Jungle Virunga

: Visitors can embark on life-changing treks to spend an hour with habituated gorilla families, an experience many describe as a "magical hour". Virunga : A Century of Guardianship and Untamed

Virunga is famously home to about one-third of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. These "gentle giants" are making a remarkable comeback; recent reports from early 2026 highlight new births within the Munyaga family, showcasing the success of dedicated conservation efforts. It also boasts more bird species than the

The park’s name comes from the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga , meaning "volcanoes". Journey to Virunga National Park - Scott Ramsay