Surround yourself with breathtaking nature
Virunga National Park
The Virunga National Park is the oldest and most diverse National Park in Africa and was founded more than 125 years ago by the Belgian King Albert I.Today is the safe haven for the mountain gorilla, the chimpanzee and a great variety of other wild- and birdlife.
Always keep an eye open when you’re out in the park and if you’re lucky, you might see one of the many breeds of monkeys and birds who see the Virunga National Park as their home. But also bigger mammals like Elephants, Buffalo and Hippo can be found in the Virunga Park.
During your stay at the Mikeno Lodge, the Virunga Park Headquarters and the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage are really just a short walk away. If you’re interested, you can get a tour and see behind the screens of the entire operation. Who knows, you might get to meet the Director of the park, Prins Emmanuel De Merode.
From Mikeno lodge is also possible to go out and visit the Chimpanzee Habituation project, the Bloodhound Anti-Poaching Unit and of course the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage, which is the only mountain-gorilla orphanage in the world.
The more active visitors of Virunga can hike the Nyiragongo Volcano to see the world’s largest lava lake on top or for the real climbers the Park is also home to the Rwenzori Mountains, where you can hike up to a summit of above 5100m! As you can see there is so much to do in Virunga, here is a list of all the activities in Virunga you can explore,
Visit these amazing animals
Mountain Gorilla
One of the biggest attractions during your visit to the Virunga National Park is without a doubt the mountain gorilla trekking. Meet these amazing animals and be astonished by their playful nature after a one hour walk through the jungle on the mountain. Make sure to bring your camera for some breathtaking pictures.
Spend the night next to the crater
Nyiragongo Volcano
Climbing the Nyiragongo Volcano is not an activity you can underestimate, but it is without doubt one of the most exciting activities you can do in Africa. At the end of this hike with a comfortable pace, you will reach the top of this very active volcano and you’ll witness the beauty of the World’s largest lava lake!
While staying at the Mikeno lodge you can visit the Chimpanzee Habituation program, a project that aims towards bringing the chimpanzee population back to Virunga National Park. If the chimps are in the area, you can even go on a chimpanzee trekking.
See behind the scenes of the Virunga Park operations during a tour of the HQ. If you’re lucky, you might meet the park director, Prince Emmanuel De Merode.
You’ll be able to see what they are doing to protect the park and make sure that the animals feel at home and safe.
Discover how these orphan gorillas are raised
Sekwekwe Gorilla Orphanage
Say hello to Andre and his four orphan mountain gorillas who starred in the Oscar winning documentary Virunga. These gorillas are the only remaining gorillas of the 2007 Gorilla Genocide. During these atrocities, 10 gorillas were found dead and 7 of them were brutally murdered.
Find out how the animals of Virunga are being protected
Bloodhound Anti-Poaching Unit
Take a walk with the Bloodhoud Anti-Poaching Unit and find out more about how these amazing dogs are trained to trace poachers in and around the Virunga National park. Find out about all of their success stories and join them in one of their trainings!
Spend a day on the Lake Kivu! Based on the Tchegera Island you can use the canoes to explore the area. The island and the lake offer a majestic view of the active volcanoes and the city of Goma. Enjoy and relax with a cold drink on the beach.
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