VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK

Reservations are essential for purchasing permits. Either directly with the office, or through a travel agency. The agency can also provide transport to the various sites and organize a visit from Goma to Mont Ruwenzori, accessible from the town of Beni.

Located along the Rwandan and Ugandan borders, the Virunga National Park (PNVi) is Africa's oldest park (originally the Albert National Park, created in 1925). It covers an area of 785,000 hectares and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (in danger). It boasts an incredible variety of landscapes: active and extinct volcanoes; the Semliki rainforest; mountain forests; the glaciers and snow of Ruwenzori (the country's highest point and third highest on the continent); the grassy savannahs of Rwindi; and a multitude of swamps, lakes and rivers, including Lake Edward on the border with Uganda.

Its biodiversity is the richest on the African continent. It is home to numerous animal species, most of them endemic and threatened with extinction: over 700 species of birds and almost 220 species of mammals. Among the emblematic species spread across the park's various biotopes are: okapi, lion, buffalo, elephant, hippopotamus, antelope, warthog, serval... And of course the famous primates, of which the park is home to 22 species, including three varieties of great ape - unique among all the world's protected areas: the mountain gorilla, a few specimens of the lowland gorilla (the majority of which are found in the neighbouring Kahuzi-Biega park in South Kivu) and the chimpanzee.

But the Virunga Park has paid a heavy price for the war that took place inside the park in the 2000s, resulting in the severe destruction of the natural environment, systematic poaching and the death of many rangers. Even today, the Virunga region continues to be affected by armed conflict and political instability. This forces the authorities at times to partially or completely close the park and suspend tourist activities.

It is therefore essential to follow travel advisories issued by the relevant authorities, consult the latest information on the security situation and contact local travel agencies or tourism operators for up-to-date information before planning a visit.