Virunga covers about 7,800 square kilometres — roughly the size of the whole of Luxembourg! Inside you will find snow-capped volcanoes, active lava lakes, steaming hot springs, grasslands, swamps and thick rainforest all in one park. No other park in Africa packs in so many different landscapes.
The park is famous above all for its mountain gorillas. These gentle giants live only in the Virunga mountains and a small area of Uganda, and Virunga is one of the best places on Earth to see them. Rangers work every single day to look after the gorillas and make sure they are safe and healthy.
Alongside gorillas, Virunga shelters forest elephants, hippos, lions, chimpanzees and more than 700 species of bird. Scientists sometimes discover brand-new species here — it is a living treasure chest of wildlife.
The park also contains two active volcanoes: Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira. When you stand on their slopes, you can hear the Earth rumbling beneath your feet. Virunga feels like a place where nature is still very much in charge.