A premier conservation area that protects the Rwandan section of the Virunga massif. The park holds the highest concentration of mountain gorillas within the Virunga range, with habituated groups distributed across its slopes. This is where Dian Fossey conducted her research, and the infrastructure built around gorilla tourism here remains the most developed of the three countries sharing this habitat. The park supports mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in forests that shift from bamboo at lower elevations to hagenia and hypericum zones higher up. Multiple habituated gorilla groups allow for daily permit allocations that exceed those of neighboring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Golden monkeys occupy the bamboo belt, moving quickly through dense vegetation in troops that tolerate close observation. The volcanic peaks: Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Sabinyo, offer hiking routes that range from half-day climbs to overnight expeditions. Fossey's former research station at Karisoke remains accessible by foot.