National Parks of Rwanda
The four parks
| Park | Province | Area | Managed by | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volcanoes | Northern (Musanze) | About 160 km², being enlarged | RDB | Mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, five volcanoes |
| Akagera | Eastern | 1,122 km² | RDB and African Parks (since 2010) | Savannah, lions, rhinos, lakes |
| Nyungwe | Southern and Western | 1,019 km² | RDB and African Parks (since 2020) | Montane rainforest, primates, UNESCO site |
| Gishwati-Mukura | Western | 3,558 ha, plus 962 ha of buffer zone | RDB | Two restored mountain forests |
The four national parks
Gorilla permits
| Visitor | Permit |
|---|---|
| Foreign visitor | USD 1,500 |
| Foreign resident in Rwanda | USD 500 (promotional rate) |
| African citizen | USD 500 (promotional rate) |
| Rwandan and EAC citizen | USD 200 (promotional rate) |
The promotional rates do not apply from June to October 2026. Permits are booked on the RDB portal.
Investing near the parks
- Volcanoes expansion: about 3,740 ha are being added to the park, with 6,620 ha of buffer zones, at a cost of about USD 300 million; families are being resettled in a new village.
- Akagera: 97% of the park’s revenue came from tourism in 2024, and 45% of visitors were Rwandan; 10% of park income goes to the revenue-sharing scheme for neighbouring communities.
- Revenue sharing: a share of park revenue goes to the communities around each park.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many national parks does Rwanda have?
Four: Volcanoes, Akagera, Nyungwe and Gishwati-Mukura. They are run by RDB, two of them with African Parks.
How much does a gorilla permit cost?
USD 1,500 for a foreign visitor.
How many people visit the parks?
The parks drew 155,394 visits and USD 40.8 million in revenue in 2025.
The parks
Volcanoes
The Virunga volcanoes and mountain gorillas, with the planned park expansion.
160 km² Area of the park
Read more
Akagera
Savannah and lakes in the east, with lions and rhinos, run with African Parks.
1,122 km² Area of the park
Read more
Nyungwe
Montane rainforest with chimpanzees and a canopy walkway, run with African Parks.
1,019 km² Area of the park
Read more
Gishwati-Mukura
Two restored mountain forests in the west, with chimpanzees and community tourism.
3,558 ha Area of the park
Read more
Sources
- Rwanda Development Board: Strong performance across investment, exports and tourism in 2025
- Rwanda Development Board: Mountain gorilla tracking permits
- Ministry of Environment: Resettlement Action Plan for the Volcanoes National Park expansion
- Rwanda Development Board: 70 southern white rhino translocated to Akagera National Park
- Rwanda Development Board: Rwanda, African Parks commit to long-term protection of Nyungwe National Park
- RwandaLII: Law N° 45/2015 of 15/10/2015 establishing Gishwati-Mukura National Park
- Visit Rwanda (Rwanda Development Board): Volcanoes National Park
- Rwanda Development Board: Rwanda breaks ground on smart green village and shares tourism revenues with communities
- African Parks: Akagera National Park
- Rwanda Development Board: RDB takes over management of Gishwati-Mukura National Park
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestRwanda.com for general information. Figures come from the sources listed.
