Do I need a visa to visit Virunga national park?
Do I need a visa to visit Virunga national park? A Virunga visa is a legal travel document that allows all foreign non-residents to enter DR Congo before going to the Virunga National Park for a safari.
A Virunga visa is categorized as a tourist Visa and gives permission to travelers to explore the Virunga National Park.
Before DR Congo authorities issue out the visa, tourists must present some documents like proof of gorilla trekking permit, accommodation reservation, and Nyiragongo volcano permit due to security reasons.
For those trying to find out if they need a visa to visit Virunga national park, the answer is yes. All international travelers must secure a visa before visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo. If you are traveling through Rwanda and Uganda, you are advised to work on the visa of the respective countries separately via their consulate web pages.
Tourists can apply for the Virunga Visa from the Democratic Republic of Congo embassy offices in their country of origin and they are advised to apply for this visa 2 weeks before their travel date.
The applicant is required to present two colored passport photo sizes with black and white background and the photos should be of current appearance.
Visitors should also have a valid passport of 6 months old before applying for the Visa
A traveler should also have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate during the application process regardless of whether the visitor has yellow fever or not.
The cost of a Virunga visa is USD 105 and as we said earlier, to qualify for a tourist visa, a traveler must first book any of the Virunga national park packages and make payments. Tourist visas bought online through the national park are non-refundable.
Upon purchasing the tour package and receiving a confirmation of payment, visitors receive an order number immediately to continue with the process of securing the Visa. For American travelers, the Visa lasts for 6 months which is equivalent to 180 days.
