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Rwanda Gorilla Groups

Rwanda Gorilla Groups

Rwanda has a total of 10 gorilla families in the volcanoes national park northwestern part of the country. Each family is trekked by a group of eight people per day and the allocation depends on the traveler’s fitness and his/her choice. Gorilla families are located on different altitude which are nearer, medium and hard, which mean that travelers choose which ones they want to trek depending on their fitness. However regardless of which group trekked, all travelers are assured of a memorable experience. Gorilla Trek Africa bring you details on each gorilla group in Volcanoes National park.

Susa family

The family derives its name from Susa river along which the gorilla family was first spotted by Dian Fossey which make it the favorite of most people on Rwanda gorilla safaris. Susa family was known to be the largest gorilla family in the entire volcanoes national park with 42 members and would sometimes move to the higher altitudes which make its trekking quite difficult. However, the family later split to form karismbi family, which reduced the number of members to 28 gorilla members.  
Karisimbi family (Susa B)

As already said, this gorilla family split from Susa A and became independent. At present, the family has 15 members some of which were former members of Susa A while others joined from other family members. The gorilla family lives on the slopes of mount karisimbi, which make it quite difficult to trek.
Amahoro family

This is the most peaceful family in volcanoes national park led by Ubumwe a dominant silverback. Amahoro is translated in kirwanrwanda as peaceful and the family has surely proved to be peaceful despite compared o other families. Amahoro families comprise of 17 members and live beneath karisimbi volcano.
Hirwa family

The gorilla family formed after some members split from Sabyinyo and Agashya families to form one Hirwa family. The family comprise of 9 members which include a dominant silver back, 2 juveniles, 3 young ones and 3 female adult gorillas.
Kwitonda family

This family formerly inhabited the tropical rain forest of the Democratic republic of Congo after which it migrated to Rwanda and settled in volcanoes national park. Kwitonda, which means “humble one”, is the head of a family with 18 members, 1 other silverback and the black back. The past movements of kwitonda family to the DRC made its trekking difficult but has presently settled in Rwanda and available for trekking.
Sabyinyo family

This is the most peaceful family in volcanoes national park led by Ubumwe a dominant silverback. Amahoro is translated in kirwanrwanda as peaceful and the family has surely proved to be peaceful despite compared o other families. Amahoro families comprise of 17 members and live beneath karisimbi volcano.
Agashya family

The family was formerly headed by Nyakarima who was over thrown by Agashya a dominant silverback who currently heads the family. At the time of its habituation, Agashya family comprised of comprised of 13 members but has presently expanded to 25 individuals with the leadership of Agashya.
Umubano family

Led by Charles the dominant silverback, Umubano gorilla family was formerly part of the Amahoro family, which broke up when Charles disagreed with Ubumwe the dominant silver back of Amahoro family. Charles decided to start his independent family and went with other families’ members from Amahoro group. At present, Umubano has a total of 9 members with 1 silverback.
Bwenge family

This familycomprises of 11 members and is led by Bwenge a dominant silverback. In 2007, Bwenge broke from his former family and was later joined by other members. The family faced hard times in the start when it lost 6 infants at the once which was a great draw back.
Ugenda family

The family derived its name from Kinyarwanda word, which means a “move” due to its continuous movements from one place to another. The family now consists of 11 members with 2 silverbacks and roars in the slopes of mount karisimbi.
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Gorilla Trekking FAQs

Gorilla Trekking FAQs

Most frequent questions and answers

Where are mountain gorillas found?

There are two separate populations of mountain gorillas, one group is found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda, the other group is protected within 3 national parks in the Virunga Mountains that straddle the borders of the 3 countries. The 3 parks include Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in DR Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.

How many mountain gorillas are there?

The current global population of mountain gorillas is estimated to be around 1,063 animals. About half of these live in Bwindi and the rest in the Virunga Mountains. Part of the gorilla population has been habituated into human-friendly groups which are visited by tourists throughout the year. The habituation exercise aims at making wild gorillas get used to the presence of humans and it is regularly done to boost tourism and strengthen gorilla conservation.

How much does it cost to trek mountain gorillas?

Travelers who want to trek mountain gorillas are required to purchase gorilla permits from the national parks in order to access the animals. Each country has a unique price for a gorilla permit. DR Congo’s gorilla permit is the cheapest at $400 per person followed by Uganda at $700 and Rwanda at $1,500. Due to the need to promote gorilla conservation, gorilla permits are issued in limited numbers to control human interference and allowing gorillas to thrive in their natural habitat.

How many people are allowed to trek gorillas?

Each habituated gorilla group is visited once a day by a group of 8 trekkers. Visitors are permitted to spend only one hour in the presence of gorillas in order to allow the animals enjoy their habitat with limited human interference. While in the presence of gorillas, visitors are free to take pictures of the animals but they should do so quietly and from a distance of at leat 7 meters away from them. Trekkers are also advised not to litter, spit or eat from the gorilla habitat in order to control spreading human-related illnesses to the animals. Gorillas which share 98% of the human DNA are highly susceptible to human viruses.

When is the best time to go for gorilla trekking?

Gorilla trekking is carried out throughout the year but the best gorilla trekking experience is achieved in the dry months of June to September and December to February. The steep and rugged terrain in the montane forests where gorillas are found can be very difficult to hike in the rain season due to wet and slippery conditions. Gorillas also move freely in their groups during dry days and this makes it easy for visitors to see them unlike on wet days where they tend to confine themselves in one place.

What to pack for gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking is such a tenacious activity in the wild which requires a relative level of fitness and the right gear. Some of the most important gear to pack for gorilla trekking include a pair of hard trousers, long-sleevd shirt, pair of gloves, rain jacket, and hiking boots. Trekkers are also encouraged to pack a good camera to capture some of the breathtaking moments with the gorillas lest they forget such memories. Other requirements like drinking water, snacks and a walking stick are provided at the places of accommodation and at the park headquarters. Porters are also available at the park to help trekkers who may fall short of the hiking energy before they reach the gorillas. Each porter is hired at a fee between $15 and $20.

Which country has got the best gorilla trekking experience?

Gorilla trekking is phenomenal in all the 3 countries because of similar physical factors within the gorilla habitats and their surroundings. However, its human factors like infrastructure, security, accommodation and cost that make the difference. Rwanda has the best infrastructure leading to their gorilla trekking destination which include good roads and a short driving time of just 3 hours. Accommodation facilities like lodges and hotels around the gorilla habitat in Rwanda are also of a very high standard and this include all luxury, midrange and budget facilities. One factor that tries to raise eyebrows as far as gorilla trekking in Rwanda is concerned, is the price of the gorilla permit at $1,500. Although this appears to be high, most of the trekkers confess that the rewards and satisfaction derived from the gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda is worth every penny. Uganda has got a cheaper gorilla permit at $700 but the long driving time from the capital Kampala to Bwindi of more than 10 hours tends to discourage some travelers. In fact, there is a shorter distance from Rwanda’s Kigali International Airport to Bwindi than from Kampala and this is the route most travelers who want to trek gorillas in Uganda use. DR Congo has the cheapest gorilla permit of them all at $400 but the insecurity around Virunga National Park due to civil conflicts in the eastern region of the country scares away many potential visitors. Those who make it to Virunga usually access the park from Rwanda via Gisenyi border or fly in at Goma International Airport from Kigali

Professionals at Gorilla Trek Africa have answers to all gorilla trekking questions ensuring an enjoyable, less stressing and lifetime experience withe the endangered gorillas.

How many gorilla groups are available for trekking?

Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has the highest number of habituated gorilla groups with more 15 of them. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda has 10 while Virunga National Park in DR Congo has got 8. However, trekkers are permitted to visit only one gorilla group per day as one of the measures to enhance their conservation.

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How to obtain a gorilla permit or pass

How to obtain a gorilla permit or pass

Most frequent questions and answers

What is a gorilla permit?

A gorilla permit is a document or card that must be purchased by a tourist in order to be allowed to visit and meet gorillas in the wild. In this case we are referring to gorilla permits for trekking mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Why do I need to purchase a gorilla permit in advance?

Unlike other tourist experiences like game viewing, tourists must pay for gorilla permits in advance. Gorilla tourism is highly regulated in order to allow the animals continue to thrive in their natural habitat given that they are highly endangered. This is done in several ways including limiting their exposure to humans through issuing a limited number of gorilla permits per day and limiting the time tourists spend in the presence of gorillas to just an hour.

How can I buy a gorilla pass??

The easiest way of purchasing a gorilla permit is through a local tour agent. Since gorilla permits are required to be purchased or booked in advance before the trekking date, local tour agents do this on behalf of the tourist.

How much is a gorilla permit?

The price of a gorilla permit is different in all the 3 countries. Rwanda gorilla permit is sold at the highest price at $1,500 per person. Uganda gorilla permit is sold at $700 for non-residents and $600 for foreign residents per person. Congo gorilla permit is the cheapest at $400 per person.

When do I need to purchase a gorilla permit?

Due to strict gorilla conservation regulations, only a limited number of permits are issued per day.  This requires tourists to book for gorilla permits at least 6 months before the trekking date. This is the reason why it is very important for tourists to work hand in hand with local tour agents to help them secure the gorilla permits.

How long is a gorilla pass valid?

Each gorilla permit issued is valid for a single trekking trip.

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Gorilla Trekking Rules & Regulations

Gorilla Trekking Rules & Regulations

Mountain Gorillas, gorilla tracking, trekking rules, and regulations

  • Mountain gorillas are highly endangered, only just over 1,000 are left in the world, of which 360 are found in the Virunga Mountains.
  • A male African mountain gorilla acquires his silver back at about 11-13 years of age.
  • The dominant silverback, usually the strongest male, mates with the females once the females are about 10 years old.
  • Mountain gorillas have been found to live as high as 3,500mtrs in the mountains.
  • Mountain gorillas live in families of about 8-15, although a group as large as 30 gorillas was once recorded.
  • The females in the group can come from different families; therefore, not all the gorillas are related.

Gorilla Tracking Rules in Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo

To protect the gorillas and tourists the rules below must be followed:

  • You are not allowed to track gorillas if you have a communicable disease, e.g. diarrhea, flu, etc.
  • You don’t have to surround the gorillas but remain in a tight group
  • Leave a distance of not less than 5 meters between you and the gorillas
  • Flash photography is strictly forbidden
  • You are not allowed to eat or smoke within 200 meters of the gorillas
  • If you cannot avoid sneezing or coughing, turn away from the gorillas and cover your nose and mouth
  • Bury all your human faeces in a hole dug at least 30cm (1ft) deep and ensure that it is properly covered afterwards
  • Do not spit on vegetation or soil while in the park
  • No person under 15 years is allowed to track gorillas
  • Do not make a loud noise or sudden movements in the presence of gorillas
  • All litre must be removed from the park for disposal
  • Please observe all instructions from your guide.

What to take for Gorilla trekking in Africa – A checklist

  • Rain gear and hat
  • Insect repellent
  • Binoculars
  • Camera
  • Solid walking boots
  • Sunscreen
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Porters are available at a small cost.
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Dian Fossey Hiking Rwanda Tour

Dian Fossey Hiking Rwanda Tour

Dian Fossey was a primatologist and founded the Karisoke research Centre in 1967; she took most of her time studying the endangered mountain gorillas for 18years. A Dian Fossey Hiking Rwanda Tour is one of the tourist activities to look out for in Rwanda.

She began her career in occupational therapy and she was one of the few members who belonged to a group known as Trimates for prominent female scientists

On the 26th of December in 1985 she was brutally murdered at her home and her body was returned to her research Centre. She was laid to rest alongside the gorillas where she had a lot of passion.

One needs a permit to do a hike which costs 70 USD per person. Permits are only issued at tourism offices in Kigali or from the Volcano National Park headquarters in Kinigi.

However, if it is a high season it advised to book your permit 3 months in advance though Diana Fossey hike is not as popular as Gorilla trekking.  

The Dian Fossey Hiking Rwanda Tour is one of the cheapest hikes you can do in the Volcanoes National Park and the fee includes a professional guide.

Booking dates are not changed in case you fail to make it on the date you booked, you will have to pay full price again.

If you are staying in hotels around Musanze or Kinigi, hotels will organize for you transport those costs around USD50 to and from.

From Kigali to volcanoes national park a person using public means would go to Nyabugogo Taxi Park and get a bus to Musanze town, a trip that takes 2hours.

The buses between Kigali to Musanze run from about 9:00 am to 6:00pm every day and this makes it easy for one to finish his hike and head back to Kigali.

Dian Fossey was more familiar with Musanze town which is now home to her research centre and recently a small museum was opened for to learn more about her work with the gorillas and other Rwanda’s latest conservation efforts.

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • The hike takes almost two hours one way with stops for water
  • A must see is Dian’s tomb
  • The terrain itself is muddy thus one must be mindful of where he steps
  • The walking sticks are provided at the briefing Centre
  • A professional guide is provided
  • A person who is not physically fit or has healthy issues is advised to skip this activity
  • You need your passport and the permit
  • Pack some light snacks and water
  • Wear long pants and shoes that have grip
  • Be at the headquarters for debriefing and registration as early as 7:00am
RATES
 
  • A permit costs USD75 per person.
  • Car hire from Uganda ranges from USD 150-200 per day.
  • A taxi trip from Kigali one way costs RWF 1500.
  • Accommodation ranges between USD 146-465 full board for high end people around Kigali, Musanze and Kinigi.
Contact us today to inquire about the Dian Fossey Hiking Rwanda Tour.