Gorillas in Rwanda
Gorillas in Rwanda are one of the top tourist attractions in the country and have attracted travelers to come and do what happens the most expensive tour activity in the country i.e. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
The mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), only located in the northwestern part of Rwanda, are the world’s endangered primate. The endangered mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes National Park which is at the border with Uganda. The mountain gorillas live in these protected Montane forests of Volcanoes National Park high in the Virunga highlands. And it is operated under Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
The mountain gorillas were not known to the man until 1902 when a German army officer encountered two and killed them. Deforestation and poaching led to the decrease of the mountain gorillas’ population which almost made them less known to the world and extinct. By 1985, the mountain gorillas had reduced in numbers about 300 mountain gorillas were left in the wild. The amount has increased since then and half of the mountain gorillas’ population in the world lives in the Volcanoes National Park.
Mountain Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park covers about 125 sq.km of mountain forest and it is a home for the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. The forested slopes of the Virunga mountains form a natural setting that gets the tourist to have a memorable, exciting and adventurous mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. The climbing to the mountain gorillas’ natural habitat inside the forest offers insight views of all directions of the volcanoes as the trackers move towards the deep insides of the bamboo forests in Volcanoes National Park. On the way, the trackers get a chance to view other wildlife in the forest such as the different species of birds that make pleasant sounds and also witness the rare golden monkeys.
The mountain gorilla group found in Rwanda
There are over 10 groups of habituated gorillas in Volcanoes National Park that are available for tourist activities and the other group are for research purposes. The mountain gorillas usually climb up the mountains in dry seasons and slope down during the wet season. This means that tracking them could be a bit challenging but the rangers all pretty good to know their location so the tourists are not disappointed. In the 10 groups we have the following;
Susa Group (A): Susa group derives its name from River Susa which flows through the home range of Susa group of gorillas. The Susa group has over twenty-eight members with three Silverbacks and it was the biggest gorilla group before separation with forty-two members. The tourists had a chance to view a large number of gorillas scattered in one area.
Susa Group (B): Known as the Karisimbi group was separated from the initial group of 42 individuals to form their fifteen members and mainly found on the slopes of Mt. Karisimbi. Visiting this group takes around a full day hike and tracking is sometimes stopped due to the distance to their location.
Sabyinyo Gorilla Group: This group is found mainly between Mt. Sabyinyo and Mt. Gahinga. The Sabyinyo group has over twelve members with a couple of silverbacks in the group. The strongest silverback is known as Guhonda which is the biggest silverback gorilla in the entire group in the Volcanoes National Park. Sabyinyo has fewer members but very impressive to watch.
Amahoro Gorilla Group: The calmest gorilla group is the Amahoro group which has seventeen members and the Silverback known as Ubumwe is the leader of the group. The group has two Black-blacks, five Adults females, 2 Sub-adults males, and 2 juveniles as well as 5 babies.
Umubano Group: The group consists of eleven members and these gorillas were part of the Amahoro Group but eventually separated from them forming their group known as Umubano. Their first leader was Ubumwe who later fought with Charles and Charles became the new leader. Charles overpowered Ubumwe and was able to take a few females with him forming another group.
The Agashya Group: Originally known as group thirteen, the Agashya group is normally found near the Sabinyo group and has over 25 members with two Silverbacks. Agashya, the leader, increased the number of his members by incorporating solitary gorillas and getting others from other groups in Rwanda.
Kwitonda Group: This group has over 18 group members and it is led by Kwitonda, the silverback. The group was habituated in the Democratic Republic of Congo and later moved to Rwanda in 2005 and they are open for visitation. This group stays far away in the highlands which makes it a challenge for trekking.
Hirwa Group: The Hirwa Group has 11 members including one silverback, three Adult females, two sub-adult females as well as 3 babies. The group happens to have been created after some members of the Agasha group and Sabinyo group joined to form another group.
Bwenge Group: Usually found on the slopes of Karisoke Volcano, Bwenge group has over 11 members with a silverback. The group is becoming stronger after getting two new infants that joined the group in recent years. The trekking of this group is a bit challenging in that it involves moving for around 3 hours.
Ugenda Group: The name of these gorillas means “on the move” because they are always moving from one area to another looking for food within the forests. This group has over 11 members and it is one of the challenging groups to trek.
Accommodations in Volcanoes National Park
A great number of lodges are located near and within the Volcanoes National Park fully packed with accommodation facilities and ranging from luxury, mid-range, and budget. The visitors can choose according to what they prefer during their stay in Rwanda. Some of the great lodges are such as the following;
Mountain Gorillas’ Nest LodgeThis luxury lodge is located in the Musanze district nestled in a forest of eucalyptus trees. This lodge features well-sized accommodation at the Jack Hannah’s cottage with a spectacular view of the slopes of the volcanoes in the Volcanoes National Park. The place has great professional staff and client services are excellent.
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge: The luxury lodge is also located in the Musanze district near to the Volcanoes National Park’s headquarters. The lodge has over 8 cottages all having a pleasant view of the volcanoes rolling hills. The lodge features a sheltered balcony for relaxation and having breakfast. There is also a bar and a restaurant in the lodge.
Garden Place Hotel: It is located in Ruhengeri offering stylish accommodation to both holidays and business travelers. Visitors can easily access the hotel because it is about 30 minutes’ drive from the airport. The hotel features 28 rooms with modern bathrooms having plenty of water and pressure. There is also a restaurant that serves all kinds of meals as well as the quality is legit.
Mountain Gorilla View Lodge: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge neighbors the Volcanoes National Park and it is located in the northern part of Rwanda. The Lodge offers thirty cottages which are made of stones and thatch. The main lodge has a restaurant serving complimentary meals as well as a bar.
Other great lodges that can be tried by the visitors include; Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Gorilla Solution Lodge, Hotel Muhabura, Gorillas Volcanoes Hotel, Le Bambou Gorilla Village, and Kinigi Guest House.
How to get to Volcanoes National Park
Getting from Kigali City to Volcanoes National Park can take around 2 hrs without meeting traffic and the distance is about 109km and the mountain gorilla permits have to be booked before your day of arrival to the park. This is because they easily get finished quickly due to a large number of travelers to Volcanoes National Park.
