Gorilla Trekking Families in Volcanoes National Park: Volcanoes National Park is one of the oldest national parks in the world. The park was gazetted as a national park in 1925 purposely to protect and conserve the endogenous Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda. It is famous for its Mountain Gorillas. This park is located in the northwestern part of the country in Musanze earlier known as Ruhengeri, and covers an area of approximately 160 square kilometers. the park encompasses of rainforest comprising five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains such as Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Muhabura, Bisoke, and Karisimbi. More so, this park is part of the Virunga conservation area and is bordered by Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National in the Pearl of Africa. The park is home to half the world’s remaining endangered mountain gorillas trekked by tourists in 10 habituated mountain gorillas. The park also boasts beautiful vegetation types that act as food for a variety of wildlife including bird species, and animal species for example buffaloes, bush backs, elephants, giant forest hogs, golden Monkeys, hyenas, black-fronted duiker among others.
Volcanoes National Park offers visitors a number of amazing things and activities including gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, birding, Dian Fossey grave, cave exploration, guided nature walks, picnics, and volcano hiking among others. Here are some of the things to do while exploring Volcanoes National Park.
List of Gorilla Trekking Families
Kurira gorilla family
The Kurira gorilla family was established in 1974 by the dedicated researcher Dian Fossey. Initially, the family started with just seven members, but over time, their numbers grew to 42. This rapid increase led to the necessity of splitting the group, resulting in the formation of a new family known as the Igisha family, or Susa B. At the helm of the Kurira family is a strong male silverback named Kurira, who plays a crucial role in leading and protecting his group.
The Susa gorilla family
Susa is home to 28 remarkable mountain gorillas, making it the largest group of its kind. While this group was once part of a larger family of over 40, they now consist of these 28 individuals, which include three silverbacks, the dominant males of the group. This area has a rich history, having been originally studied by the famous primatologist Dian Fossey, and it resides on the lush slopes of Mount Karisimbi.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Susa group is its unique record of twin births. In a rare occurrence, a female gorilla named Nyabitondore, who was only 12 years old at the time, gave birth to twins – a boy and a girl—on May 19, 2004. Against the odds, Nyabitondore has successfully raised her twins, who are now three years old. Their survival marks a significant milestone as they could be the first twins to thrive in the history of mountain gorillas.
To visit Susa, you would need to embark on a trek that takes around 3 to 4 hours from the entrance of the national park, allowing you to witness these incredible creatures in their natural habitat.
Amahoro gorilla family
The Amahoro gorilla family is a group of 18 members, which includes two impressive silverbacks, living in Volcanoes National Park. The name “Amahoro” comes from Kinyarwanda, meaning “peace.” This family is famous for its calm and gentle nature, making them stand out in the lush forests of Volcanoes. This silverback is more relaxed and approachable. Typically, they make their home on the sloping sides of Mount Bisoke. However, visiting this family can be quite a challenge, as the trek requires a good amount of energy and stamina to navigate the rugged terrain in which they reside.
Igisha gorilla family
The Igisha gorilla family is made up of 24 members and is led by a strong silverback named Igisha. In 2014, this group split off from the Susa B family to form their own distinct family, taking on Igisha’s name as their own. Trekking to see the Igisha family in Volcanoes National Park can be quite challenging, so it’s important for visitors to be physically prepared for the adventure through the forest.
Sabinyo gorilla family
The Sabinyo gorilla family consists of 13 members, including two silverbacks. This group came together after the previous dominant silverback passed away, leaving behind just a few females. These remaining females joined forces with other females, and together they formed a new family with the two silverbacks, calling themselves Sabinyo. his group has a particularity of its kindness and the hugest silverback in the world. This silverback likes to beat his chest showing that he is powerful. For those looking for a more accessible gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park, the Sabinyo family is often considered the best choice.
Kwitonda gorilla family
The Kwitonda gorilla family consists of 23 members, featuring 4 silverbacks. The name “Kwitonda” comes from the Kinyarwanda word for ‘humble,’ inspired by a prominent silverback who leads the group. Originally, they migrated from the Democratic Republic of Congo and now reside on the lower slopes of Mount Muhabura. It arrived in 2005 with sixteen members all habituated and it was frequently visited by different tourists. They live around the slopes of Mount Muhabura but tend to move within a wide geographical area that makes tracking cumbersome but exciting
Hirwa gorilla family
The Hirwa gorilla family consists of 16 members including twins and is led by a single silverback. This family was formed from members of two other families called Sabinyo and Agashya. They are found on the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo led by a dominant and very protective silverback. The Hirwa name means “lucky one” because the group was lucky to have more individuals join them voluntarily. Locating this group can be difficult on certain days.
Umubano gorilla family
The Umubano gorilla family is made up of 13 individuals, which includes two impressive silverbacks. The Umubano group was once part of the Amahoro family until Charles the leader broke away from Ubumbwe the Amahoro dominant silverback. As he grew older, he started undermining the calm Amahoro group leader. After constant confrontations with Ubumbwe, Charles decided to make off with some females from the Amahoro family to start his own. Ambitious and being a young silverback he has been successful in maintaining his group and gaining more females in a short time. In this group, the silverback is the happiest and the strongest of them all.
Agashya family
The Agashya family, was named after one of its first members who was just 13 years old when the family was accustomed to human observers. Initially, they were led by a silverback named Nyakarima, but leadership eventually passed to Agashya, a name that means ‘news’ in Kinyarwanda. Today, this family has grown to include 27 members, with the male silverback as their leader. They sometimes roam near the territory of the nearby Sabinyo family, exploring deeper parts of the forest regularly.
The Titus gorilla family
Titus is a mountain gorilla who played a significant role in the studies conducted by Dian Fossey at Karisoke. He experienced a tragic childhood, losing his father, mother, and other family members to poachers. Despite these hardships, Titus has become the strongest member of his group, known as a silverback, and now leads his family on the slopes of Mount Karisimbi.
Bwenge gorilla family
The Bwenge gorilla family got its name from a local term meaning “wisdom.” This group was formed in 2007 when Bwenge, a male gorilla, left his original family and came together with several females from different families. You can typically find them on the slopes of Mount Bisoke. One of the appealing things about the Bwenge family is that they are among the most approachable groups in Volcanoes National Park. The trek to find these gorillas is quite strenuous as you hike up the steep slippery slopes of about 600m. It is the special family that featured in the famous movie “Gorillas in the mist”.
Ugenda gorilla family
The Ugenda gorilla family often makes its home on the slopes of Mount Bisoke. This group consists of 11 gorillas, including 2 strong silverbacks. Trekking to see them can be quite a challenge, as their name “Ugenda” means “mobile,” reflecting their tendency to move around frequently in search of food and shelter. The above trekking times are a guideline only and as gorillas have a very large area and can move quite fast, it may take longer to locate them and visitors often walk longer than then detailed above.
