Virunga national park has several gorilla groups in which these gorillas are grouped. Each gorilla family grows up in the family where they are groomed. There are 8 gorilla families in Virunga national park and these include Rugendo, Nyakamwe, Lulengo, kabirizi, Bageni, Munyaga, Humba and Mapuwa.
The following are Gorilla groups found in Virunga national park.
Kabirizi Gorilla Group
Kabirizi Gorilla Group is a gorilla family found in the Virunga and is amazing. It was called Ndungutse in the past. It was named so after the dominant silverback called Ndungutse. Ndungutse silverback was a humble giant silverback that led the family for quite so long and it was assassinated in 1997. Ndugutse was killed during a cross fire between DRC army and rebel group at Bukima patrol station. When Ndugutse died, the group was transferred to Kabirizi so as to honor ICCN director who had died in 1990 traffic accident. Kabirizi gorilla family involves 19 family members and is under the leadership of Silverback Kabirizi who is also a powerful humble silverback. Kabirizi was habituated in 1998. Young silverback Masibo is putting a stiff competition to the leadership of Kabirizi. Trekking Kabirizi gorilla family begins at Bukima patrol post and is such an amazing activity.
Humba Gorilla Group
Humba Gorilla family divided itself from Rugendo Gorilla family. There are 9 group members in Humba family. Humba silverback is the head of this group. Silverback Humba is the son to the silverback Rugendo who was also a former leader of Rugendo gorilla family. Humba is the leader who was in charge and led other group member to separate themselves from Rugendo gorilla family and they form their own gorilla family and they called it Humba gorilla family. Humba silverback is a brother to silverback Senkwekwe and its family is currently one of the most peaceful gorilla group that has no competition over power or leadership. You should visit this gorilla group.
Rugendo Gorilla Group
Rugendo Gorilla Group is among the oldest mountain gorilla groups found in Virunga Park. This is a mother group for many gorilla families found in the park. Mist silverbacks came from this family. The silverback came from Rugendo gorilla family and the sons to this gorilla family include mapuwa, humba and senwenkwe.
Rugendo gorilla group originally had 18 members who were led by Rugendo silverback. During Rugendo’s leadership, the family group faced a lot of power struggles and some is where Humba started fighting his father in 1998. This fight for power ender up causing the split of Humba family group from Rugendo family group. Rugendo family group currently has 9 family members with sub adult member who was got from Mapuwa gorilla group and the leader of the group is Bukima siverback.
Mapuwa Gorilla Group
Mapuwa Gorilla Group is composed of 22 family members and are led by Mveyekure and in the past the group was led by Mapuwa silverback. Mapuwa silverback was a son to Rugendo silverback. In 1998, Mapuwa split from his father Rugendo to form his own family group and it include 2 adult females that is, Mafaze and Jichi. Mapuwa silverback was famous for involving himself in an ending fights and he ended up acquiring more members in his family. In 2002, Mapuwa silverback stripped all the members of strong silverback Pilipili thus leaving him alone. Mapuwa gorilla family is always located in Jomba near Bunagana on the border of Uganda and Congo.
Lulengo Gorilla Group
Lulengo Gorilla Group was in the past known as Musekura group but later it changed its name to Lulengo which was a result of a dominant silverback in the group and for remembrance of a technical director in Virunga national park who had risked his life on the land mine. Lulengo gorilla family is composed of 9 members and it is being led by silverback Lulengo. Lulengo silverback is a born member of Rugabo family group and was first habituated gorilla group in Virunga. Rugabo gorilla group was headed by Rugabo silverback and lulengo silverback as the father. Rugabo was killed by poachers during the great lakes refugee crisis. Lulengo gorilla group is located in Jomba area of Virunga national Park near Bunagana which is at the border of Uganda and Congo.
Munyaga Gorilla Group
Munyaga Gorilla Group has 7 group members and they are found in Bukima sector of Virunga Park. Munyaga Gorilla Group was first habituated in 2010 and it got its name after their leader Munyaga silverback. The group is lucky to the fact that it received the birth of twins who were born by adult female Bilal who had joined the group from Rugendo group. So bad, the twins died later at an infant stage. Munyaga gorilla group has been through various leadership of various silverbacks. The group was led by Munyaga silverback initially but later he was succeeded by Mawazo silverback and Mawazo silverback was succeeded by Gasore silverback who is now the leader of the family group.
Nyakamwe Gorilla Group
Nyakamwe Gorilla Group was currently habituated in Virunga national Park and is the newly habituated gorilla family alongside Bageni gorilla group. This family group currently has 12 family members and are led by Nyakamwe silverback. Nyakamwe gorilla group is currently the 2rd largest gorilla group in Virunga and DR Congo at large. It’s also a peaceful gorilla family that is not struggling with power fights.
Bageni Gorilla Group
Bageni Gorilla Group is made up of 26 gorilla group members and this makes it the larget gorilla group in Virunga National Park. Bageni silverback is the leader of Bageni gorilla group and the name came from him. Because it has more group members with more than 1 silverback, there is a lot of power struggle in the family. The leadership struggle of power is in between Bageni the current leader silverback and kanamaharagi and kitagenda silverbacks.
Africa Adventure Vacations Ltd
Plot 85 Kanjokya Street, Uganda
Phone: +256 752 974500 +256785025022
Email: info@gorillatrekk.com
africaadventurevacations@gmail.com
15 Days Gorilla Safari Tour
12 Days Gorilla safari tour
10 Days Gorilla Safari Tour
8 Days Best Of Uganda Gorillas, Chimpanzee And Tree Climbing Lions
8 days Uganda safari tour – rhinos, wildlife, primates and gorillas
8 Days gorilla safari trip
6 days gorilla safari tour – gorillas, wildlife and chimps safari
7 Days gorilla adventure Tour safari
7 days gorilla tour primates, wildlife safari and gorilla trek
6 Days gorillas and chimpanzee trekking
6 Days Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari in Rwanda
5 Days gorilla safari and Water rafting
5 Days gorillas and wildlife tour
4 Days Gorilla Trekking and Lake Mburo Safari
4 Days gorilla safari and Kampala city tour
17 Days Best of Uganda Wildlife Safari and Cultural tour
1 day Short Gorilla trip – Rwanda
2 Days Gorilla Tracking
3 Days gorilla tracking in Rwanda
3 Days Magical Gorilla Tour And Culture
3 Days Nyiragongo Volcano Hike
3 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee Tour
3 Days Primate Safari
4 Days gorillas and Lake Kivu tour
5 Days Gorilla Trekking Experience
5 Days Rwanda gorilla safari
6 Days Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking Safari in Rwanda
6 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari Tour
6 Days Special Package
7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari Tour
8 Days Best Of Rwanda
8 Days Rwanda Gorilla Holiday Tour
9 Days Expeditions To Rwanda
14 Days Best of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi Tour
15 Days Best Of Uganda Safari Tour
16 Days Remarkable African Safari
19 Days Big Five Safari In Uganda
2 Days Gorilla Safari in Volcanoes Rwanda
3 Days Affordable Gorilla Safari in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda
3 Days Rwanda Chimpanzee Trek In Nyungwe
3 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari In Akagera National Park
4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari, Dian Fossey & Golden Monkey Tracking
4 Days Double Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda
5 Days Best Rwanda Primates Safari
7 Day Uganda Wildlife Safari & Gorilla Habituation Experience
7 Days Rwanda Gorilla Tour & Wildlife Safari
6 Days Mountain Gorilla trekking in DR Congo and Rwanda
9 Days Uganda, Rwanda DR Congo Gorilla Safari
10 Days Gorilla trekking Safari in Congo and Uganda
14 Days Uganda and Rwanda safari
15 Days Uganda gorilla safari tour
16 Days Uganda and Rwanda safari tour
16 Days Uganda and Rwanda safari
16 Days Uganda and Rwanda gorilla safari
20 Days Uganda and Rwanda safari
3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari Uganda
3 Days Chimpanzee Trekking In Kibale National Park
3 Days Murchison Falls Wildlife Safari
3 Days Uganda Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari
3 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking safari from Kigali Rwanda
4 Days Double gorilla trekking safari Uganda
4 Days Gorilla Fly In Safari Uganda
4 Days Luxury Safari to Kidepo Valley National Park
5 Days Mountain Gorilla Tracking and Wildlife Tour In Uganda
9 Days Primate Safari and Genocide Trail
10 Days Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Tour
10 Days Fly In Uganda Gorillas – Rwanda Wildlife & Primate Safari
11 Days Magical Hike To Rwenzori Mountain Ranges
11-Day Hiking Sipi Falls, Abseiling, White Water Rafting and Gorilla Tracking Experience
13 Days Luxury Classic Wildlife Safari in Uganda
1 Day Kampala City Tour
2 Days Lake Mburo National Park Tour
3 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee tour
3 Days Primate Safaris Rwanda
3 Days Nyiragongo Hike
3 Days Sipi Falls Hiking And River Nile Exploration
3 Days Group Tour To Queen Elizabeth Tour
3 Days Magical Experience In Queen Elizabeth National Park
3 Days Murchison Falls National Park – (2 Nights)
3 Days Experience Murchison Falls
4 Days Tree Climbing Lions And Chimpanzees
4 Days Queen Elizabeth And Lake Mburo Safari
5 Days Kampala And Source Of The Nile Tour
5 Days Green Rwanda Experience
5 Days Kidepo Valley National park tour
5 Days Zebra And Lions’ Tour
6 Days Special Package
7 Days Gorilla Trekking And Tree Climbing Lions Of Ishasha
7 Days and 6 nights wildlife safari to Uganda with Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking
8 Days Rwanda Wildlife And Cultural Tour
8 Days Best Of Rwanda
9 Days wildlife Safari to Uganda
9 Days Visit Rwanda
10 Days Rwenzori Mountains Climbing
10 Days Mountain Rwenzori Climbing expeditions
12 Days Best Karamoja Trip Uganda
13 days wildlife safaris and jinja city tour
14 DAYS Big Five & RAFTING – 14 DAYS (13NIGHTS)
15 days Bird watching Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari
15 Days Uganda Hardcore Forest Birding Safari