4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari, Dian Fossey & Golden Monkey Tracking

This 4 days Rwanda gorilla and Dian Fossey safari. Are you looking for than just gorilla experience in Rwanda? This safari in Rwanda combines mountain gorilla encounter, golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park and a visit to Dian Fossey grave- a lady whose love, dedication and passion for mountain gorillas is always commemorated in the conservation of these primates in the Virunga massif.
Therefore; on this tour in Rwanda, expect to meet the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park on your gorilla trekking adventure and visit grave of Dian Fossey. Dian Fossey was a lady behind conservation of mountain gorillas and its partly because of her efforts that gorilla trekking experiences exist up to date. She was brutally murdered by poachers from her research institute of Karisoke Research Center and her body lies next to the gorillas she lived with.

4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari, Dian Fossey & Golden Monkey Tracking Highlight

Day 1: Arrival And Transfer To Volcanoes National Park
Day 2: Gorilla Tracking And Twin Lakes Visit
Day 3: Dian Fossey Hike And Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village Visit
Day 4: Golden Monkey Tracking And Transfer To Kigali

Day 1: Arrival And Transfer To Volcanoes National Park

On your arrival, meet and greet our company representative and guide from Kigali international airport for quick briefing and later take a city tour to visit major historical and cultural sites such as visit cultural villages and craft shops, Gisozi Genocide Memorial Monument to pay our tribute to the fallen Rwandans. Have lunch from the historic Hotel Mille Des Collines and later transfer to Musanze amidst the magical views and rolling hills of the country reaching at Volcanoes National Park in the evening. Check in at your booked hotel, relax, take dinner and overnight at your reserved lodge as you prepare yourself for a physically challenging mountain gorilla safari activity the following day.
Accommodation options: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Moderate) and Kinigi Guest House (Low budget)
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2: Gorilla Tracking And Twin Lakes Visit

On this second day of your Rwanda gorilla and Dian Fossey safari, you will wake up for an early breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters to catch up with the 30 minutes briefing that normally starts at 7:30. Be informed about the dos and don’ts of gorilla tracking in Volcanoes national park, divided into groups and get allocated to a particular gorilla family to track. Head into the forests in search for mountain gorillas, a quest that normally lasts for about 2- 8 hours depending on how long you may take to locate them. After locating them, spend a full hour of a close encounter, take photographs and watch them play. After gorilla tracking, return to your lodge for lunch, relax and later drive to visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo then return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Moderate) and Kinigi Guest House (Low budget)
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Dian Fossey Hike And Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village Visit

On this day, you will visit Dian Fossey grave who was an American lady to dedicate her life to protect and conserve mountain gorillas for decades. This hike is quite physical and challenging but worth a visit as you explore Rwanda’s history of Mountain Gorilla conversation initiatives. After this trek, return to your lodge for lunch. Later in the afternoon, go for cultural tour to visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village where Rwandan culture manifests itself inform of dances and various traditional acts. Drive back to your lodge for an overnight stay and dinner.
Accommodation options: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Moderate) and Kinigi Guest House (Low budget)
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Golden Monkey Tracking And Transfer To Kigali

After a cup of coffee, drive to the park headquarters to catch up with a group and after head into the deep jungles of volcanoes to look for Golden Monkeys. The trail may take up to 5hours based on movement of monkeys that day. You will have a full hour with these primates after spotting them before descending to the starting point. Transfer back to your lodge for lunch and drive back to Kigali International Airport to end your 4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari, Dian Fossey & Golden Monkey Tracking
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

Gorilla families in Rwanda.

Trekking mountain gorillas is one of the most done activities in Rwanda. Unfortunately it can only be done in democratic republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. In Rwanda it can only be done in one national park and that is volcanoes national park in musanze. Volcanoes national park apparently 10 habituated gorilla families and 8 permits are allowed per group per day making availability of 80 permits every day. Each gorilla family has something unique to offer that can be in terms of size, dominance, character and more. Some groups are led by very peaceful silverbacks and if you indeed portray the same it would be recommended to friendship with a peaceful family.

Below are habituated gorilla families in volcanoes national park which can be visited on Rwanda tours.

Susa gorilla family

This is the biggest gorilla group in volcanoes national park. This group comprises of 33 members and 2 silver backs although the group has a total of 42 individuals before it split. The most thrilling things about Susa gorilla group are the twins in the group and its size. It’s also the first group Dian Fossey an American primatologist first studied during her years in Rwanda. Susa gorilla family is the hardest group to be trekked as per now but it turns out to be the most liked and preferred by most mountain gorilla trekkers. Susa gorilla family lives in the lower base of mountain karisimbi.

Sabyinyo gorilla family

Sabyinyo gorilla family comprised of 13 individuals and 2 silverbacks. Sabyinyo gorilla came up shortly after the death of a dominant silverback that was leading a group of 13 members. After the death of a dominant silverback, a few females were left teaming uo with other females from group 11 forming a total of 4 females and 2 silverbacks and their names was also changed to sabyinyo gorilla group.  The silverback that is leading sabyinyo gorilla family at the moment is one of the largest in volcanoes national park in Rwanda. This group inhabits on the slopes of mountain sabyinyo and this makes it easy for them to be trekked.

Amahoro gorilla family

The word amahoro means peace in Kinyarwanda and this means the group is well known for its peaceful ways. The peaceful character of amahoro gorilla family has caused it to lose its members to gorilla groups who wish to expand their respective families. Amahoro gorilla family currently stays on the slopes of mountain bisoke and has 18 individuals with 2 silverbacks. Amahoro gorilla family is hard to trek as the terrain to the slopes of mountain bisoke. If you have a pleasant character in nature and love peace as well then you might have a book your gorilla permits for trekking amahoro gorilla family.

Agashya gorilla family

Agashya gorilla family is previously known as group 13 bit it changed its name recently. The name group 13 was named because due to initial number of 13 individuals that started the group. Initially agashya gorilla group was led by a dominant silverback called nyakarima who was overthrown by another dominant leader agashya who still lead the group today. The name agashya means news in Kinyarwanda and surprisingly the name was named after him. The group apparently has many members about 27 with one silverback. Agashya gorilla family lives on the slopes mountain sabyinyo just like sabyinyo family.

Umubano gorilla family

The word umubano means live together in Rwanda. This gorilla family consists of 13 individuals among which include 2 silverbacks. Umubano gorilla family was created by some members of the amahoro family after one the silverbacks called Charles broke off to form his own gorilla group family. Despite the peace in amahoro gorilla family, Charles and ubumbwe had endless battles until Charles couldn’t take it anymore hence the formation of umubano gorilla group.  Umubano gorilla family leaves in the same territories of the amahoro group. 

Kwitonda gorilla family

Kwitonda gorilla family is a family of 23 individuals including 4 silverbacks. The group lives on the slopes of mountain muhabura and got its name from the late dominant silverback which is called kwitonda. This group at first lived in the democratic republic of Congo but later migrated to volcanoes national park and lives on the slopes of mountain muhabura.

Hirwa gorilla family

Hirwa gorilla family is a new member in volcanoes national park and has 16 members with 1 silverback. The group was formed by members of sabyinyo gorilla family. Hirwa gorilla family lives between mountains of gahinga and sabyinyo.  This is one of the luckiest group in volcanoes national park and it’s among the few that have twins which were born in a year of 2011. The word hirwa means lucky one.

Karisimbi gorilla family

Just like its name, karisimbi gorilla family inhabits around the slopes of mountain karisimbi. Karisimbi has 16 individual with one silver back. Karisimbi gorilla family broke off from Susa gorilla family and that’s why it’s called Susa B in some cases. It’s among the hardest gorilla families to be trekked because it stays on the upper slopes of mountain karisimbi.

Ugenda gorilla family

Ugenda family is comprised of 11 members including 2 silver backs. The word ugenda means mobile which explains why tis gorilla group is always on the move and it hardly settles in one place. This group lives on mountain bisoke and the hike is not very difficult.

Bwenge gorilla family

The word bwenge means wisdom. Bwenge gorilla family consists of 11 with 1 silverback. The group lives on the slopes of mountain bisoke and hiking is relatively easy. Those who are lazy in trekking its better you trek this gorilla group

Titus gorilla family

Titus gorilla family was named after silverback called Titus. A primate that was born during the time of Dian Fossey a primatologist was still carrying out her research at karisoke research center. Titus family was murdered by a group of poachers leaving him as the only survivor. Titus gorilla group lives on the slopes of mountain karisimbi and bisoke volcanoes