Volcanoes National Park, located in Northwest Rwanda, is one of the places where you can trek to see endangered mountain gorillas.
The park is part of the Virunga Range volcanoes and has 10 habituated mountain gorilla families that tourists can visit.
Only eight people are allowed to trek a gorilla family in a single day. Gorillas share 95% of their DNA with humans, making them close relatives, like bonobos and chimpanzees.
Each mountain gorilla has a unique nose print, similar to how humans have unique thumbprints.
Mountain gorillas live at high elevations in tropical and subtropical forests. They have long, thick fur that helps them survive the cold conditions of the rain-forest.
Gorillas live in social groups led by a silverback, who decides the group’s activities and protects the family from danger.
Umubano Gorilla Family
The Umubano mountain gorilla family separated from the Amahoro gorilla family when two silverbacks, Ubumbwe and Charles, could not get along and decided to part ways. The name “Umubano” comes from a Kinyarwanda word meaning “living together.” The Umubano family shares the same territory with the Amahoro family.
The group has 13 members, including 2 silverbacks, 3 adult females, 6 infants, and 1 sub-adult. The Umubano and Amahoro families are often seen interacting peacefully, without fighting. Trekking to see the Umubano family can take 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on their location from the previous day.
Umubano is not the only gorilla family to visit in Volcanoes National Park. There are 9 other groups that visitors can trek. Group allocation depends on factors like age, fitness level, and other considerations.
Other Activities in Volcanoes National Park
- Mountain Climbing: Volcanoes National Park is home to four of the Virunga Massif volcanoes: Mount Sabinyo, Mount Gahinga, Mount Karisimbi, and Mount Bisoke. Mountain gorillas live on the slopes of these volcanoes, and besides gorilla trekking, visitors can also enjoy climbing these volcanoes. Each mountain offers spectacular views from the top.
- Birding: The park is home to 178 bird species, some of which are endemic to the Virunga area. Examples include the collared apalis, Ruwenzori turaco, handsome francolin, red-faced woodland warbler, Archer’s ground robin, and strange weaver bird.
Gorilla permits are only available to people aged 15 and above. Each permit costs $1,500 per person. Only eight people are allowed to trek one mountain gorilla family per day. Gorilla trekking is an unforgettable experience, allowing you to spend one hour observing mountain gorillas as they go about their daily activities.
Volcanoes National Park can be visited year-round, but the best times are during the long dry season from June to September and the short dry season from December to February.
