Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda Facts, Pictures and 6 Best Tours

Table of Contents

Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda Facts, Pictures and 6 Best Tours:

As you plan your encounter with Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda, it is helpful to learn key facts, such as where to see gorillas in Rwanda, how many left and more.

Globally recognized among the biggest drawcards for travelers to Rwanda, Mountain gorillas are unique wildlife species that behave more like us and seeing these gentle giants as they roam freely in their natural habitat is a rewarding once in a lifetime opportunity.

These massive creatures live in high altitude montane and bamboo forests and endangered and are subspecies of the eastern gorillas. Mountain gorillas in Rwada have a thicker fur compared to other apes and this does help them survive the harsh temperatures especially when they drop below the freezing levels.

Mountain gorillas in Rwanda are grouped into family with each being led by a male silverback (with a silver hair on their backs reaching to the hips) that weighs an average of 200kgs compared to its female counter part that weighs averagely 90kgs.

The Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda are herbivores hence they feed on shrubs, shoots, leaves, roots, fruits, bamboo and tree pulp – a reason as to why they stay in dense rainforests.

Location and Habitat of Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda;

Where to See Gorillas in Rwanda?

Mountain gorillas in Rwanda are found within the Virunga Conservation Area that is shared by Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Rwanda, you will find them in the Volcanoes National Park. This is situated in the Northwestern part of the country in Musanze district.

Volcanoes National Park is considered to be the closest and most accessible national gorilla national park of all around the whole thus making it the best destination to go and see gorillas right in their habitat.

Mountain gorillas prefer Volcanoes National Park because this does have tropical rainforests within her boundaries that brings about variations in the amounts of rains they receive throughout the year that facilitate the growth of what they feed on.

They usually move from place to place to search for food and in a day, these can feed on about 60 pounds of vegetation.

There 5 volcanoes found within this park (mount Karisimbi, mount Muhabura, mount Bisoke, mount Sabyinyo and mount Gahinga) and mountain gorillas in Rwanda live within their slopes.

These great massive creatures have survived in a difficult world and are thought to have gone extinct towards the end of the twentieth century.

But following great conservation efforts that were started by an American primatologist Dian Fossey who relocated from Virunga National Park to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda but later killed in 1985 by unknown people, the population of mountain gorillas is growing steadily.

Her death did not stop the conservation efforts that including the anti-poaching measures like collecting and destroying the deadly snares that were put in place to capture gorillas and kill them from going on.

The government of Rwanda has since partnered with various conservation organisations like the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, The Gorilla Organisation, International Gorilla Conservation Organisation, Gorilla Doctors and Wildlife Conservation Society.

Currently, there over 1,100 mountain gorillas in the wild and out of these, 700 individuals live within the Virunga conservation area that is shared by Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo.

The population of these endangered species is increasing and this is attributed to the continued conservation efforts between the governments, different partners and communities that live within these protected areas where mountain gorillas can be seen.

Mountain gorilla conservation dates back to the 1970’s when American primatologist, Dian Fossey arrived in the Virunga mountains – the habitat of these endangered species. Fossey left her home country to dedicate her life towards protecting, conserving and studying man’s closest relative in their natural habitat.

The population of these species between 1959 and 1960 was fluctuating with the first census done by George Schaller’s registering only 400 individuals in the Virunga area. This was followed by Dian Fossey’s population that was carried out between 1971 and 1973 documenting about 250 individuals of mountain gorillas in the Virunga area.

The decline was caused by extreme poaching of these species and human settlement in areas that once belonged to these mountain gorillas.

Since then, the population censuses done in different years have proved to be promising with each registering an increase in the number of gorillas in the Virunga region which is attributed to the mountain gorilla conservation efforts spearheaded by governments, the private sector and others.

Mountain Gorilla Trekking is the leading tourist activity in Rwanda and has also become the leading foreign exchange earner in the tourism industry. This brings in millions of dollars annually which contribute to the economic, social wellbeing of the citizens surrounding the park and Rwanda as a whole.

Gorilla Tourism in Rwanda has been a great contributor to the conservation of these wildlife species and also improving the livelihood of the communities living around the protected area in Rwanda.

Much of the money that is earned from gorilla tourism is used to pay veterinary doctors who treat these endangered species, park rangers who patrol the national park to ensure it is safe from poachers which has greatly contributed to the increase in the population of mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

It has also contributed to the improved infrastructure of the areas surrounding the protected area.

Schools, hospitals, roads and more have been constructed which has given the strength to the citizens to collaborate with the government to protect and conserve mountain gorillas after community engagement initiatives geared towards sensitizing them on the benefits of gorilla tourism and importance of protecting these species.

Mountain Gorillas’ Behavior and Social Structure;

Mountain gorillas in Rwanda live in a social structure of groups called troops and each group is consist of females, silverbacks, infants, and one dominant male silverback that is always in charge.

A silverback gorilla can be identified by a silver hair that adorns its dark fur. A silverback is an alpha male that will charge and do anything it takes to protect the gorilla family.

These massive creatures majorly feed on fruits, stems, bamboo shoots, pith and stalk. Female gorillas take a gestation of 9 months before they give birth to young ones that at the time of birth usually weigh about 2 kilograms.

Like it is in humans, baby gorillas spend much of their time during day playing and climbing trees, feeding and when it’s time to move, they hop onto their mother’s back.

Mountain gorillas feed during the first hours of the day and then rest in their natural habitat in the afternoon. Towards the end of the day, they will as well feed and prepare their nest.

These species are calm and gentle but will become aggressive when they feel they are being attacked. A male silverback will charge by beating its chest, making loud hoots and grunts plus throwing vegetation.

Overall, being around these massive creatures and watching them as they play, is a dream come true for many travellers and worth experiencing.

Threats and Challenges of Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda;

Even though the number of mountain gorillas in Rwanda is increasing, these species remain critically endangered with the greatest threat being humans.

Mountain gorillas continue to fall victim to poaching where snares put in place by humans end up capturing these species. Habitat loss and deforestation brought out by the increased population of humans has also become a great threat to mountain gorillas.

As the population grows, humans are extending boundaries especially for subsistence farming thus clearing land that exposes these massive species to threat of being infected with diseases or killed.

Diseases like scabies, Ebola, respiratory diseases and more that are infected from humans have continued to be a threat to gorillas – a reason as to why you are always required to wear a face mask before you get close to these wildlife species.

Once dwindling in numbers, mountain gorillas in Rwanda are on the rise again in Rwanda and this is attributed to the strong conservation efforts geared by the government, conservation partners and the surrounding communities as well.

Today, gorilla poaching has been eradicated and the government of Rwanda has increased surveillance and protection of these massive species in their natural habitat.

Rwanda gorilla conservation is a true rare conservation success that needs to be applauded. This began in 1967 with Dian Fossey and since then, these endangered species have been continuously studied each day to learn so much about their behaviors, their diet, health and habitat plus much more.

Local Communities and Culture;

Rwanda is well known to be home to the remaining mountain gorilla species that are found in Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi.

In 2005, the Rwandan government introduced a scheme where 5% of the revenue collected from gorilla tourism is directly invested back into the surrounding communities. Before the investment is done, the locals are involved to select which projects will benefit them and those that need to be funded.

This has led to the establishment of better infrastructure to ease the lives of people living within these areas. These include schools, health centers, roads and so much more.

Initially, locals would go into the Volcanoes National Park to collect herbs, fruits and honey from bee hives but with the introduction gorilla tourism whose revenue is helping the locals, projects like bee keeping have been introduced to stop the locals from interrupting with the park’s ecosystem and gorilla habitat as well.

Having a close encounter with these endangered species right in their natural habitat is the best memorable experience everyone needs.

While here you will get to learn so much about how the gorillas are related with the culture of Rwanda by visiting some of the communities like the Iby’iwacu cultural village where you will be briefed about the rich Rwandan culture and the history of gorillas and their relationship with the Rwandan people.

Overall, if you are looking for the best destination where you can spot the gorillas and the most accessible, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park stands out. Go ahead and book your next gorilla trekking tour, we guarantee you a memorable trip.

Eco-Tourism and Sustainable Practices;

With the introduction of Gorilla Safari in Rwanda by Dian Fossey, this has proved to be the only way we can conserve these wildlife species. Revenue generated from gorilla trekking is now being used to fund the conservation efforts like paying park guides, rangers and also help treating mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

Gorilla Tourism in Rwanda is helping communities around the national park with employment opportunities and 10% of the revenue that is collected is given to such communities to improve their livelihood and infrastructure as well.

Communities are continuously sensitized on the importance of keeping these species safe and making sure their habitats are not encroached on. This is done to show communities that gorilla conservation can benefit everyone.

There has been strict gorilla trekking guidelines put in place to protect these endangered species from harm and tourists as well that are planning to get an up close experience.

These guidelines include making sure you wear a face mask to protect from being infected by the gorillas or you infecting the gorillas, keep a distance while with the gorillas, making sure that as you take your photos, you turn off the flash lights which may suppress the silverback, ensuring that you don’t dispose off any plastic within the park and so much more.

These practices and more have contributed to the extreme conservation efforts of these species which is a success we are witnessing today.

Best Time to See Mountain Gorilla in Rwanda (Gorilla Trekking);

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is an all year round activity which implies that regardless of the year you choose to visit and go on a hike to see these massive creatures, you will be able to get that much needed ultimate wildlife experience. However, to get the best experience you will need to visit during the dry season of the year.

During the dry season of the year that takes place between the months of June to September and December to February, Volcanoes National Park where these wildlife species live receive no or little rain fall which makes the trails within the park less slippery and passable thus easing movement.

With little or no rainfall, this means that you are likely to get the best gorilla trekking experience compared to when you visit during the wet season of the year.

During the wet season, the park receives a lot of rainfall which makes the trails that you would use as you hike to go see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat slippery and impassable which may hinder with your movement.

However, it’s during this season that you will be able to enjoy the discounts offered by the various accommodation facilities surrounding the park since the demand is always low.

Regardless of the time of the year you choose to visit Volcanoes National Park to see mountain gorillas, we give you the assurance that you will be able to see these species right in their natural habitat as they feed, play and much more.