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Updated list of Gorilla groups in Rwanda Volcanoes National Park include;
- Susa A (Kurira family)
- Susa B (Igisha/Karisimbi family)
- Umubano gorilla group
- Amahoro gorilla group
- Agashya gorilla family (13 Group)
- Kwitonda gorilla family
- Isimbi gorilla group
- Muhoza group
- Hirwa gorilla family
- Ugenda gorilla family
- Bwenge gorilla group
- Isabukuru gorilla family
- Pablo gorilla group
- Agashya (13 Group)
- Titus gorilla family
- Musilikale group
- Mafunzo gorilla group
- Gushimira gorilla family
- Noheli gorilla group
- Kwisanga gorilla family
The Susa B gorilla group
Susa B is also best called also Karisimbi gorilla family a migrating group from the Susa A gorilla group. Karisimbi gorilla family is made of 15 gorillas and thrives along the mountain slopes of Mount Karisimbi which stretches up to 4507 meters that also ranks as the highest of all the 8 Virunga Volcanoes. Because of the nature of altitude, trekking Karisimbi gorilla family requires some physical wellness in you. Mountain gorillas in Karisimbi family at times range on the top of Mount Karisimbi.
Sabyinyo gorilla family
Sabyinyo gorilla group is considered among a few most accessible families in Volcanoes National Park. This group roams around the slopes of Sabyinyo Volcanoes and it is led by Guhonda silverback gorilla. Guhonda silverback kept away his challenger-Ryango from his family making him a lonely silverback. Sabyinyo gorilla family derives its name from Mount Sabyinyo-a local word that also denotes old man’s teeth. Sabyinyo gorilla group consists of 8 members with one silverback, many adult females, juveniles and 1 baby. Visitors on gorilla safari in Volcanoes National Park can explore the Sabyinyo family around Sabyinyo and Gahinga Volcanoes.
Susa A
The Susa A gorilla family is one of the most popular gorilla family in Volcanoes National park. Susa A group is also regarded as the Dian Fossey’s family especially from 1967-1985. Before break off, Susa group comprised of 42 gorillas but in 2008, it broke into two-forming the Susa A and Susa B. Susa group is also famous for its playful twin gorillas-Impano and Byishimo. This group derived its name from the Susa River which flows via Volcanoes National Park. At the time of habituation, it comprised of 33 mountain gorillas but later reduced to 28 individuals. It consists of 3 silverbacks-Poppy-that Dian Fossey studied.
Ugenda gorilla family
The word Ugenda denote mobile. Ugenda is popular for moving from one point to the other. It consists of 11 mountain gorillas with two silverbacks. Its members roam around the Karisimbi area as well Bisoke Volcano
Kwitonda gorilla family
Kwitonda gorilla family is composed of 18 mountain gorillas and the group is under the leadership of Kwitonda silverback. Kwitonda gorilla family transferred from the Virunga National Park-eastern DRC and to trek it, you need adequate time and to be physically well as the treks can be strenuous.
Agashya gorilla group
Agashya gorilla group is also the 13 group-because it was founded when it consisted of only 13 members. Agashya gorilla family currently consists of 25 mountain gorillas and led by 1 silverback gorilla, 12 adult females, 3 juveniles, 2 sub adult females and about 7 babies. Nyakarima silverback led Agashya family after he challenged by Agashya. The word Agashya denotes news.
Amahoro gorilla family
The word Amahoro denotes peace. This group comprises of 17 members with 1 silverback, 5 adult females, 2 sub adult males, 2 juveniles, 5 babies, 2 black back gorillas and others. Ubumwe silverback lost some of his members to Charles-silverback at Umubano family.
Umubano gorilla family
The word Umubano denotes neighborliness. Umubano gorilla group consists of 11 gorillas and broke away from Amahoro when Ubumwe silverback was challenged by Umubano. At the time Charles became a silverback gorilla as a case with Ubumwe, he couldn’t dance to the orders and ended challenging Ubumwe.
Bwenge gorilla family
Bwenge gorilla group consists of 11 members with 1 silverback gorilla. This group can be trekked around Karisoke Mountain slopes. Bwenge gorilla family is spearheaded by Bwenge silverback gorilla. It was habituated in 2007 after breaking away and taking with him other females. However, the group encountered so many challenges especially when 6 infants passed on. Bwenge gorilla family is currently recovering with 2 births that have been recorded. The remarkable part about Bwenge gorilla family is that, it featured in the Gorillas in the Mist movie.
The word Hirwa denotes luck-meaning, it is a lucky group. It was habituated in 2006 when it was sighted forming itself from other rising mountain gorillas from Sabyinyo and Agashya gorilla family. Hirwa group consists of 9 members with 3 adult females, 2 sub adult females, 3 babies, 1 silverback gorilla.
Other gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park include
Igisha gorilla family
Igisha gorilla group is splinter group from Susa B family. It broke away in 2014 and currently headed by Igisha silverback gorilla. It consists of 26 individuals making it a few largest families in Volcanoes National Park. Igisha gorilla group is rated the toughest to trek in Volcanoes National Park. It derives its name from the nearby river that flows through Volcanoes National Park.
Isimbi gorilla family
Isimbi gorilla group is currently headed by Muturengere silverback gorilla. Its group members thrive on the slopes of Karisimbi Volcano. Initially, Isimbi gorilla family was led by Getty. Isimbi group formed after breaking off from Karisimbi gorilla group in 2013. Trekking through Isimbi gorilla group is not energy demanding like the Susa A group. Currently, it consists of 13 group members.
Titus gorilla group
Titus group is named after Titus silverback gorilla. Titus had a humble background but unfortunately, he lost his life to poachers. Titus silverback formed his group with only 5 females and it led by Beetsme-a gorilla that Dian Fossey named. Beetsme was sent away by Titus after they had disagreements in 1991 making him the leader of the group till 2007. Titus was unfortunate because his son Kuryama fought against and later split off to form his group. He died in 2009 at about 35 years. Titus gorilla group is set for research but at times can be trekked depending on the demand. This group comprises of 7 mountain gorillas and can be trekked around the foothills of Bisoke and Karisimbi Volcanoes.
Isabukuru gorilla family
Isabukuru group is named after Isabukuru silverback mountain gorillas. He mysteriously died in 2017. Kubaha silverback-a second silverback gorilla took over the leadership of Isabukuru.
Gushimira gorilla group
Gushimira gorilla family is one of the new families that is observed by team from Karisoke Research Center. It was formed in 2013 by Gushimira silverback gorilla who went with some females from Ugenda family. Unfortunately, he lost one of his females-Inziza who went back to Ugenda family and later also; he lost Kurudi who joined Titus group.
Pablo gorilla group
Pablo group is named after Pablo silverback gorilla. It is followed and observed by team from Dian Fossey Fund though it can also be trekked by visitors on gorilla safari in Volcanoes National Park. This group can be trekked at the base of Karisimbi Volcano. Pablo group later grew and broke off to make two groups in 1993. Pablo group remains one of larger gorilla groups in Volcanoes National Park with about 26 members.
Mafunzo gorilla group
Mafunzo gorilla family derives its name from Mafunzo silverback mountain gorilla. Mafunzo group is a new group that is monitored and followed by Dian Fossey Fund team. It was first identified in 2014 and consisted of Mafunzo silverback-a younger silverback at the time with 2 female gorillas-Umusatsi and Taraja.
Musilikale gorilla group
Musilikale group is named after Musilikale silverback. Musilikale gorilla family broke away from Pablo gorilla group. He started his group with 6 members including one female, young silverback and many youngsters.
Noheli gorilla group
Noheli gorilla group is located in Volcanoes national park and consists of 7 members.
The group is led by a silverback called Noheli where is gets its name.
The group was created from just 3 gorillas of which 2 females with an infant migrated from larger groups of Isimbi and Susa to join Noheli silverback in 2021.
Today the group thrives in Volcanoes national park with a total of 7 family members composed of 1 silverback, 3 female gorillas and 3 baby gorillas.
Kwisanga gorilla family
Kwisanga gorilla Newly created with over 17 members who split from other gorillas family. Founded by dominant silverback Kigoma, the group is surely one of the largest to look out for when visiting volcanoes national park.
Kwisanga gorill group split from Kwitonda gorilla family and never returned to the group. The group has 2 silverbacks, 3 adult females at reproduction stage, 2 adult males not yet turning silver, 2 Juveniles and 5 babies.
Rwanda lies in East-Central Africa and incredibly that one most exceptional gorilla destination in the world. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is conducted in only Volcanoes National Park, northwestern part of the country. Volcanoes National Park is 160 square kilometers and its establishment in 1925 makes it not only one of the oldest parks in Africa but also one of the 4 national parks in the world where mountain gorillas thrive. Gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park offer visitors with rare experiences. Trekking anyone of habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park gets you up close to a group of massive mountain gorillas while in the wild-a magical experience not to be missed while on Rwanda safari.
Volcanoes National Park also makes up part of the larger Virunga Conservation Area (VCA) where huge concentration of mountain gorillas lives. The VCA covers Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda, Virunga National Park in eastern DR Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in southwestern Uganda.
Gorilla treks in Volcanoes National Park start in Kinigi park headquarters, 113kms which is about 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali capital city. Note, only one habituated family is assigned to 8 visitors to trek each day and only 10 families have been habituated and readily for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
