Gorilla Guardians village

Did you know that the Gorilla Guardians Village is one of the eye-catching cultural centers in Rwanda?

Gorilla Guardians Village is located in the Northern region of Rwanda near the famous Volcanoes national Park within the districts of Musanze / Ruhengeri. This village is also called Ibyiwacu Cultural Village with people who were once poachers of the mountain gorillas but when they got to know the value of mountain gorillas, they are now conserving these gentle giants, helping the government of Rwanda and consequently developing the tourism sector.

It is the only village where you can enjoy the finest Rwandan cultures after taking part in mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national Park and because of this, it has for years become one of the leading tourist attractions in Rwanda. Gorilla Guardians Village is home to historical Rwandan sub-tribes like Hutu, the Tutsi and Batwa. These sub-tribes are known for their unique cultures and norms that you will encounter while there.

Activities at the Gorilla Guardians Village.

Batwa culture tour.

While here, visitors have an epic opportunity to meet and experience various communities like the Batwa who are the first people to settle in the forest before being gazetted as a national park. Now they were relocated to the nearby villages outside the forest and some inhabit the Ibyiwacu Village. The Batwa are also located in Uganda near Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national Park. They are some of the shortest people in the whole world with beautiful cultures worth seeing.

During a Batwa cultural tour, travelers can look at how they used to do their things while in the forest like lighting fire out of dry sticks, hunting and gathering fruits, and traditional dances which are so interesting and will make your Rwanda Safari so memorable. Get to know everything about Batwa and their lifestyle in Northern Rwanda.

Community walks.

Take part in a community walk and discover how the locals live in their grass thatched huts, have a taste of Banyarwanda cuisine if you wish and there is also an option to visit banana plantations and vegetable gardens during this community walk.

Enjoy story tales about the origin of Rwandans and the lifestyle of her people before and after colonization. This community walk will let visitors clearly understand how the Banyarwanda live until to date.

Visit the traditional healer.

This is another activity that can be carried out while in Iby’iwachu Cultural Village. Traditional healers back in the days used to play a big role in communities though they are now less consulted compared to ancient years. Visit one of the traditional healers who will demonstrate how they use local herbs to heal certain diseases and if you don’t mind you can also take some for use back home.

Visit the King’s Palace.

A visit to the King’s Palace and have a look at different symbols of Africa’s ancient kingdoms and their use like stools, arrows, drums and many more. Kings in Rwanda were highly respected and were the only ones to make decisions without any hesitations. You can also visit different local schools of Rwanda in Iby’iwachu Village to see how their education system is and to interact with students and teachers.

A tour in the Ibyiwacu Cultural Village / Gorilla Guardians Village allows one to take part in these activities throughout the year and you can access the place by road comfortably from Kigali, only taking 2-3 hours’ drive to reach this amazing community.

If you want to relax or getting entertained after a long gorilla trekking tour in Volcanoes National Park, then don’t miss an experience at Gorilla Guardians Village.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.Game drive security is assured.Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.