This lovely gorilla family lives in Volcanoes National Park under the leadership of Akarevuro, the dominant silverback. Records show that the Kwitonda Gorilla Group was formed in 1995 in the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. It was in 2003, when the group was still under the leadership of Kwitonda, that they migrated into Volcanoes National Park. They were escaping from the intense pressures from other gorilla groups.
In Volcanoes National Park, they found the areas between the mountains Sabyinyo and Gahinga suitable for foraging. Unfortunately, in the year 2012, Kwitonda died after living out his years. He left subordinates Akarevuro and Kigoma to battle for the mantle of leadership. Now, 17 members make up the Kwitonda Gorilla Group under Akarevuro. The family has 3 silverbacks, 4 adult females, 2 blackbacks, 2 sub-adult males, 2 sub-adult females, 2 juveniles, and 2 infants.
How to track the gorilla group?
Tracking the Kwitonda Gorilla Group follows the same procedure as tracking the other habituated gorilla groups in Volcanoes National Park. This begins with a short briefing at the Kinigi park headquarters. The park guides then lead visitors into the dense forests of Volcanoes to search for the gorilla group. The guides will show you how to identify fresh nests and the signs left behind by the Kwitonda group as they moved from here.
Then, after hours, or sometimes minutes of hiking, the Kwitonda Gorilla Group is finally encountered in its natural habitat. All visitors are allowed about an hour to be in their presence. This helps to minimize stress on the gorillas while reducing human impact. Spend this precious time quietly watching and capturing photos of the primates. You will observe them engaging in their usual routines of resting, playing, grooming, feeding, and mating, etc. Return to the start for debriefing.
Cost of Gorilla trekking tours
The cost of tracking the Kwitonda family or another habituated gorilla family in Rwanda is structured according to the visitor’s residency status. The total price is used to buy a gorilla permit. This is issued by the Rwanda Development Board. Below are the rates offered by the Rwanda Development Board.
- Foreign resident: USD 1,500 pp
- Foreign resident in Rwanda: USD 500 pp
- East African Community: USD 200 pp
- African citizen: USD 500 pp
Other gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is blessed with the Kwitonda group as one of at least 11 habituated gorilla families. Other gorilla families residing in the lush habitats of Volcanoes National Park include Kwisanga, Noheli, Susa, Isimbi, Agashya, Kigoma, and Karisimbi. Amahoro, Igisha, Umubano, Urwego, Sabyinyo, and Muhoza are also habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park.
What else to do in Volcanoes National Park?
Volcanoes National Park is situated within the Virunga Conservation Area, thus part of the most biodiverse regions in Africa. Due to its position in the Albertine Rift region, the park is home to plenty of bird species, including endemics. This makes it a birdwatcher’s paradise. The bamboo forest habitats also offer shelter to golden monkeys, thus offering golden monkey trekking tours. The tranquil forest teems with numerous species of trees, shrubs, herbs, and layanas, thus a perfect place for forest walks.
Reaching Volcanoes National Park
This involves a scenic drive from Kigali City to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters in Kinigi. This is a short journey that covers approximately 115 kilometers. Driving there takes between 2 and 3 hours, with promises of Rwanda’s beautiful rolling hills. Our 4X4 safari Toyota Landcruisers are available for hire to facilitate this drive. Seasoned guide drivers with sufficient knowledge about the destination and the roads are available to take you there.
If you do not prefer traveling in the Land Cruiser, alternative options like safari vans, SUVs, minibuses, etc., can be arranged. An air transportation option is also offered if you either prefer luxury travel or would want to arrive at the park faster. Chartered flights by Akagera Aviation are available daily from Kigali International Airport to Musanze Airport. In fact, you only fly in a helicopter with a flight duration of around 30 minutes. Throughout the flight, breathtaking aerial views are assured.
Best time to see the Kwitonda Gorilla Family
The dry season is the ideal period for anyone desiring to see the Kwitonda Gorilla Family. This is preferred for its suitable weather conditions that make a gorilla trek comfortable and less challenging. Unlike in the wet seasons, rainfall is usually much reduced and less frequent during the dry season. This is what causes the gorilla trails to be passable (less slippery), thus less challenging while navigating the steep terrain.
Low rainfall also leads to low humidity in the forest, thus making the atmosphere comfortable for this kind of outdoor activity. Low rainfall also means that the undergrowth in the jungle is not as dense as it would be if it were a wet season. This makes gorilla views clearer in the dry season since they cannot disappear in dense foliage. The dry season is often experienced in Volcanoes National Park from June to August. Meanwhile, December to February also brings relatively dry conditions.
