Susa gorilla group in Volcanoes National Park

The remarkable Susa Gorilla Group in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda has a composition of 15 individuals. Its dominant silverback is called Impuzamahanga, who has been in this position since 2020. He took over when the then lead silverback, Kurira mysteriously disappeared. Besides Impuzamahanga, there are 2 other silverbacks in the Susa Gorilla Group. Susa comprises 3 adult females, 2 black backs, 1 sub-adult male, 1 sub-adult female, 2 juveniles and 3 infants.

The Susa Gorilla Group is a famous one in Volcanoes National Park and has a rich history. For instance, the group was established in 1974, with only 7 members. This makes it the original Susa group. Another notable thing about it was that before 2009 Susa was the largest gorilla group known before in Volcanoes NP. It had a remarkable 41 members before a split up occurred to form the Karismbi and Igisha groups. However, the original Susa group was now left with at least 16 members following this split.

Throughout its history, the Susa gorilla group in Volcanoes National Park has had so many extraordinary things. Among them is the first ever known surviving set of twins. This happened in 2004 and was never witnessed among mountain gorillas before. Another set of twins was also born within the Susa Gorilla Group in 2011 making it very historical. Right now there are 4 gorilla groups that were birthed by the Susa Gorilla Group. These include Igisha, Susa, Isimbi and Karisimbi etc. Igisha has the most individuals among all of them, with 32 members.

Trekking the Susa Gorilla Group in Volcanoes National Park

Susa Gorilla Group can be found on the slopes of Mount Karisimbi, which is the highest of the 8 Virunga volcanoes. This makes tracking this group an adrenaline-pumping experience as the rugged steep terrain adds a layer of intensity and challenge. To trek the Susa Gorilla Group you will need your gorilla permit. A permit has to be presented at the park headquarters. Attend a mandatory short briefing done by the park rangers. This is for you to get some valuable insight on how to trek the Susa Gorilla Group safely.

Head into the forest to locate the Susa Gorilla Group. A seasoned ranger guide from Volcanoes National Park leads you along gorilla trails. While trekking through the dense forest, the ranger guide will help you keep out an eye for broken branches and footprints. After finding the Susa Gorilla Group you will maintain a safe distance while observing them quietly. Take some photos for memories of their behaviors in the wild. After an hour, you will be guided back to the starting point for debriefing. This is the end of your Susa group gorilla trek.

Cost of tracking the Susa Gorilla Group in Volcanoes National Park

Trekking any gorilla group inside Volcanoes National Park is only allowed for visitors with valid gorilla permits. They are also meant to be at least 15 years of age. Rates are offered in the following visitor categories,

Foreign non-residents: US$ 1,500 per person

Foreign residents: US$ 500 per person

African citizens/Foreign residents in Africa: US$ 500 per person

East African citizens/Rwandese: US$ 200 per person

How to reach Volcanoes

Reach Volcanoes National Park to track the Susa Gorilla Group using either road or air transport. Road transportation is an exciting option if you love scenic drives, allowing you to take in breathtaking views along the way. Travel to Volcanoes National Park by road from various places including Kigali, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park or Uganda. Kigali city which is southwest of Volcanoes National Park is around 115 kilometers by road. With perfect traffic and road conditions, driving takes between 2-3 hours.

Now for visitors on a fixed schedule or simply just want to save time, air transport is your best option. Akagera Aviation offers helicopter flights for quick efficient travel from Kigali International Airport to Musanze Airport. This is good because it avoids the unpredictable road conditions. Besides, you get aerial views of Rwanda’s rolling hills while on your way to Volcanoes NP. The duration of your flight to Musanze is around half an hour. Upon arrival in Musanze, reaching the park headquarters at Kinigi by road take less than 30 minutes.

Best time to go

According to visitors on gorilla trekking tours in Volcanoes National Park, Susa Gorilla Group is best explored during the dry seasons. What the dry season brings for a remarkable gorilla trekking tour is appropriate conditions for moving in the dense forest. Frequent heavy downpours are fewer compared to the wet season, humidity is quite low and the skies are very clear. This creates less dense forest vegetation, drier gorilla trails and clear views of the gorillas. There are 2 peak dry seasons experienced in Volcanoes, from June to August and December to February.

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

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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

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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.

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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.
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The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
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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.