Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park today has a number of 10 fully habituated gorilla groups for visitors to encounter and one set aside for research purpose for the study of the gorillas by the researchers. The group is known as Kwita Izina from which baby gorilla naming ceremony are selected. This means, a number of 80 gorilla permits are available each day for tourists going watch gorilla groups on a single day since only 8 individuals are only allowed per day to visit a single group of the gorillas. The gorillas live in what is called a family, and as this family grows up to big numbers, they form a group. Each member from a group is related, and a group is led by one single dominant silver back, once the silver back dies, the group splint and joins another group as females, needs a mature dominant silver back for reproduction of strong genes and protection of their babies and territories.

However, a group can have more than one silverback. Surprisingly, each of the gorilla groups has distinct and unique characteristic quite different from another. However, the tracking experience from each group is the same; some time may vary depending on your encounter, weather and other factors. But all in all, the experience of trekking the gorilla, is once a lifetime experience at you hikes deep, in the jungle covered by mist.

Below are the gorilla groups available.

Titus Family

The Titus group is the original family named after the silver back Titus which was born during the days of Dian Fossey’ research at Karisoke which was the gorilla group Dian Fossey was studying. Titus your gorilla lost his family to poachers including his father, uncle and brother and his mother and sister, joined other families leaving Titus to be raised by an unrelated male gorilla. According to Dian Fossey Titus the infant seemed “underdeveloped and spindly” and had difficulty breathing, but Titus overcame these difficulties.

Susa Gorilla Groups (Susa A)

This is the most popular family with previously 42 members before the split. Well known for being the group studied by Diana Fossey during her time in Rwanda from 1967 to 1985. In 2008 the group of 42 individuals split into 2 as it had become so large, and food was becoming competitive. The breakaway group was later known as Susa B or Karisimbi group. Susa A group is well known for its playful twins of Byishimo & Impano and was named after the Susa River that drains through their home range. The group is composed of 33 members including 2 silverbacks and inhabits the forests on the lower slopes of Mt. Karisimbi.

Karisimbi Gorilla Groups (Susa B)

This is sometimes referred to as Susa B and is the group which split from the original Susa in 2008. It is made up of 16 members including 2 silver backs. The group is the hardest to track as it inhabits the upper slopes of Mt. Karisimbi at an altitude of 4507m. The group has established their home high in the upper slopes and is suitable for trackers interested in serious hiking. Tracking this group is sometimes difficult as they go further high though RDB rangers will first locate the group a day before.

Amahoro Gorilla Groups

Amahoro is a Kinyarwanda word to mean serenity, as the name goes, the family is known for its peacefulness and congeniality which on the other hand has caused its silver back Ubumwe to lose some members into another group called Umubano. Amahoro means ‘peace’ and the group has lived to the expectations of her name and is regarded as the most peaceful group. It is composed of 18 members including 2 silver backs and is a bit strenuous to track as one has to endure a hike up Mt. Bisoke slopes where the group established their home.

Umubano Gorilla Groups

This family broke away from Ubumwe silverback as a result of constant battles between Charles and Ubumwe the two head silver backs: Charles consistently challenging the supremacy of the leader Ubumwe. Charles eventually succeeded in breaking away with some members hence forming Umubano group. The group is composed of 13 members including 2 silver backs and its name means ‘living together’.

Sabyinyo group

The nearest gorilla family and easiest to track inhabiting the gentle slopes between Mt. Sabyinyo and Mt. Gahinga. The group is popular for its giant silver back known as Guhonda which has kept its main challenger, Ryango out of the family to remain as a lonely silver back. The group is composed of 13 members including one silver back after another was exiled from the group. The commander of the group; Guhonda is the largest silver back in the park weighing about 220kg. The group was named after the Sabinyo volcano that means the ‘old man’s teeth’.

Agashya group – Group 13

This group is named after the initial family individual who were 13 at the time of habituation. The group was initially led by a silverback called Nyakarima but was later overthrown by Agashya meaning the ‘News’ which is now the leader, and the family was named after him. Today the family has grown to 27 members including one silver back (Agashya). The group occupies the same territory with Sabyinyo group but sometimes Agashya takes the family deeper into the mountain when it senses danger.

Kwitonda group

This is a migrant group from Democratic Republic of Congo which was named after its dominant silver back called Kwitonda which means the ‘Humble one’. Because of its migration background, the group wonders in the lower slopes of Mt. Muhabura and like Karisimbi group, it is onerous to track as it sometimes moves to the upper slopes. The group is composed of 23 members including 4 silver backs.

Hirwa group

This family was formed in 2006 by some members of Sabyinyo group and others from 13 group (Agashya). More gorillas joined in and now the group is composed of 16 members including one silver back. The group derived its name from its formation process that was out of luck. Hirwa means ‘the Lucky one’ and as luck has it, the group got twins in 2011. Hirwa group inhabits the foothills of Mt. Sabyinyo to the side of Mt Gahinga.

Ugenda group

This is a Kinyarwanda word ‘Ugenda’ to mean ‘on the move’ or ‘mobile’. The group was named after its unique behavior of roaming from place to place. It consists of 11 members including 2 silver backs and wonders around Karisimbi area hence very difficult to track since it has no particular home.

Bwenge group

This group was formed as early as 2007 by Bwenge, and named after him the group’s dominant silverback, after he had left his Natal group and was joined by females from other groups. The group occupies slopes of Karisoke volcano between Karisimbi and Bisoke mountains and had witnessed dark times when its 6 infants died. The group has however recovered and now has 11 members including one silver back. Bwenge is a Kinyarwanda word which means ‘Wisdom’ and it’s no wonder that this was the group that featured the Movie ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.

In a nutshell, with the description given, you should have a good picture of the characteristics and nature of each of the gorilla groups and are in position to choose which gorilla family to track on your Rwanda tour while in Volcanoes national park. However, booking a gorilla group is on first come first serve basis, as the demand for the permits is quite high, early booking with your tour operator may guarantee you to book the group of your choice depending on the availability as said before, each group is entitled to only 8 members per group. Contact us, for any inquiries or safari package.