Karisimbi gorilla family
Karisimbi gorilla family- Mountain gorillas can only be found in 3 countries in the world which are Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo. In Rwanda mountain gorillas are found in northwestern part of the country in volcanoes national park a home to 10 habituated silverbacks including Karisimbi gorilla family.
Karisimbi gorilla family is one of the 10 habituated mountain gorilla families in Rwanda. Karisimbi gorilla group lives on the slopes of mountain Karisimbi and that is where the group got its name although it was at first known as Susa B because it’s a splitter gorilla family from Susa A due to fights.
Karisimbi family is made of 11 members with Nyagakangaga the dominating silverback but we believe with time to numbers will change due to new births, death, some leaving the group and others joining and so much more. Trekking Karisimbi gorilla family is done by those people who are physically fit because the mountain gorilla family lives up the slopes of mountain Karisimbi.
There are times Karisimbi group goes up to the summit of the mountains like in the dry season looking for food and this means trekkers can even spend a whole day looking for it but there are trackers who go early in the jungle to see where the family last slept and inform the rangers which routes to use.
in addition to Karisimbi gorilla family, other gorilla groups that are habituated for gorilla trekking are Hirwa group, Bwenge group, Ugenda group, Agashya group, Sabyinyo group, Kwitonda group, Amahoro group, Susa group, and Umubano group.
Trekking Karisimbi gorilla group
Trekking Karisimbi gorilla family starts with trekkers waking up early in the morning to join other trekkers at the briefing center where rangers teach them about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking activity. Once the briefing is done, trekkers will be grouped and since your tour operator would have informed the rangers about the family you want to trek, you will be joined by those going to trek Karisimbi family.
Later your driver-guide will transfer you to the starting points where you will meet armed ranger guides to lead you into the jungle and search for this peaceful family. As you are in the jungle looking for Karisimbi gorilla family, you will meet different park mammals, primates, birds and you will pass through different vegetation covers. On meeting the members of Karisimbi gorilla group, you will be given 1 hour to be around them and this will enable you to know about their habits, watch them do daily activities, and take photos.
What is the number of people to trek Karisimbi gorilla family?
On a daily basis, Karisimbi gorilla family is visited by only 8 people and they do so for a maximum of 1 hour. Only 8 people are allowed to trek Karisimbi gorilla group according to rules set by Rwanda Development Board for different reasons. The number is limited to 8 people only to avoid over crowdness, the spread of diseases, and much more
How much are Karisimbi gorilla permits?
Karisimbi gorilla permits are 8 on a daily basis at Rwanda development board because a maximum of 8 people is allowed to trek this family. Each gorilla permit costs $1500 and is used by a single person who is above the age of 15 years. Trekking permits for volcanoes national park happen to be the most expensive but they are sold out quickly on a first-come first-serve basis so we advise you to book those permits in advance if you are planning to trek the family in the dry season.
Booking a permit for Karisimbi gorilla family
Africa Adventure Vacations limited can help you to book a permit for volcanoes national park and you trek Karisimbi gorilla group in particular. If you want a gorilla trekking permit for Karisimbi family, you are going to send us an email containing the dates you want to travel and the family you want which is Karisimbi. We shall use the dates given to check for the availability of the permits with the Rwanda Development Board.
Once the permits are available, we shall inform you and send you an email containing the details of how you can send money and once we have received the money we shall go ahead and secure you a permit and then later we shall send you scanned copies for proof. On the day of gorilla trekking, we shall inform the ranges to join you with those that are to trek Karisimbi family.
What to pack when trekking Karisimbi gorilla family?
There are so many things to pack for Karisimbi gorilla family trekking but the necessary ones include waterproof hiking shoes, gardening gloves, a pair of gaiters, a pair of binoculars, a camera and extra batteries, sunglasses, a hat, rain jacket, sweater, scarf, long-sleeved clothes, reusable drinking water bottle, insect repellents, energy-giving snacks, facemask, sanitizer, first aid kit, and much more.
What is the best time to visit Karisimbi gorilla family?
Tourists can fly to Rwanda and visit volcanoes national park and trek Karisimbi gorilla group at any time of the year but there are certain months that are better than the rest and these are the dry months. The dry months occur from June to September and December to February and are characterized by little or no rainfall and this leaves the trekking trails dry, the vegetation in the park is always short hence the clear view of the mountain gorillas and other park animals, and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Tourists can as well visit volcanoes national park and trek Karisimbi gorilla group in the rainy season which occurs in March to May and October to November but during these months, there is plenty of rainfall which makes the trekking trails slippery, the vegetation in the park is tall giving unclear views of the animals and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
Activities to do before or after visiting Karisimbi gorilla family
Hiking
Tourists on a gorilla trekking safari to volcanoes national park can hike ant of the Virunga volcanoes within the park after or before trekking Karisimbi gorilla family. The hiking is done by people that have hiking permits got from the park headquarters even on the day of hiking.
Hiking in volcanoes national park can be done on mountains such as Karisimbi, Bisoke, Gahinga, and Muhabura, and reaching the summit takes different hours due to the height above sea level and the nature of the hiking trails. Hiking to the summit of any of these mountains gives people an opportunity to have an aerial view of the surrounding area, the lakes, neighboring mountains, swamps, and crater lakes on some of the mountains.
Golden monkey trekking
Tourists to volcanoes national park can encounter the endangered golden monkeys before or after trekking gorillas of Karisimbi group. They will have to inform their tour operators to book them a golden monkey trekking permit before arriving in the country. Trekking golden monkeys start with a briefing and later search the primates and once you meet them you will be given 1 hour to be around them, watch them do daily activities, and take photos.
Birding
Tourists to volcanoes national park can spot different bird species of the park before or after trekking the mountain gorillas of Karisimbi group. The birding permits are got from the park offices and it’s the ranger guides who take you to different birding spots where you get opportunities to see birds such as handsome francolin, baglafecht, Ruwenzori turaco, bateleur, Ruwenzori batis, Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird, red-backed shrike, blue-spotted wood dove, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, and Archer’s robin-chat to mention but a few.
Cultural visits
During their free time, tourists on a gorilla trekking safari to volcanoes national park can connect to iby’iwacu cultural village where they will meet local people. At the cultural village, it’s the local people that take tourists to different homesteads where they get opportunities to see people do their day to day works, taste the local foods, be part of local ceremonies of any, support their business, and in the end get entertained by the local people.
