Volcanoes National Park

12 habituated gorilla families from easy bamboo treks to the legendary Susa group on volcanic slopes.

Gorilla treks depart daily from the Kinigi park headquarters, with groups assigned based on fitness level and gorilla family location. The 12 habituated groups range from low-altitude bamboo zones (1-2 hour treks) to steep volcanic slopes requiring 4-6 hours. The Susa group, once studied by Dian Fossey, is the largest with over 30 members but requires the most strenuous climb. Igisha and Amahoro groups are recommended for less mobile visitors.

Hike to Dian Fossey's grave beside her gorilla Digit — and visit the 2022 Ellen DeGeneres conservation campus.

The Karisoke Research Centre, founded by Dian Fossey in 1967 between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke, is accessible via a 2-3 hour guided hike through bamboo and Hagenia forest. Fossey's grave lies beside her beloved gorilla Digit's tomb. The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, opened in Musanze in 2022, provides a world-class exhibition on gorilla conservation and Fossey's legacy before visitors trek to the original research site.

Track the endangered golden monkey — a Virunga endemic with only 5,000 left in the wild.

Golden monkey tracking focuses on a habituated group of this endangered Albertine Rift endemic (Cercopithecus kandti) in the bamboo zone at 2,500-3,300 metres. Only around 5,000 golden monkeys exist in the wild, restricted to the Virunga volcanoes and Gishwati Forest. The trek is shorter and less strenuous than gorilla trekking (typically 1-3 hours), with permits at $100 USD, making it an excellent half-day activity.