Amahoro Gorilla Family in Volcanoes National Park – Amahoro gorilla family is one of the groups that inhabit the famous Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda. The park is home to up to 12 gorilla families, namely Kwitonda, Agashya, Sabyinyo, Susa A, Hirwa, Ugenda, Umubano, Pablo, Muhoza, Karisimbi, and Bwenge.
This group derives its name from the Kinyarwanda word “Amahoro,” which means “peace,” clearly depicting the peaceful nature of this family. Visitors who have tracked this family will confirm that it is indeed the most peaceful and humble family in the entire region. Amahoro is led by the silverback Ubumwe, which means “togetherness,” also depicting the uniting nature of this silverback.
The humble and peaceful nature of silverback Ubumwe has caused the loss of many members from his family to other groups because of his reserved nature and inability to fight back when confronted by other silverbacks. It is the most preferred family for travelers looking for a calm and peaceful trekking experience.
Amahoro family inhabits the lower slopes of Bisoke Volcano but can move to higher slopes as well. Accessing it involves quite a lengthy hike, making it one of the most challenging families to track in Volcanoes National Park.
The family is composed of 17 individuals, including 1 silverback (Ubumwe), 2 blackbacks, 5 adult females, four babies, and 5 juveniles. However, these numbers are not constant as births, migrations, deaths, and other factors continually alter the family composition.
Trekking Amahoro Gorilla Family
Trekking the Amahoro family is not an easy task, especially during rainy seasons when the trails are slippery and overgrown. However, an encounter with this humble and peaceful group is worth the effort of hiking through the rugged slopes of Bisoke.
Like any other gorilla group in Rwanda, trekking Amahoro family allows a maximum of 8 people aged 15 years and above per visit. A gorilla permit to access the group costs $1500 per person per trek. The dry season months of June-October and December-February present the perfect time for trekking this family.
