Led by silverback Munyinya, the Hirwa gorilla family is found in Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda, close to the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo within the famous Virunga region.
The group is made up of up to 16 individuals and is one of the most interesting groups to trek in this national park. It is located amidst Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabyinyo, sharing borders with two iconic national parks: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The formation of the Hirwa group came as a result of silverback Munyinya leaving the original Susa group in 2002 following consistent disagreements. He disappeared for over 4 years until June 17, 2006, when he reappeared with several other individuals, mostly female gorillas.
The group was officially opened for tourism in the same year, 2006, and named Hirwa. “Hirwa” is a local Kinyarwanda word meaning “the lucky one,” referring to the silverback Munyinya’s sudden reappearance after 4 years and the rapid increase in the number of family members within a very short time.
Upon Munyinya’s return, he started increasing the population of group members through raiding neighboring families like Sabyinyo, Kwitonda, and Agashya to acquire more individuals. Such strength has earned Hirwa a lot of respect from these nearby groups.
More fortune befell Hirwa when a set of twins were born to mother Kabatwa (Isango Gato and Isango Gakuru), and currently, the family is made up of 16 members including two Silverbacks, two sub-adult males, four adult females, four juveniles, and four infants.
The Hirwa gorilla group is one of the most trekked and liked groups by tourists in Volcanoes National Park. Rest assured that when you take part in trekking this family, you will enjoy a gorilla safari in Rwanda to the fullest.
The family inhabits the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo, an extinct volcano which is the second-highest among the three Virunga volcanoes that lie along the Uganda-Rwanda border.
The Hirwa gorilla family is as accessible as you can get lucky to find them within just one hour of trekking. There is nothing more fascinating than spending a splendid hour with the world’s most sought-after primates in their natural habitat.
