The Karisoke Research Center is a research institute in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, founded on September 24, 1967, by Dian Fossey to study endangered mountain gorillas. Fossey set up the center between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke, combining the two mountain names to create “Karisoke.”
Dian Fossey and the Founding of Karisoke
Dian Fossey was born in January 1932 in San Francisco and spent her entire savings funding her first trip to Africa. She was murdered in December 1985, but the research center she founded continued operating under the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. In her book “Gorillas in the Mist,” Fossey wrote about how she had little idea that pitching two small tents in the Virunga wilderness would become the foundation for a research center later used by academics from around the world.
Fossey is credited with pioneering the practice of gorilla habituation, tracking, and individual identification, work that eventually made gorilla trekking possible across Rwanda and the wider Virunga Conservation Area.
Ongoing Conservation Work
Karisoke, together with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, works to protect the remaining gorillas across the Virunga Mountains, running patrols to combat poaching and other illegal activity. The organization also supports joint patrols with authorities in Uganda, DR Congo, and Rwanda. This work has contributed to a real increase in the mountain gorilla population over time, though threats such as snares set for other animals, firewood collection, and land clearing continue to put pressure on gorilla habitat. The Virunga region’s mountain gorilla population now stands at around 604, still listed as endangered by the IUCN.
Modern Research Methods
In 1993, Karisoke developed a GPS-based system to track gorilla group movements and adopted hyperspectral remote sensing imagery to help map gorilla habitat across Rwanda. The center is also responsible for habituating golden monkeys and partners with the University of Rwanda to support field research opportunities for students.
Karisoke Today
In 2012, Karisoke relocated its headquarters to a modern facility in Musanze, which now serves as the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s regional center. The original site remains an important part of any visit, with the chance to stand at Dian Fossey’s grave and view a small museum covering her conservation work, along with videos on mountain gorilla behavior and biology.
Visiting Karisoke
The center sits in Musanze District, within Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda’s Northern Province, about a 2-hour drive from Kigali International Airport. The dry season is the best time to visit, when roads and trekking trails for gorilla treks, golden monkey experiences, and hiking are in their best condition.
Book Your Karisoke Research Center Visit
Combining a visit to Karisoke with gorilla trekking gives real historical context to Rwanda’s conservation story, from Dian Fossey’s original tents to the modern research center that grew out of them. Book your Karisoke Research Center visit with our team today, and we’ll help you pair it with gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
