Muhoza gorilla group is one of 12 habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park, in northwestern Rwanda, the country’s only mountain gorilla habitat. Managed by the Rwanda Development Board, Volcanoes National Park protects roughly a quarter of the world’s mountain gorilla population, the second largest concentration in the Virunga region after Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Recovery After Decades of Conflict
Volcanoes National Park faced serious threats in past decades, including civil conflict, militia activity, genocide, and poaching, all of which put mountain gorillas at real risk of extinction. The population has gradually stabilized since, thanks to sustained work by the Rwandan government, park rangers, conservation organizations, and the foundational research of primatologist Dian Fossey.
A Recently Formed Family
Muhoza is the newest addition to Volcanoes National Park’s gorilla families, formed in 2016 under silverback Muhoza and officially opened for trekking on December 3, 2016, with just 7 members at launch. Muhoza later raided the neighboring Hirwa group, bringing in two additional females and growing the family to 9. Since then, births have expanded the group further to 11 members: 1 silverback, 6 adult females, 2 sub-adult females, and 2 infants.
Trekking the Muhoza Family
Muhoza’s territory sits centrally within Volcanoes National Park, making it one of the more accessible families to trek, sometimes reachable in an hour or less, though this depends entirely on where the group has moved that day. It’s considered one of the more rewarding families to visit, with plenty of juveniles at play, infants close to their mothers, and silverback Muhoza keeping a close, protective watch over the rest of the group.
As one of the newest and most centrally located families in Volcanoes National Park, Muhoza offers a shorter, often more predictable trek than some of the park’s more established groups. Book your gorilla trekking permit with our team today, and we’ll help you plan the trek alongside the rest of your Rwanda itinerary.
