Dian Fossey tombs located in the Volcanoes National Park. From the park headquarters, visitors take a short 30 minutes’ drive to the trail head where the hike to the Dian Fossey tombs begins. Travelers normally wake up early ready for briefing regarding hiking guidelines on how to get to the Dian Fossey tombs.
Dian Fossey was an American Primatologist lady who sacrificed her life to save the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. Hiking the Dian Fossey tombs is a learning experience for travelers providing them with the in-depth understanding how Mountain Gorilla tourism in Rwanda started and how an America Primatologist sacrificed her life to save the rare and special mountain gorillas that where at the verge of extinction then.
Dian Fossey Grave
The start to hike to the Dian Fossey tombs following a trail outside the dense forest providing visitors an opportunity to clearly see the Virunga volcanoes especially Karisimbi mountain and Bisoke after which the Karisoke Research Center was named, while here, visitors walk for 10 minutes to the park boundary.
The walk takes about one hour and half. Besides gorillas, the hike involves moving through the forests and hiking up the slopes and therefore requires some relative degree of fitness and patience. Hikers expect to meet these gentle giants and the forest hogs, forest elephants, a variety of primates like golden monkey and a paradise for birders being a hem to a variety of bird species some of which are endemic to the Albertine rift valley and stands at an altitude of roughly 2900m to 3000m above the sea level.
On reaching the tombs site, you will witness the grave for Dian Fossey and many others for the mountain gorillas that were killed before and after her by gorilla poachers. You will also witness the house from where Dian Fossey was mysteriously murdered in 1985.
Hiking the Dian Fossey is the fantastic 5 hour experience lucky enough to spend an hour with a large merged family of 19 silverback females and young, part of the trip involves walking past locals’ houses and interacting with them as they work the field.
Hiking the Dian Fossey Tomb is one of the most sought-after safari activities carried out while visiting Volcanoes National Park for a gorilla Safari in Rwanda, this hike is an incredible experience physically, emotionally and intellectually. It is so inspiring to learn about someone who was so dedicated and left a legacy that exists even today.
Dian Fossey hiking is the great trip back to nature and so close to these wonderful animals. Rwanda is a perfect safari destination with lots of diversity from the Chimpanzee in Nyungwe forests into the wildness Akagera National Park, a home to the BIG 5 and abundant aquatic life on Lake Ihema plus countless bird species.