Rwanda’s Kwita Izina (Mountain Gorilla Naming) Ceremony for July 01, 2014

Rwanda will celebrate the birth of 18 baby gorillas at the 10th anniversary of Kwita Izina, the annual gorilla naming ceremony. The event will take place in Kinigi, Musanze on 1 July 2014. This year’s theme is ‘A Decade: Conserving-Empowering-Growing’.

“On this occasion, we will not only celebrate the birth of one of the world’s most endangered species but also the efforts of individuals, organisations and nations involved in the preservation of these rare animals,”

Rwanda’s community led conservation efforts have led to a 26.3% growth in the population of gorillas since 2003 and Kwita Izina has been key to this success. This is also thanks to the Government of Rwanda which has ensured tourism flourishes in a secure and enabling environment.”

Early this year, Kwita Izina won second prize in the UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance. The Rwanda Development Board recognises enhanced national conservation practices and community ownership of projects around the Volcanoes National Park that have seen beneficiaries empowered and their lives improved.

Rwanda’s tourism sector has also been growing remarkably. In 2013, Rwanda hosted 1,137,000 visitors who generated $294m, up from $62m in 2000. This increase is attributed to Rwanda’s attractiveness as a travel destination, new airline routes, especially in West Africa, spearheaded by our national carrier RwandAir, an increase in unique experiences for tourists and the county’s stability and welcoming visa policies.

Kwita Izina will be marked by a series of activities starting with the launch of Basumba Primary School in Bigogwe, Nyabihu District on 26 June 2014. The school of six classrooms has been built with funds from the Shared Revenue Scheme which gives 5% of tourism profits from National Parks back to the communities surrounding the gorilla habitat. This launch will be followed by a mix of conservation, business, cultural and entertainment activities.

Kwita Izina is inspired by the ancient Rwandan tradition of naming babies soon after they are born. In the nine years since the event was established, 161 mountain gorillas have been named in a celebration of nature and the communities who protect the magnificent animals.

Kwita Izina Activities:

26 June: Official launch of Basumba Primary School in Bigogwe, Nyabihu District. The school of six classrooms has been built with funding from the Shared Revenue Scheme. It will enable over 380 children to easily access education facilities.

28 June: Global Umuganda. Participants will have an opportunity to participate in the Global Umuganda. The community work reflects on the culture and commitment of Rwandans to clean and conserve the environment.

28 June: B2B meetings, Serena Hotel, Kigali: This platform will provide an opportunity for local tourism operators to showcase Rwanda tourism experiences to domestic, regional and international markets.

29-30 June: Gorilla Conservation and Community Exhibition at Musanze Stadium. The aim of the exhibition is to showcase what has been achieved in conservation and community empowerment through the 5% revenue sharing scheme.

30 June: Igitaramo (Community Party) in Kinigi is a night of cultural immersion with performances from local dance troupes and musicians.

1 July: Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony at Volcanoes National Park

Key Tourism and Hospitality Facts and Figures:

Rwanda has three National Parks: Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park and Volcano National Park.
Rwanda has many unique tourist attractions including the mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, eco-tourism, heritage & leisure experiences.
Rwanda is becoming increasingly attractive for Conference Tourism (MICE); recently hosting the African Development Bank meetings and will host the World Export Development Forum in September, among other events.
In 2010, Rwanda hosted 666,000 visitors who generated US$ 200M - a 14% increase from 2009. In 2013, Rwanda hosted 1,137,000 visitors who generated $294m, up from $62m in 2000.
Tourism receipts are expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 25% until 2017 (EDPRS 2 targets).

Rwanda has over 380 accommodation establishments and approx. 6,500 accommodation rooms. Upper range occupancy rate is 70%, with foreigners accounting for 97% of beds availed.
The rapid growth of RwandAir in addition to other airlines serving Kigali such as KLM, SN Brussels, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines allow for easy access to the country from all over the world.

For gorilla permits availability for other months, most certainly the dates are available but please contact us to confirm before you go ahead with your flights bookings.

In case you want gorilla tracking in Uganda, kindly drop us an email (info@gorillasandwildlifesafaris.com and gorillasandwildlifesafari@gmail.com) and we will let you know of the possibilities.

Rwanda and Uganda Gorilla Treks: Tracking Gorillas and Chimps across Uganda and Rwanda in Volcanoes National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable, Kibale National Park

• 3 days Uganda Gorilla tour
• 3 day Gorilla tracking Rwanda
• 4 Days Gorilla Trek ( 2 treks)
• 4 days Rwanda Gorillas with Golden Monkeys trek
• 4 Days Rwanda Nyungwe Chimps + Gorilla Trek Tour
• 4 days Rwanda Gorillas + Cultural Village Tours
• Rwanda 4 Days gorilla trek with Hike to Visoke Volcano
• Rwanda 4 Days gorilla trek with Relaxing at Lake Kivu
• 5 Days Rwanda Gorillas Nyungwe Chimps Tracking
• 5 Days Rwanda Gorillas, Visoke Hike, Golden Monkeys
• 6 Days Rwanda Gorillas Trek (2 treks), and Nyungwe Chimps Tour
• 6 Days Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps +other primates
• 7 Days Rwanda Primates Tour

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4 days Uganda+ Rwanda Gorilla
This is a 4 day safari which starts and ends in Kigali- Rwanda with 2 gorilla permits (for Parc Nationale des Volcanoes and Bwindi in Uganda) included in the. Having a chance to see some of the last remaining 840 mountain gorillas in the world is a wonderful experience. It offers you an opportunity to track gorillas two times.

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5 Days of Rwanda Uganda gorillas, primates with Golden Monkeys Tracking trekking Rwanda
This is a 4 day safari which starts and ends in Kigali- Rwanda. One gorilla permit for Parc Nationale des Volcanoes is included in the cost but the other gorilla trackings require other permits to be paid at time of booking. Having a chance to see some of the last remaining 700 mountain gorillas in the world is a wonderful experience. It offers you an opportunity to track gorillas two times. Parc Nationale des Volcanoes in Rwanda has five habituated gorilla families and tracking most groups in the afro-montane forest usually takes a few hours. You can also climb a volcano, visit the remains of Dian Fossey's grave or visit the endangered golden monkey.

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5 days Uganda+ Rwanda Gorillas
with gorilla treks in Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The tour starts  and ends in Uganda. You can choose to track golden monkeys instead of doing a second gorilla trek in Rwanda.

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5 days Rwanda+ Uganda Gorilla tracking tour
This is a 5 day safari which starts and ends in Kigali- Rwanda with 2 gorilla permits (for Parc Nationale des Volcanoes and Bwindi in Uganda) included in the. Having a chance to see some of the last remaining 700 mountain gorillas in the world is a wonderful experience. It offers you an opportunity to track gorillas two times and thus have a totally different experience with two different gorilla families each in a very unique habitat.

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5 days Gorillas trek Rwanda and Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda
This is a 5 day safari which starts and ends in Kigali- Rwanda. One gorilla permit for Parc Nationale des Volcanoes is included in the cost but the other gorilla trackings require other permits to be paid at time of booking. Having a chance to see some of the last remaining 700 mountain gorillas in the world is a wonderful experience. It offers you an opportunity to track gorillas two times. Parc Nationale des Volcanoes in Rwanda has five habituated gorilla families and tracking most groups in the afro-montane forest usually takes a few hours. You can also climb a volcano, visit the remains of Dian Fossey's grave or visit the endangered golden monkey.
Queen Elizabeth National Park to see wildlife like lions, leopard, elephants, hippos, buffalo plus over 500 bird species.

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5-day Uganda Rwanda gorillas tracking safari + Lake Bunyonyi Canoe Trek
with gorilla treks in Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The tour starts  and ends in Uganda or Rwanda. You can choose to track golden monkeys instead of doing a second gorilla trek in Rwanda.

My mountain Uganda gorilla tracking experience in Bwindi's Oruzogo gorilla family

Tracking Gorillas in Bwindi's Oruzogo Gorilla Family

Gorilla Trekking remains one of the most magical and rewarding wildlife experiences in the natural world, one that I know is high on the wish list of Uganda's tourists. An estimated 800 mountain gorillas are remaining on earth, approximately 480 of which reside in Bwindi National Park.

Some background information abour Oruzogo Gorilla Family

Oruzogo mountain gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Oruzogo gorilla group is located in Ruhija together with Bitukura,and Kyaguriro (which is the gorilla family dedicated purely for research). This gorilla family can be trekked from Buhoma or Ruhija. The group consists of 16 individuals including 1 dominant silverback (named Tibirikwata)  and two babies that were recently born.  Although the sex of the two babies is yet to be established, the proud mothers are the cute adult females Birungi and Mutesi.  The new babies join the posse of other infants Buchura and Kanywani who is Kakobe’s baby.
Naming all the 16 individuals save for the three infants who are currently known by their mothers’ identities like Mutesi baby or Birungi baby was completed before it was availed for tracking in 2012.
Other individuals in the group include Busungu(Meaning short tampered),Kashundwe, Nyakiina,Kaganga (the giant one),Otaka,Bwoba(the coward) Karimi (tongue) Kiromba, KLatooto (the small one) Kanywani(meaning friendly,Kakobe who looks like a monkey and Buchura referring to the youngest or last born before the two newest babies came forth.

My unforgettable experience tracking these gentle giants

I had a unique opportunity to join a UWA team visiting the newly habituated Oruzogo gorilla family.
On my big day, I was up at 6:30AM to join the UWA team into the forest. Bwindi is nicknamed the 'impenetrable forest', and I've got to say that it's easy to see why; at times it was literally impossible to make your way through the vegetation, even with the trackers carving a path for us with their machetes.

Black-and-white colobus monkeys,
one of the 10 primate species in Bwindi -

Heavy rains, and dying plants nourish this dense forest, but the benign gentleness of the morning and gently stirring grass and vines along the trails cunningly hide the never-ending dramas of the impenetrable forest. In this very small forest (330sqkm) over 350 bird species occur, as well as 120 mammal species (including 10 primates) and a staggering 1000 different plant species.
Occasionally we'd tromp through an ant colony; they'd march right up my shoes and socks, under my trousers, and make their way up to my boxer shorts before biting.

After about three hours of pushing through this thick vegetation on steep terrain, we still seemed to be nowhere near any gorillas. But finally we came to a flat, open area in the jungle, about 5m in diameter. "This is where the gorillas slept last night," the tracker told us. We all studied the area with a new interest and excitement. I noticed eight distinct impressions in the leaves - nests made by massive creatures.

A mountain gorilla resting in trees of Bwindi 
- www.gorillasandwildlifesafaris.com

 Then we came into a slight opening, suddenly I heard branches to my immediate right snap as if a tree was falling, and a very big rumbling noise beyond anything I had ever experienced! And then there was this smell, like a pungent body odor worse than that of a human who hasn't bathed in a month. It was then whispered that we were among the gorillas. I strained my eyes towards the shaking shrub as I held firmly onto my walking stick. There was nothing to see but the "raspberry bushes" in the gloom. Another glimpse, and then appeared a couple of square inches of black fur. It looked like being a big deal! This was it! Gradually things improved. We got a glimpse of a female with a baby balanced on her back. Finally we got ourselves near the silverback seated immersed in bushes pluck-eating branches of berries. Suddenly our luck dramatically changed, the silverback started moving further away, ignorantly exposing himself the more.

The mountain gorilla - such a deserving name for this huge giant! In my whole life, I'd never seen this legendary species! Oh. This was a lifetime experience. No matter how much you watch mountain gorillas on television or even try hard to imagine what meeting them might actually be like, nothing can quite prepare you for this 1-on-1 encounter.

Then, all too soon, we were told it was time up (an hour being the limit for gorilla visits). We withdrew to make our way back. I was pretty content with what I'd seen.

Taken as a day it ranked strenuous, but one of those that make being born and living seem fully worthwhile.

Have you been to tracking the gorillas? What's your experience?
Are you planning to track the mountain gorillas and need assistance from a local tour operator based in Uganda and Rwanda? Please contact us or see some suggested packages below for a fast and efficient service.

Ivan

Rwanda Gorillas, Primates (chimps and monkeys) Safaris

Full-comprehensive Uganda and Rwanda Tours with Primates, Gorillas, Wildlife, Culture, Adventure (5-20 Days)

Gorilla Tracking Tours, trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda.

Full-comprehensive Uganda Tours with Primates, Gorillas, Wildlife, Culture, etc (8-20 Days)

Uganda Wildlife Safaris and tours to the tropical savannah national parks of Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha, Semliki, Mweya, etc

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Short Uganda Safaris and Tours (1-7 Days)

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One other tourist’s experience in Rwanda - Visiting Gorillas, Akagera, Kigali

Similar to how St. Augustine put it, ‘the world is a book,’ and those who do not travel read only a page of it. Most people travel not to go anywhere or learn any thing, but simply for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.

The tropical climate of Rwanda is praised for its medicinal benefits in relieving stress, which draws foreigners searching for the dry, warm weather.
The magnificent attractions in the country have contributed to the increasing number of tourists that are enchanted by this undiscovered paradise; the same tourists return year after year together with other friends who have heard of the country’s history.

Today, Rwanda has a fabulous fusion of French and English culture, customs and cooking. The languages that are spoken almost exclusively by the local population include French, English and Kinyarwanda, which are three official languages in Rwanda.

Most tourists who visit the country jet in at Rwanda’s main air gateway which is Kigali International Airport, located at Kanombe, a suburb of Kigali city.

People, who have the will to do a lot of traveling in as many countries as possible, should strive to spend at least a week in Rwanda.
While here, one can opt to use many different modes of transport depending on the destination and how fast one intends to travel. 

As you move around the city, you discover that Kigali is made up of three districts: Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge with a population of approximately 1million.

The main form of public transport within Rwanda is the Toyota Taxis or small omnibuses locally known as Twegerane, which is a Kinyarwanda word meaning ‘let’s sit together.`
Express taxi companies are also operating within the city centre and up country. These run to a set timetable (usually hourly) between major towns, generally Kigali and a major regional centre.

The taxis which are ran by express companies such as Sotra Tours, Atraco, Stella, Volcanoes Express, Virunga, Trans2000, Omega Car and Muhabura Travel, issue tickets in advance with a set price and time of departure short of which you risk a loss of the amount paid.

Speaking to Oliver Nizeyimana, the Managing Director of Volocano Express, which is one of the many transport companies in Kigali, it is hard to monitor the transport vehicles operating within the city.
“It is convenient for me to operate up country because we have only two parks one in Kigali and another in Butare where we operate,” he said.
Volocano Express has 14 mini white coaches that operate on only one route which is between Kigali and Butare.
But he says things are changing with the city council planning to prohibit taxis from operating within the city centre come 2008.
“Next year, I hope to start a Volocano town service, I know this time in six months; the city will have better transport services because transport companies which understand better transport services will have come on board,” Nizeyimana said.

For other express taxi companies, more destinations are being added with time, and most routes sell out their tickets considerably in advance of the departure time.
Passengers wishing to alight before the end of the taxi’s destination can do so, but have to pay the full ticket price anyway. The price of tickets on Express taxis is similar to the price of a stopping taxi over the same distance.

Those who have moved extensively around the country have had memorable experiences because there are numerous places to visit, all with exciting background stories.
There is a road that continues from Kayonza running to the far northeast of the country to Kagitumba via Nyangatare.
If one takes this route, they will see the beautiful and magnificently shaped Lake Muhazi along the main road.

Some years back, the biggest part of this road would twist through Akagera National park but today it is mostly a settlement area for returnees especially from Uganda and Tanzania.
Most tourists who come to Rwanda never miss the opportunity to travel to Akagera National Park, which is in the far off bushes of Kayonza district.
It is set in the Eastern Province where tranquility can only be provided by the wildness that stretches to Tanzania.

Akagera National Park boasts of a game lodge set off in the southern part only two hours drive away from the capital Kigali.
It has grown to prominence ever since its re-opening and now it attracts masses of tourists like never before.

One can be assured of the travel needs at this lodge – from climbing the endless hills of the picturesque landscape to passing through to other cities efficiently.

While in Rwanda, one cannot miss out on visiting the mountain Gorillas; these rare species are now a trade mark to Rwanda’s tourism industry that even the locals are excited at their site.
The amazing creatures which are facing extinct in other parts of the world, found a peaceful home in Virunga Mountains where the Rwandan government have showered them with a human love than ever before.

They even have special naming ceremonies for their new born as in accordance to Rwandan culture, so they are considered part of the many Rwandan families.

Whether visiting Rwanda for a week or a few months, the many modes of transportation available will certainly allow you to experience the best of the culture and all that the country has to offer. 

NewTimes

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My Day In Company with Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas

Hidden high among the forested volcanoes of central Africa, the mountain gorilla was unknown to science until 1902, when two were first encountered by a German explorer -- and promptly killed.

It set the tone for the relationship. For much of the time since, due to deforestation and poaching, it has seemed the mountain gorilla was swiftly destined to be lost to the world again. Not long after the species’ greatest champion, the American zoologist Dian Fossey, was killed in Rwanda in 1985, there were fewer than 300 of the giant primates left in the wild.

the endagered mountain gorilla in Rwanda's Virunga National Park

These days, however, while the species remains endangered, their numbers have grown to nearly 800. This is due to the efforts of conservationists such as those working in Volcanoes National Park, in northwest Rwanda, where Fossey established a research center which continues to run in her name today.

Efforts to change attitudes towards the mighty animals have seen them become an important source of income for the local economy through the tourists they bring, and turned poachers into vocal advocates for conservation.


The world’s largest mountain gorilla population, thought to number less than 500 animals, is found in a mountainous region known as the Virungas, incorporating Volcanoes, Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A second, smaller population can be found in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in another region of Uganda.

The Karisoke Research Center, operated by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and located in Volcanoes National Park, is the world’s most important facility for studying the mountain gorilla. 
Veronica Vecellio, its gorilla programme coordinator, said she developed the desire to work in her field after seeing “Gorillas in the Mist,” the 1988 film which popularized Fossey’s story.

“Studying Dian Fossey, it’s really clear how one person can really make the difference,” said Vecellio. “It’s what inspired me.”

Staff at Karisoke, which have observed the animals for more than 40 years, study the behavior of 10 groups of gorillas -- including those initially named and studied by Fossey, and their offspring.

Vecellio said the center focused on new research topics every year -- it had been able to learn, for example, that the life expectancy of a mountain gorilla was 35 years, as the animals had been under observation for their entire lifespan.

Fossey had believed in preserving the gorillas’ isolation by keeping tourists away. But today the tourism generated by the gorillas is essential to the local economy, and the organization that carries Fossey’s name is in favor of the visitors.

“It’s thanks (to) gorilla tourism that the gorillas are so well protected here in Rwanda,” said Vecellio. “I’m sure that if she was still there now, she would just appreciate the fact that thanks to the tourists, the gorilla (gets) to be alive. Before it was her keeping the gorillas alive, and now it’s the tourism.”

Fossey was found murdered in her cabin in the Virunga Mountains in 1985, and is buried in the park. Her killer has never been found.

Mountain gorillas are not frequently hunted for their meat, but can be maimed or killed by poachers leaving traps or snares for other animals. They have also been killed for their body parts to be sold to collectors.
Francois Ndungutse grew up in the area and used to hunt in the park. The former poacher says the last animal he killed was about eight years ago -- these days he urges people to protect the park’s animals as part of their livelihood.

“We used to live near this volcanic park, depending on it,” he said. “At that time, we were very poor ... we were relying on the park to get the meat.”

He said he and fellow poachers were persuaded to change their ways due to education programs from government agencies.

“In order to stop all this ... poaching, deforestation or any other illegal activities, it was a combined effort of the former Rwanda National Parks and Tourism Office and the current Rwanda Development Board (RDB),” he said.

“The RDB met us and gave us a plan of action and showed us how we can live without poaching in the parks.”

Vecellio said one of the amazing things about studying mountain gorillas was how close the primates let observers come to them, compared to other species she had studied.

“I started with western lowland gorillas, and the top distance was 50 meters to have them doing their activities,” she said. “But here you can approach a gorilla very close, and they ignore your presence ... you can be there and just be a natural part of the forest and collect your data.”

CNN

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Uganda Mountain Gorilla family Visits Bwindi Lodge

A mountain Gorilla Family all of a sudden just decided to visit Bwindi Lodge, sending all visitors into scampers! Here are some of the photos we managed to take from the scene. 

Just remember, Gorillas and Wildlife Safaris Uganda still beats anyone's record in offering the lowest cost gorilla tracking and wildlife safaris. Enjoy!!

Mountain Gorillas entering the compound at Bwindi Lodge - www.gorillasandwildlifesafaris.com

Mountain Gorillas from Bwindi enjoying the compound of Bwindi Lodge, in Buhoma.

Gorilla performing for guests in Bwindi

A silverback mountain Gorilla walking back to Bwindi behind the gorilla family -  www.gorillasandwildlifesafaris.com

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Number of UK tourists to Uganda soars

The number of tourists coming to Uganda from the UK and Ireland has surpassed previous years’ records despite the recent Ebola outbreak. 

A statement from the Uganda High Commission in London said there were increased applications for Uganda immigration entry visas averaging about 50 applications per day. The peak was in May-June when applications reached the 80 per day mark.

Buffaloes in Queen Elizabeth National Park

The outgoing High Commissioner, Joan Rwabyomere, attributed this to the prevailing peace in the country and the distinctive attraction of Uganda as a tourist destination arising out of the variety of its game stock and its unspoilt scenic beauty.

 She noted that the tourism industry had grown enormously in Uganda with clearly visible features including improved service delivery, facilities and awareness.

Uganda generally has substantial natural resources for tourism with a variety of landscape and ecosystems, climates and cultures.

Rwabyomere added that the Uganda Mission had the capacity to process the high numbers of applications.

 Individual and group applications are processed in one working day with collection being on the next day between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Applications received through the Post take up to a week to be processed.

Tourism in Uganda is an important generator of foreign exchange, high-end employment, and investment.

 According to the World Economic Forum, the sector contributed over shs1.5 trillion ($660m), 8 per cent contribution to Gross Domestic Product in 2010. 

Mountain gorilla tracking is one major tourist attraction in Uganda

The Government has therefore encouraged increased investment in tourism, particularly in travel, accommodation and related facilities because this enhances tourists' experience in the country.

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