The Agashya gorilla group, also known as the former Rwanda gorilla family 13 or group 13, is one of the fascinating habituated gorilla families worth tracking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park during Rwanda gorilla safaris.
The Agashya gorilla troop is one of the popular 12 habituated gorilla families found in Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda that is often tracked during gorilla trekking safari experiences.
It is known for its history, the protective behaviors of its dominant silverback, and the fascinating gorilla safari experiences it offers travelers who choose to track it.
When it was first habituated, the Agasha gorilla family or Agashya gorilla troop had only 13 members at the time, and that’s where the name ‘Group 13’ came from, though now the group has about 25 members, including 1 dominant silverback, 12 adult females, 3 juveniles, 2 sub adult females and about 7 young infants seen during Rwanda gorilla trekking tours.
This group 13 or Agasha gorilla family is, in most cases, found on the gentle and undulating foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes, i.e., Mount Mgahinga (Gahinga), and Mount Sabyinyo (Sabinyo) during gorilla tracking excursions in Rwanda.
Whether you’re looking forward to gazing into the eyes of a dominant silverback or seeing young gorillas playing and a mother nurturing them, choosing to track the Agashya gorilla troop will offer you some of the best life-changing experiences and intimate encounters with these endangered primates in their natural habitat.
If interested in knowing more about everything relate do this gorilla troop, read more of the detailed information below.
The Agashya trop is found on the lower slopes of Mount Sabyinyo in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park in the northwestern part of Rwanda.
Volcanoes National Park spans approximately 160 square kilometers of dense montane forests, with five of the Virunga volcanoes giving it a unique backdrop with stunning views that extend to the neighbouring countries of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This means that they actually share the gorilla habitat with the famous Sabyinyo gorilla group, also found at Mount Sabyinyo, though with the Agasha troop, it sometimes moves to the slopes of Mount Mgahinga (Gahinga) in case the silverback senses any threats looming near the troop.
The Agashya gorilla group was first habituated in the 1980s, and it was named ‘Group 13’ due to the 13 individuals that were present at the time of habituation in Volcanoes National Park.
The troop later was then called Agashya family, deriving the name from the Kinyarwanda word meaning ‘news’, which portrays the dramatic takeover by silverback Agashya from the then leading silverback Nyakairima.
Nyakairima, before being overthrown through a fierce battle that was led by Agashya, had expanded the family from 12 members to about 20 members, and when he was defeated, Agashya assumed dominance and took over the group.
This fight was quite unexpected in all the observed gorilla history, but it is believed that Agashya’s win came from the fact that he first strategically assessed Nyakairima’s strength before the confrontation and swiftly relocated the group higher up the volcano to avoid retaliation afterwards.
Dominant silverback Agashya today is still being credited for the extra growth of this troop, which he has done through assimilation of members from other troops and the addition of lone gorillas to his troop.
The Agasha family today thrives in the lush and green environments or habitats in the Volcanoes National Park, often posing interestingly for visitors who finally get a glimpse of this troop during Rwanda gorilla tours.
The dominant silverback known as Agashya is the current and leading silverback of the Agashya gorilla group.
His protective nature is a key trait attributed to him because he oftentimes moves the whole troop to higher altitudes once he senses danger or looming threats.
However, this act of his often extends treks that would have lasted 2-8 hours to go up to 12 hours, though this offers magical views of the volcanic summits overlooking the Virunga mountain chains and the neighbouring countries, Uganda and the DR Congo.
Some of the popularly known characteristics of the Agasha family include.
The Agashya group has about 25 to 27 members to date, which include the 1 dominant silverback (Agashya), 12-14 adult females, 3 juveniles, and about 7 babies or gorilla infants.
Agashya, the dominant silverback, is very security-conscious and protective of the group, unlike the last silverback, Nyakairima.
Because once he senses any kind of threat, he takes the troop to higher altitudes to avoid any threats from wild gorilla groups or perceived dangers from the trekkers on Rwanda gorilla trekking safaris, which has also contributed to the family’s stability and growth.
The Agasha troop is known for exhibiting so many human-like traits, such as feeding on vegetation and fruits, family bonding and nurturing, as well as playful interactions among juveniles and infants.
The Rwanda gorilla trekking experience with the Agashya gorilla troop is a once-in-a-lifetime activity done only in Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda during Rwanda gorilla safaris.
Trekking gorillas in the Agashya family begins at 7:00 AM with registration and a briefing at Kinigi Park headquarters in Volcanoes National Park.
After this early morning briefing, the actual gorilla trek begins around 8:00 am and often lasts for 2-8 hours, depending on the gorilla’s location, terrain, speed of movement, and the hiking pace of the trekkers led by experienced guides and armed rangers.
Upon locating the Agashya troop, travelers are allowed to spend one hour that is quite magical with the habituated gorillas observing them feed, play, forage on bamboo & vegetation, and groom while you capture flashless pictures of them.
It is, however, worth noting that if the silverback Agashya senses danger, the family may ascend to volcanic summits, turning the trek into a full-day adventure with challenging hikes through bamboo forests and steep slopes.
This gorilla trekking experience can be quite physically demanding, but it is also very demanding, hence requiring trekkers often grouped in numbers of 8 people per day per group to minimize disturbance of the gorilla’s ways to dress appropriately, be physically fit and if they have luggage to hire porters ($15-20) to carry gorilla trekking gear and assist on slippery trails.
Some of the gorilla trekking rules and guidelines to follow when tracking the Rwanda gorillas in the Agashya troop include
These rules minimize stress on the gorillas and reduce health risks from human beings, given their susceptibility to human diseases.
Volcanoes National Park offers a range of lodges catering to different budgets, all within easy reach of trekking starting points:
Many lodges provide guided transfers and trekking support.
The Rwanda gorilla trekking permit for tracking the Agasha gorilla family is $1,500 per person per trek, and it is often obtained by visitors directly or indirectly through licensed tour operators from the Rwanda Development Board.
This gorilla permit fee, in one way or another, supports gorilla conservation and community development initiatives in Rwanda.
Travelers are strongly encouraged to book these Rwanda gorilla permits at least 2-6 months in advance through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) or through a tour operator because they sell out quickly, since only 8 permits are available daily for this group.
Other additional costs to incur when on a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda include accommodations ($80-$2,500pp), transport ($30-$250 per day), and optional porter fees (around $15-20).
The most optimal time to go gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda to see the Agashya gorilla family is during the dry seasons. These run from June to September and December to February, which offer the best trekking conditions with less mud, no rain, clearer paths, better visibility with clear blue skies, though permits book out quickly.
Though it is worth noting that gorilla trekking in Rwanda can be done all year round, even in the wet seasons, though this may require wearing proper gear.
The main gateway to Volcanoes National Park is the Kigali International Airport. From Kigali, travelers are driven 2-3 hours to Musanze, then a short drive to Kinigi Park headquarters.
The road to the park is quite scenic with views of the rolling hills and the rural countryside, making passing through it very worthwhile.
Some of the transport options used to get to the park include private 4×4 safari vehicles, self-drive rentals, and public buses from Nyabugogo station to Musanze.
For time-conscious travelers, they can charter domestic flights from Kigali to Musanze airstrip, which takes 30 minutes.
Some of the items to carry include.
| · Susa A | · Sabyinyo |
| · Amahoro | · Kwitonda |
| · Hirwa | · Karisimbi |
| · Umubano | · Ugenda |
| · Bwenge | · Titus |
| · Pablo | · Bwengye |
It is worth noting that only 96 permits are the only ones issued by RDB across all the gorilla groups!
Beyond gorilla trekking, Tourists can also do other activities alongside tracking the Agashya troop, like
Rwanda has four national parks, each offering diverse ecosystems:
Mountain gorilla trekking is limited to a few parks across Africa:
Agashya is the current leader of the Agashya family in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
There are currently about 25 members in the Agashya family of Volcanoes National Park.
The Agashya family is found in the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda.
The Agashya gorilla family is one of the best Rwanda gorilla groups worth tracking by visitor son Rwanda gorilla trekking tours because treks to this troop in its natural habitat offer stunning views of the surrounding Virunga volcano summits, neighboring countries, among other attractions, which leave travelers with lifetime memories of gorillas “on top of the world” amid misty forests and volcanic landscapes.
Inquire from us now and let us plan the best Rwanda gorilla trekking itinerary for you to see the Agashya troop firsthand!
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