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Dian Fossey

Born on January 16th, 1932 in San Francisco, California, Dian Fossey is a re-known world historical who is cherished for her great contribution towards the conservation of mountain gorillas in the Virunga massif.

Dian Fossey was initially a therapist who developed great interest in primates after her first safari tour to Africa that featured countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Democratic Republic of Congo among other countries in 1963.

Though her closeness to animals dates back to her early age when she was an enthusiastic horseback rider and an aspirant veterinarian, her trip to Africa was a turning point in her life.

Overview About Dian Fossey Rwanda

The safari tour to Africa enabled her to connect with the famous Dr. Leakey an archeologist and Root family which was in photography with the aim of producing a documentary of African gorillas who gave her the chance of going along with them in search of primates.

dian fossey tomb
dian fossey tomb

Her initial impression with gorillas was later explained in her book gorillas in the mist where Fossey noted that “It was their individuality combined with the shyness of their behavior that remained the most captivating impression of this first encounter with the greatest of the great apes,” This impression founded the ground for her return as she notes in the same book that “I left Kabara with reluctance, but with never a doubt that I would, somehow, return to learn more about the gorillas of the misted mountains.”

The Dian Fossey got the opportunity of catching up with Dr. Leakey in Kentucky at a lecture in 1966 in Lousiville where she was invited by Leakey to come back to Africa for a long term study of the endangered mountain gorillas as Dr. Leakey believed that researching primates would profoundly be of value to the human evolution study.

Dian Fossey then travelled to Democratic Republic of Congo before she transferred to Rwanda escaping the civil war in Congo.

Dian Fossey on arrival in Rwanda, she established Karisoke Research Foundation in 1967 in Volcanoes National Park which is the only gorilla safari park in Rwanda.

She championed the gorilla conservation and did enormous research among gorillas which made her obtain a Ph.D. from Cambridge University in 1976.

Dian Fossey published the book Gorillas in the mist in 1983 and became the best seller before she lost her dear life in unknown circumstances as she was found cut by a machete in a cabin at her research station in Rwanda on December 26, 1985 something that was assumable carried out by poachers.

In 1988, a film also titled Gorillas in the mist was released by the Sigourney Weaver acting as Fossey.

Rwanda National Parks | Safari Destinations in Rwanda

Rwanda dubbed the land of a thousand hills boasts of three well protected national parks located in different parts of the country.

The three parks have varied habitats thus supporting varied biodiversity allowing Rwanda to maintain a good count natural flora and fauna in its small protected landscapes. Read More about Rwanda Safari Destinations

Akagera National Park is positioned in the north east of Rwanda overlooking the plains of Tanzania. It extends over a geographical spread of 1122 km2 and under a public private partnership arrangement of African Parks and Rwanda Development Board since 2010.

The park is named after the River Akagera which is one of the sources of the Nile River which is the longest in the world.

The River feeds in the chain of lakes that mark the floor of the Akagera plains including Lake Ihema which is the second largest in the whole of Rwanda. Read More about Akagera National Park

Volcanoes National Park, Also known as Parc Nationale des Volcanos in French, the Volcanoes National Park is located in the north west of Rwanda protecting the  Rwandan side of the Virunga massif thus bordering with Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Congo’ Virunga National Park.Read More about Volcanoes National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park, Positioned in the south west of Rwanda, the Nyungwe Forest National Park overlooks the Democratic Republic of Congo border to the west and the Republic of Burundi in the south.

The Nyungwe is noted to be one of the ancient forests of Africa and is known to have survived the last ice age.

The Nyungwe forest is noted to one of the largest mountain forests in East Africa and at the moment is considered to be the most conserved forest in the Central African Highlands. Read More about Nyungwe Forest National Park

Uganda National Parks | Safari Destinations in Uganda

Uganda is a gorgeous place to be and is truly the treasure chest of the African continent. Uganda’s abundance of life in the wild has always inspired peak Safaris in Africa and this is undoubtedly expected to continue in the future. Read More about Uganda Safari Destinations

Kidepo National Park, Located in the north eastern part of Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park covers a geographical landscape of 1,442km2.

It is in the district of Kaboong about 220km from Moroto the biggest town in the sub region and 700km from Kampala the Uganda’s capital city.

Kidepo Valley National Park was established in the year 1962 and it contains 77 species of mammals, 475 bird species of which 60 are endemic to the park on the standards of Uganda. Read More about Kidepo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park, The nomenclature of Lake Mburo National Park like most of other African areas cannot go without a legendary connotation.

The legends have it that the two brothers named Kigarama and Mburo settled in the area that is currently occupied by Lake Mburo grazing their long horned cattle across the open savannah plains that thrive up to today. Read More about Lake Mburo National Park

Mgahinga National Park, which was established in 1991 covers a geographical surface of 33.7km2 making the smallest national Park in Uganda.

Mgahinga National Park is the second habitat that contains the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas and it is the only national park in Uganda with counts of the rare and endangered golden monkeys which only thrive in the Virunga massif in the whole world. Read More about Mgahinga National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in the south west of Uganda stretching for 321Km2 at an elevation of 1,160 – 2,607 m above sea level.

Bwindi is one of those areas in East Africa with large expanse of Afro montane lowland forest which dates back to the pre-historic era and is known to have survived the last ice age. Read More about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Mount Elgon National Park, Spreading to over 1,121km2 of land, Mount Elgon National Park lies with in the eastern side of Uganda close to Kenyan boarder 255km from Kampala which is the country’s capital city.

Mount Elgon which was once the tallest in Africa before it was eroded to being the fourth tallest in East Africa rises up to 4,321m above sea level and is the oldest and largest single standing volcano in East Africa having last erupted approximately 24 million years ago. Read More about Mount Elgon National Park

Semuliki National Park, Spreading to over 220km2 of land surface, Semuliki National Park is located in the west of Uganda in the county of Bwamba, Bundibugyo district.

The park contains a range of species among which include 441 bird species and 53 mammal species. Established in 1993, Semuliki National Park is recognized among the newly established Uganda safari parks in Uganda. Read More about Semuliki National Park

Mount Rwenzori National Park, had earlier been described by Ptolemy a Greek geographer in 150AD as Lunae Montes translated as the Mountains of the moon and were thought to be the origin of the Nile River which is the longest in world and one of the natural wonders encountered by Uganda safari undertakers. Read More about Mount Rwenzori National Park

Kibale National Park, The park is located in the western part of Uganda sharing the districts of Kabarole and Kamwenge and is 358km surface transfer from Kampala the Uganda’s capital city and 26km from Fort Portal the largest town in the area.

Kibale National Park is entirely forested landscape that stretches to 795km2 of land coverage and it is one of the mature remaining tropical rain forests in Uganda. Read More about Kibale National Park

Murchison falls National Park, Regarded as Uganda’s largest protected area, Murchison Falls National Park was nowhere until 1952 when 3,840km2 of land in the North West part of Uganda were established as a national Park.

Perched on the northern extreme of the western arm of the great East African rift valley, Murchison Falls National Park is 80km from Masindi town which is the largest town in the sub region and 311km2 from the city of Kampala, the Uganda’s capital. Read More about Murchison falls National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park. Located within the western rift valley floor, Queen Elizabeth National Park was gazetted in 1952 as Kazinga National Park attaining its nomenclature from the 45m long Kazinga channel that bisects the park adjoining Lake George and Lake Edward.

Queen Elizabeth National Park overlooks the highest point in Uganda Rwenzori Mountains with their snowcapped peaks as they were described by Ptolemy in 150AD as the mountains of the moon. Read More about Queen Elizabeth National park

Accommodations, Safari Lodges, Safari Hotels in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

The Mountain Gorilla View Lodge is an upmarket lodge on the boundaries of Volcanoes National Park about fifteen (15) minutes’ drive to the entrance of the park.

The lodge offers accommodation in a range of thirty (30) chalets with enough space, a modern bar and restaurant.

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is positioned close to the Volcanoes Park Headquarters is about few minutes’ drive.

Accommodation is provided in six cottages with two (2) suites with private verandas, inbuilt ablutions and living room overseeing fireplace.

Virunga Lodge is a luxury accommodation located on a ridge with impressive views of the Virunga massif.

Accommodation is presented in eight (8) bandas and each banda features a private terrace with impressive views of the Virunga massif.

Accommodations, Safari Lodges, Safari Hotels in Nyungwe National Park Rwanda

Accommodation at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel is offered in twelve (12) units and four (4) of these feature twin beds while the eight (8) are apartments featuring queen sized beds.

The rooms are self-contained. The Hotel also has a restaurant and a well-stocked bar.Positioned at 2km distance outside Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Gisakura Guesthouse offers accommodation in twin, double and triple rooms which are self-contained and with provision of warm water on request. The Guesthouse also features a good restaurant.

Accommodations, Safari Lodges, Safari Hotels in Akagera National Park Rwanda

Akagera Game Lodge is located within the park close to its southern entrance. The Lodge features a swimming pool, conference center and a tennis court.

Accommodation is offered in standard rooms, deluxe, family and Junior Suite. The lodge features over 60 bed rooms.

Ruzizi Tented Lodge is a luxury tented accommodation facility in Akagera National Park. It offers accommodation in a range of twenty (20) beds that are connected by walkways.

Ruzizi Tented Camp has nine (9) tents which can up to twenty (20) clients.

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Rwanda Gorilla Safaris | Gorilla Trekking Rwanda

Rwanda is a world surprising Gorilla trekking Rwanda African safari destination in offering Rwanda Gorilla tours / Rwanda gorilla safaris in Volcanoes National Park – part of the Virunga Massif with about half of the about 420 mountain gorillas that habitat / leave in the Virunga Massif i.e Volcanoes National park Rwanda, Mgahinga Gorilla Park Uganda and Virunga National park Congo.Read More about Rwanda Gorilla Safari Tours

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Long Rwanda Gorilla Safari Tours

6Days Gorilla Safari Rwanda, Chimpanzee trekking & Colobus Monkeys tracking, is designed to enable you go Gorilla trekking in Rwanda and have a detailed encounter with the primates of Rwanda. View Itinerary

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Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tours

The Rwanda Wildlife Safaris allows you to explore the destination Rwanda without gorilla trekking. You might have tracked gorillas before or you can not include it at the moment because of budgetary issues and this makes the Rwanda Wildlife Safari ideal for such travelers.Read More about Rwanda Wildlife Safari Tours

3Days Rwanda Chimpanzee Safari to Nyungwe Forest National Park, is a thrilling encounter in the pre-historic forest of Nyungwe where counts of habituated Chimpanzees are found…View Itinerary

3Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari to Akagera National Park. is a perfect short wildlife encounter in the rolling savannah plains of the eastern Rwanda where Akagera National Park is situated overlooking the Tanzanian Plains. View Itinerary

5Days Wildlife and Chimpanzee Safari in Rwanda, takes you to the wild game viewing haven of Akagera National Park and the chimpanzee trekking destination of Nyungwe …View Itinerary

5Days Rwanda Adventure Safari, the safari takes you to the Volcanoes National Park which protects the Rwandan side of the Virunga mountain chain. View Itinerary

6Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari takes you to Volcanoes National Park and Akagera National Park not forgetting the genocide sites of Kigali…View Itinerary

9Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari is one of those extended safaris in Rwanda that do not feature gorilla trekking. Starting and ending in Kigali…View Itinerary

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2 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda

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3 Days Rwanda Chimpanzee Safari to Nyungwe Forest National Park

The 3 Days Chimpanzee Safari in Rwanda is a thrilling encounter in the pre-historic forest of Nyungwe where counts of habituated Chimpanzees are found…View Itinerary

3 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari to Akagera National Park[

The 3 Days Rwanda Wildlife Safari to Akagera National Park is a perfect short wildlife encounter in the rolling savannah plains of the eastern Rwanda … View Itinerary

Best Selling Uganda Safaris

3 days Bwindi Gorilla Safari in Uganda

3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Safari in Uganda is a Short Uganda Gorilla Safari-Uganda Gorilla Tour taking you trek gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP. View Itinerary

3 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari to Murchison Falls National Park

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6 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari to Kidepo and Murchison Falls NP

6 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari to Kidepo and Murchison Falls National Parks, allows you to explore the big five of land animals in detail. The lions, elephants, Buffaloes and Leopard thrive on Kidepo as well as Murchison. View Itinerary

6 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari & Wildlife Safari in Uganda

6 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari – Uganda Gorilla Safari is an amazing Uganda Gorilla Tour to Bwindi Forest. Our 6 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari commences and ends in Kampala city Ugandas capital.View Itinerary

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3 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda

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5 Days Rwanda Chimpanzee Trekking Safari & Colobus Monkey trekking tour

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10 Days Uganda Gorilla Safari Holiday & Wildlife Safari in Uganda

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3 days Gorilla Safari in Rwanda and Uganda

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18 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda and Uganda

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