Take a visit to Dian Fossey's tomb as you participate in the Rwanda mountain gorilla trekking safari at Volcanoes national park. Dian Fossey was a conservationist, an American primatologist, and an anthropologist who dedicated her life to protecting mountain gorillas by conducting an 18-year research study regarding the fateful ape. Dian Fossey was raised with dejection from her stepfather when her mother divorced Dian Fossey’s father. Dian Fossey found love in animals at a tender age. Click here to see mountain gorilla trekking safaris

Dian Fossey had never participated in horse raiding before working on a farm with one of her hospital friends immediately after her graduation with a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State College in 1954 in occupational therapy. Dian Fossey's research studies were funded and supported by Louis and Mary Leakey, who were doing their anthropological research at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. Dian Fossey first did her research in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where she started her camp at Kabara, where she began another study on mountain gorillas in 1967. Click here to view our recommended mountain trekking tour 

Soldiers came to the camp in July or September 1967 to escort Dian Fossey to her research workers, which is when she was locked up at Rumangabo for about two weeks. Dian Fossey got her way out of the DRC with a bribe to Walter Baumgärtel, who used to work at the Travelers Rest Hotel in Kisoro; then she was arrested by the Uganda military team. Dian Fossey followed a piece of advice from Leakey. She gave up on researching in the Congo and instead started her research center in Rwanda, along the Virunga zone. Dian Fossey established her camp between Mt. Karisimbi and Bisoke, which was later popularly known as Karisoke, a combination of the two names, Karisimbi and Bisoke.

On September 24, 1967, Dian Fossey started the Karisoke Research Center, a remote camp in the tropical rainforest standing deep in Ruhengeri province, situated between two chained Virunga volcanoes, Mount Bisoke and Mount Karisimbi. Mount Karisimbi stands about 3,000 meters above sea level, and Mount Bisoke covers about 25 square kilometers.

Dian Fossey began her anti-poaching campaigns with a small team that carried out patrols while rescuing young gorillas whose parents were murdered during poaching. Dian Fossey's study on gorillas was aimed at protecting those gorillas in the western side of Volcanoes National Park, where she was based, but other gorillas where she was not reaching were still suffering the plight.

Dian Fossey was named by locals as Nyiramacibiri or Nyirmachabelli, which means “the woman who stays alone in the mountain." Dian Fossey conducted her studies perfectly; she was favored and loved by mountain gorillas. Dian Fossey has befriended a silverback called a digit. Digit's death in 1978 was a big heartbreak for Dian since he used to protect a baby gorilla named Kweli from poachers.

Dian Fossey’s team patrols for poachers led to the arrest of many poachers, who were later subjected to jail sentences. Dian Fossey was murdered on December 27, 1985, by unknown people at her research institute.

Dian Fossey was buried at Karisoke in her research center near her deceased gorilla friends. Dian Fossey was buried near Digit, her most beloved mountain gorilla. Dian Fossey's memorial services were also held in New York, California, and Washington. A hike to Dian Fossey's tomb can be combined with mountain gorilla trekking encounters at Volcanoes National Park.

Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is one of the top-notch activities to be done by tourists. Mountain gorilla trekking starts with an early morning briefing about the rules and regulations at the park’s headquarters, then tourists are distributed to different mountain gorilla families, trekking to the tropical dense forest with park rangers and guides searching for mountain gorillas. Once you have located them, tourists are only permitted to stay with gorillas for one hour. Rwanda’s mountain gorilla trekking permits cost $1500 per tourist.

Golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park involves hiking deep into the African tropical forest looking for the tiny little monkeys. Golden monkeys begin with a morning briefing at the park’s headquarters, then head to the forest. Once found, tourists are only allowed to spend an hour with Golden monkeys as you watch them play and feed one another.

Volcano hiking

Tourists can also participate in hiking one of the Virunga Massif Volcanoes such as Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke, Mount Sabyinyo, and Mount Muhabura, among others. Hiking to the trails towards the summit of Mount Karismbi offers volcanic features, a beautiful landscape, dense forest, and wonderful vegetation zones, although it involves hiking through steep slopes, muddy trails during the rainy season, and thick jungle.Tourists need to be in good shape that is required to hike through the steep and difficult parts of mountain slopes.

Iby’Iwacu cultural village

The Iby'Iwacu cultural village tour gives tourists an opportunity to meet Rwandan local people in their authentic environment with the fabulous taste of culture and tradition. Tourists are genuinely welcomed by the local community as they proudly present their beliefs and traditions. Exploring the Iby’Iwacu cultural village is the only way that travelers can get close and interact with local people and participate in their daily activities.

The best time to hike to Dian Fossey tomb ranges from June, July, August, September, and December. January and February are every traveler’s most preferred months of the year. Although hiking Dian tomb can be done throughout the year.