Rwanda Development Board

With gorilla numbers at a record high, new safari experiences and new luxury accommodation opening its doors, there has never been a better time to discover the magic of Rwanda.

The latest mountain gorilla census has revealed that numbers have increased to 604, up from 480 in 2010. Those numbers are split over 41 social groups with an additional 14 solitary males living in the Virunga Massif area of the Volcanoes National Park. When combined with mountain gorillas living in the neighbouring Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, the global wild population is now over 1,000. They represent the only species of great ape in the world whose population is increasing, rather than decreasing.

This result is due to the tireless conservation work of international groups like the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) and Fauna & Flora International (FFI) alongside the Rwandan government and local operators. Margaret Kinnaird, Wildlife Practice Leader at WWF said: “This is fabulous news for mountain gorillas and shows what we can do for wildlife when NGOs, governments and their communities work together…The mountain gorilla story can be a model for how to restore and maintain our earth’s precious biodiversity”

Wilderness Safaris has just launched its second camp in Rwanda, Magashi, in the northeastern corner of Akagera National Park, overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga. Guests can now experience the best of Rwanda with Wilderness Safaris, taking lake cruises, savannah safaris and night game drives at Magashi, before moving to Bisate Lodge for gorilla trekking.

One&Only is also launching two exclusive properties in Rwanda. One&Only Nungwe House, set on a lush tea plantation in the southwest of the country, opened in October 2019. One&Only Gorilla’s Nest will open this year on the edge of the Virunga mountains with just 21 rooms.

 

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