Dian Fossey Grave Hike & Karisoke Research Camp, Diana Fossey legacy stands special as far as mountain gorilla conservation is concern. She designed the conservation efforts to ensure that the gorillas in the Virunga conservation area have their future.
Though her tremendous love towards the Gorillas, she was murdered in 1985 by suspected gorilla poachers. Whom she had fought aggressively for a long time. And established her base at Karisoke scientific camp in the saddle area between two volcanoes; Mt Visoke and Mt Karisimbi (from which the name Karisoke is derived).
Despite her death, her works continue through the programs of different research facilities and bodies. The work of Dian Fossey,were further made popular in the Hollywood movie “Gorillas in the Mist” (1988). Featuring Sigourney Weaver as Dian.
The Karisoke Research Camp site stands at an altitude of around 3000m (over 9000 ft) and was abandoned during the unrest of the 1990’s. All that remains today is the graveyard where several of Dian Fossey’s favorite gorillas. Including the famous Digit were buried at Karisoke Research Camp. Dian Fossey is also buried near the graves of her beloved gorillas.
The Dian Fossey Grave Hike adventure costs 75USD a permit. Dian Fossey Tomb hike or Karisoke Research Camp hike can be combined with Gorilla tracking. Enjoy Dian Fossey Foundation Rwanda adventure in Volcano park of Rwanda. The Dian Fossey Grave Hike, the Trek takes you to Karisoke Research Camp in Volcano Park
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund helps in the conservation of ten gorilla groups (out of 15 gorilla families) in Rwanda. Plus many other conservation projects geared towards the plight of mountain gorillas and other mammal species in the region.
Today for travelers visiting this center, and supporting the continuing effort gorilla conservation. The hike is one outstanding trek a tourist can add on a Gorilla trek. And Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda. Around the same place, is a gorilla cemetery in the formerly Karisoke Research Camp.
This adventurous Dian Fossey Grave Hike takes half an hour drive from the park headquarters at Kinigi. Reaching the trail head and then a 10-minute walk to the park edges. It is at this point that ascendance via the woodland starts and takes something between 2 – 4 hours. Basing on one’s ability to hike and the duration or the extent of one’s scenery enjoyment.
And reaching the peak of the hike, descending back to the starting point takes between also consumes about 1 – 2 hours.
There are various bird species sighted along the hike. And it’s an opportunity for visitors to watch birds and other wildlife creatures found in the Virungas en route.
Reaching at the summit of the hike, then can sight a house where Dian Fossey was brutally slain in December 1985. But the more comfortable place is where she was laid to rest next to her beloved gorilla. Digit plus roughly 20 more mountain gorillas buried there and were either lynched by poachers or just faced natural deaths.
The trek is emotional, educational and informative about the efforts of the American researcher who gave in her life to another wild tasks. The hike inspires studies about a person who was so devoted to gorillas and left a legacy which still exist to the present times.
When want to take a visit and hike the Dian Fossey Grave Hike up to Karisoke Research Camp, the rates are USD$ 75 per person, which includes the fee for the guide.
Dian Fossey Grave Hike starts at 07:00am from the Park Headquarters in Kinigi, from where visitors will have to drive / be driven to the start point for the trek. Permits can be purchased on the day of the trek at the Park headquarters and porters can be hired from here