Visit to Dian Fossey Grave in Volcanoes National Park is among the complete on a superb gorilla trekking safari to Rwanda. The graves holds the remnants of the famous American primatologists. Who gave in her life to ensure that the gorillas have a next future.
Dian Fossey made her debut into the Rwanda’s volcanos in 1966. As a researcher on chimpanzee and gorillas. Later she developed interest in broadening her studies about the mountain gorillas. This advanced her attention securing the future of mountain gorillas. After realizing that these greater apes where at the verge extinction. Right from 1966 to1985, when she was assassinated, she conducted a detailed research of mountain gorilla populations in Rwanda. She did this under her fundraising approach off called “DIGIT GORILLA FUND.”
Dian before her death in 1983 launched her famous book titled “GORILL IN THE MIST,” and two years after her death in 1988 a film named Gorilla in the Mist was made. Book narrated the chronicle Dian Fossey’s life with the gorillas. And work at the Karisoke Research Centre are chronicled.
Furthermore, in her effort, Diana established anti-poaching team. Which helped in cabbing down all the ant-poaching activities around the Karisoke Research Center. A lot of poacher were arrest during her operation and prosecuted. And is thought to have cause her assassination. Some of the poachers are still incarcerated. Animals like Mountain Gorillas and Forest Elephants. Who were being targeted for their ivory, were the target of the anti-poaching efforts.
Meanwhile, Diana Fossey was laid to rest with her beloved gorilla Digit and around 20 other animals that had either been killed by poachers or perished due to other causes.
Dian Fossey Hike
One of the major activities done around the graves is taking a volcanic hike. A trek to Dian Fossey’s tomb has suddenly become a must-do excursion for most visitors at Volcanos National Park. Tour operators list hiking to the Fossey Tomb as one of the most popular trekking activities in Volcanoes National Park’s itinerary.
Nearly an hour and a half from the park’s entrance to Dian Fossey’s burial in Karisoke Research Camp, Dian’s grave is located. A 30-minute drive from the Volcanoes National Park headquarters takes you to the path leading to the research facility, where you may begin your trek at a nearby graveyard.
Dian Fossey’s grave location provides travelers the chance to see a variety of monkeys, bird species and forest elephants. In addition, it gives travelers an intellectual and emotional insight into Dian’ studies on mountain gorillas and other primate species and her conservation efforts to understand and preserve them.
As a physically demanding and time-consuming excursion, trekking to Dian Fossey’s grave requires a traveler to be physically healthy and patient.
Points of Interest during the tour
While on tour to Dian Fossey grave site, tourists have an opportunity to view attractions such as;
- Dian Fossey tomb
- Karisoke Research Camp
- The cabin where Dian Fossey was murdered in 1985.
- Golden monkeys
- Mount Karisimbi, where a number of gorilla trekking activities are carried out.
- Bird species
Other Activities to Combine with Dian Fossey Hike.
The Dian Fossey tomb tour provides tourists with a number of activities that the visitors can indulge in, and these include;
- Hike to Dian Fossey’s grave site
- Nature walks
- Bird watching
- Wildlife viewing where tourists may have a chance to see wildlife species like forest elephants, warthogs and a variety of primate species.
- Trekking mountain gorillas that are found on Mount Karisimbi.
Best Time to Visit to Dian Fossey Grave in Volcanoes National Park
Anytime is great for visiting the graves, because gorillas can be visited throughout the years. This makes it necessary also to consider that one can visit Diana Fossey’s grave yards. However it is recommended that they visit it after their gorilla trekking experience. Travelers visiting Rwanda might consider taking a trip to the Dian Fossey Grave Site.