
Agashya Gorilla Group
Agashya gorilla group / family also known as group 13 initially had 13 members at the time of habituation bit the number increased to 25 individuals with 1 silverback, 3 black backs, 12 females, 7 infants, and 3 juveniles. The word Agashya is translated to mean special in Kinyarwanda language.
Nyakarima was the dominating silverback before being over thrown by an ambitious silverback Agashya who took over the group’s leadership. Agashya moved with the family to high elevations of the mountain to avoid disruption from other silverbacks, he is also well known of grabbing members from other gorilla families to expand his own.
The name Agashya is derived from a local Kinyarwanda word to mean “news”. Agashya mountain gorilla family together with Sabyinyo gorilla family live on the slopes of mount of Sabyinyo one of the Virunga range volcanoes.
Numbers in gorilla families keep on changing because of death, new births and other gorillas moving to other groups or when another silverback decides to form his own gorilla family and grabs some members from the group.
If your security conscious, then Agashya gorilla family is the group you need to trek while on a gorilla safari in Rwanda though it can be hard to trek a times when Agashya gorilla family decides to take the group to high elevations.
Gorilla permits for Agashya Gorilla Group
Gorilla permits are cards issued by Rwanda Development Board or any trusted tour operator and this permit gives you access to mountain gorillas, gorilla permits cost $1500 per person per trek and can be given only sold to people of 15 and above. People with communicable diseases such as flu, cough and diarrhea will nit be allowed to trek gorillas.
What to carry to trek Agashya Gorilla Group
Gorilla trekking requires one to be physically fit for it takes you about 2-8 hours depending in the location of these apes and the speed at which you are trekking. One needs to pack energy giving snacks, enough drinking water, good waterproof hiking shoes, garden gloves, insect repellents, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, good quality camera, long-sleeved clothes and much more
Best time to visit Agashya Gorilla Group
Volcanoes national park can be visited at any time of the year but some months are better than the rest so the best time to trek gorillas in volcanoes national park is during the dry season which occurs from June to September and December to January. It’s during these months that the roads are accessible and the trails in the park are in good condition.
Where to sleep in Volcanoes national park
There ae several accommodation options in volcanoes national park ranging from budget to mid-range to luxury options. Where to sleep depends on the tourist’s budget and these include Bisate Lodge, Bishops House, Gorilla’s Nest, Amarembo Gorilla Village, Kwitonda Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Isanga Paradise Resort, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Virunga Lodge and many others.