Susa is one of the tremendous habituated gorilla families that are set for tourists to track these impressively beautiful creatures in the wilderness. This gorilla group is also famously known as Susa “A” group and this is where Dian Fossey carried out her research.
Susa A group derived its name from the popular Susa River that flows through its home range but one thing that makes the family stand out is the fact that it inhabits the relatively higher altitudes of the Virunga Mountains thus making it the hardest to track within Volcanoes National Park.
Gorilla Trekking in Susa
It is also one of the toughest and breathtaking gorilla families in the Volcanoes National Park and in most cases takes visitors nearly the whole day trekking. However, your trek has been simplified by conservation trackers who are always sent into the jungles to ascertain where the gorilla family can easily be found by the next trekkers. In most cases, visitors have been restrained from trekking this gorilla family due to its distant location.
Therefore, tourists intending to track this gorilla family are always advised to be physically fit or adventure lovers that are able to hike for quite a long time without easily getting tired.
However before trekking, trackers from the Rwanda Development Board have to find out the exact location of the gorilla family the previous evening so that trekkers can have a smooth and easier trek.
Group Size
It was once the largest gorilla family with 42 members before it split into two groups-Susa A and Susa B (Karisimbi) but now has 28 members including 3 silverbacks. Interesting, Poppy (1976) who is one of the members of the group was among the gorillas habituated by Dian Fossey.
Another outstanding characteristic about Susa A group is their adorable playful twins known as Impano and Byishimo that will take your breath away thus one of the reasons you can’t miss visiting the gorilla family during Rwanda gorilla safaris.
After a short briefing from the ranger guide in the morning within Kinigi Park Headquarters, tourists venture in to the jungles to search for this wonderful gorilla family. When found, excited trekkers pull out their cameras and capture such amazing moments with the amazing creatures. Just like tracking any other group or this remarkable gorilla family, trekkers are advised to be physically fit, wear strong waterproof hiking boots, wear long sleeved shirts and long trousers, carry waterproof backpack for packing drinking water (which is a must-have), packed lunch or snakes and the camera. Additionally, tourists have to wear gardening gloves and also pack a rainproof jacket because of the high elevation of the Park thus possibility of raining or not is very unpredictable.
Besides Susa A, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is a home to other nine habituated gorilla families that can be tracked and these include Karisimbi (Susa B), Kwitonda, Umubano, Sabinyo, Ugenda, Amahoro, Bwenge, Hirwa and Agashya (group 13) families.