The Kwita Izina is one of the most significant celebrations of nature and offers a great opportunity for the world to meet the newborn baby gorillas in Rwanda. Kwita Izina is held each year, and the 2023 marks the 19th edition, since its launch in 2005.
During the event, newborn baby gorillas are named and it is also used as platform to celebrate Rwanda’s commitment to promote sustainable and responsible tourism. The 2023 Kwita Izina event will be held on 1st September. Kwita Izina celebration is also used as an avenue to thank communities living adjacent to Volcanoes National Park (VNP). The 2022 celebrations marked 18th edition, where over 374 baby gorillas were named.
The gorilla naming exercise is carefully conducted and conservationists are guided by the gorillas’ characters. After naming gorillas, there is a chance to add other activities in Rwanda’s Volcanoes Park such as golden monkey tracking, mountain gorilla trekking, volcano hiking, explore the twin Lakes, and visit other national parks such as Nyungwe Forest, Gishwati –Mukura and Akagera National Park.
Kwita Izina is modeled off a centuries old tradition where Rwandese name their children in the presence of family and friends. Kwita Izina was launched in 2005, as official event when mountain gorillas are named with currently attracting different dignitaries worldwide.
The gorilla naming ceremony (Kwita Izina) falls on the same month when the World Gorilla Day is commemorated. World Gorilla Day is mainly used to promote gorilla conservation programs and mobilize people to appreciate them so as to boost conservation and protection of these endangered species –mountain gorillas.
Rwanda through Rwanda Development Board (RDB) also introduced the tourism revenue share initiative in 2005. The tourism revenue share initiative mean communities living adjacent to all parks in Rwanda will have 10% revenue share put back to their communities to support different projects. Since 2005, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has shared more than RwF 7.9 billion to more than 880 community-based projects.
Among the many projects that have been supported include providing clean drinking water, health center, milk, classrooms, and housing to adjacent communities to all the 4 Rwanda National Park –Gishwati-Mukura, Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe Forest and Akagera National Park. As of 2022, more projects were launched by RDB and include the Cyarubare Industrial Workshop in Kayonza district.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park)
Gorilla trekking is amazingly Volcanoes National Park’s premier primate adventures and attracts thousands of primate lovers globally to explore more about these apes while in their natural habitat. At Volcanoes National Park, there are 12 habituated families to be visited and each group is allocated to a maximum of 8 visitors.
Gorilla trekking permits are mandatory if you are to be allowed to visit the mountain gorillas. Each Rwanda gorilla permit goes at a fee of USD 1500 per person per day. The permit should be obtained in advance at least 2-3 months before the actual date of immersing yourself into the jungles to look for mountain gorillas in the wild.
When to go
The dry season is undoubtedly the best period of the year that allows tourists experience the most of Rwanda gorilla trekking adventure in Volcanoes N/Park. This takes place starting June, July, August and September or December, January to February. Besides, the park also has its gates open to nature lovers even during the wet or rainy season –March, April, May and October, November. The challenge the rainy or wet months have is that they come with heavy rains and as a result, the ground can be muddy and slippery. This is why they are perhaps the most avoided months by visitors on gorilla tours.
