Susa Gorilla Family: Tracking Rwanda’s Largest Gorilla Group
The Susa group is the largest and most famous of Rwanda’s habituated mountain gorilla families. The group was named by researcher Dian Fossey after the Susa River on the slopes of Karisimbi where she first encountered them. At its peak the Susa group numbered more than 40 individuals, making it one of the largest known mountain gorilla groups in the Virunga population. The group subsequently split into two units due to its size.
The Susa group was one of the first mountain gorilla groups to be habituated for research and tourism at Karisoke Research Center. Its long research history gives it one of the most detailed and longest-running behavioural records of any wild gorilla group in the world. Scientists have followed specific Susa individuals across decades of continuous observation.
Meeting the Susa Group
A Susa group trek begins at Volcanoes National Park headquarters at Kinigi. The morning briefing assigns trekkers to their gorilla group based on the day’s permit allocation. The trek to find Susa typically involves the longest hike of any of the habituated groups in the park. The group’s territory often extends into the higher forest zones on Karisimbi’s lower slopes. This means more elevation gain and longer walking time than most other Volcanoes National Park gorilla groups.
The physical challenge of the longer Susa trek is offset by the reward of encountering the largest group. The size and complexity of the Susa group’s social dynamics are visible during the permitted hour. Multiple adult males, large numbers of females, and usually several juvenile gorillas engaged in play and social interaction are typical of the large-group atmosphere a Susa encounter provides.
The Susa group’s comfort with human presence reflects decades of habituation. Gorillas in a well-habituated group move and behave naturally during the encounter. They feed, rest, play, and interact with each other without apparent concern about the visitor group. This natural behaviour is what makes the gorilla trek encounter so compelling and so different from a conventional zoo visit.
Research History of the Susa Group
The Susa group’s research history connects directly to Dian Fossey’s foundational work at Karisoke. Fossey documented the group’s behaviour and composition over years of daily field observation. Researchers who followed her continued building the data record that now spans more than five decades. This continuity of observation makes Susa one of the most scientifically valuable habituated gorilla groups in any long-term great ape research program.
The group’s size over the years has provided particularly valuable data on the social dynamics of large mountain gorilla groups. How multiple silverbacks coexist within a single large family unit, how these relationships change over time, and under what conditions groups split are questions that the Susa group’s long history has helped researchers begin to answer.
The Fossey Fund field team maintains daily contact with the Susa group. Research observations continue alongside tourism visits. The compatibility of research and tourism in a well-managed habituation program demonstrates that both functions can coexist without compromising either goal. The scientific data produced by the daily monitoring directly benefits the management decisions that protect the group and the habitat it depends on.
Planning a Susa Group Trek
The Susa permit should be requested specifically when booking through the Rwanda Development Board. Allocating a full day for the Susa trek is important because of the potential for longer walking times. Starting the trek as early as possible in the morning is strongly recommended. Physical fitness that extends comfortably to a four to six hour hike at altitude is needed for the Susa experience.
The Susa group typically ranges at higher elevations than most other Volcanoes National Park groups. Waterproof boots, warm layers, and waterproof jacket are essential. The higher elevation forest sections are frequently cold and misty. Good preparation for the altitude and weather makes the experience more comfortable and allows full engagement with the permitted hour.
Plan Your Susa Group Trek
The Susa group trek is one of the most complete gorilla trekking experiences available anywhere in Africa. The combination of group size, research history, and connection to Dian Fossey’s foundational work creates an encounter that carries meaning beyond the visual encounter alone. A Susa permit is one of the most sought-after experiences in Rwanda safari planning.
African Wild Trekkers secures Susa group permits and designs Rwanda gorilla safari itineraries around the specific groups available during your travel dates. Contact us to plan a Rwanda gorilla safari that includes the possibility of a Susa group encounter at Volcanoes National Park.
