Encounter Volcanoes Ex-Hunters-Today’s Conservationists.

Gorilla Guardian’s

Beyond Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes, you can spend time with a group of ex-poachers. Gorilla Guardians village formerly called Ibyiwacu was started purposely to convince the poachers to leave out poaching which they had embraced for so many years.

One of the Conservationist started this project and advised this group of poachers about the bigger opportunity that they can acquire when they leave out poaching, so he started training them in conservation, reviving culture, craft making, and traditional dances among others.

Currently there are very number of authentic activities done by these family which have led to improved standards of living and they have embraced it and they are living happy life.

At the village, there different huts where you acquire difference experiences for stance reception where you are told the history on how the village was started, Iron smelting, Traditional healer/medicine man, Ex-poachers experience, Artisans and craft making, king’s house replica.

The traditional healer displays herbs that they used to cure some diseases, the traditional Mutwa survived on forest resources ranging from honey, herbs and hunting. They did not have the capacity to visit the hospital so they used medicinal plants to cure some diseases.

The village people embraces Iron Smelting as a means to model iron tools to make sharp equipment’s like Panga, Hoes, folks, hand axe among others. Visit this site and get first-hand experience about Iron smelting.

Get dressed up like a Munyarwanda lady and dance with the local people, dance to their tunes and strokes. These people have the Intore group who sing Gorilla songs, success songs after hunting, marriage ceremony songs and welcoming songs, all these showcase a message on how they survived before leaving poaching work.

After participating in traditional dances and after give away ceremony of their daughter of which one of you can act as daughter to be given for marriage, they carry you in their traditional kings means of transport on their shoulders as they sing for you, believe me its authentic experience ever.

After the giveaway ceremony you will visit the King’s House replica where you welcomed by an old man who sing and plays for you a local music instrument as he sing for you the melodies he used to play for a king, the responsible servants of the king will dress you in Kings and Queen’s cloth before they crown you as a king and given king’s arrow and you will cover up the village experience in style as you encounter the local food eating experience.