The 27th December 2015 will mark thirty years since the mysterious death of famed zoologist Dian Fossey who dedicated over thirty years of her life to researching and protecting endangered mountain gorillas in Africa. In support of her achievements and to ensure her values are carried forward to future generations, eco-luxe lodge company Volcanoes Safaris continues to make tracking gorillas accessible to tourists in Rwanda and also organises excursions to visit Fossey's research centre, which is also the site of her grave.

Fossey's Footsteps

Fossey's belief that the mountain gorillas would become extinct by the end of the 20th century spurred her to open the Karisoke Research Foundation in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park in 1967. The centre is currently the world's best hope for the survival of these creatures and thanks to its conservation program, the mountain gorillas of the Virungas are the only great ape species to have increased in number in recent decades. Guests staying at Volcanoes Safaris' Virunga Lodge, situated at the edge of the park, can hike into the wilderness to visit the research centre and pay homage to this esteemed primatologist at her final resting place.

Meet the Gorillas in the Mist

Volcanoes Safaris' 4-Day Virunga Safari offers guests the chance to engage with the mountain gorillas in the forests that are on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. Guests can then head back to the comfort of the magnificent Virunga Lodge which is perched high on a ridge with soaring views of the volcanoes and lakes. Highlights include:

-       Gorilla Tracking in the Volcanoes National Park

-       Dian Fossey's Grave and Karisoke Research Centre

-       Golden Monkey Tracking in the Volcanoes National Park

-       Intore Dance Performances at the Lodge

-       Mwiko Primary School Community Support Project

Rates are from £3,638 (US$5,469) based on a minimum of two people travelling on a private safari. Bookings: salesrw@volcanoessafaris.com, +44 3333 239 740

Volcanoes Safaris contributes $100 from the safari price paid by each guest to the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, a non-profit organisation affiliated with Volcanoes Safaris. The money raised goes towards conservation activities in support of the projects set up by Fossey, as well as towards important community initiatives.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact Mason Rose:
T +44 (0)20 7201 8060 E pr@masonrose.com  www.masonrose.com

About Dian Fossey

Fossey first visited Africa in 1963 where she met two wildlife photographers who were working on a documentary about African gorillas. She joined the couple on their trips to research the gorillas and was instantly drawn to them. In 1996 she returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo where she consequently lived among the gorillas until civil war forced her into Rwanda where she continued her study of gorillas. Her pioneering work has changed the way the world views these creatures; her observations dismissed the belief that gorillas are violent and dangerous to humans. She wrote and published her book Gorillas in the Mist in 1983 that talks about the gorillas and her life with them.

About Volcanoes Safaris

Volcanoes Safaris specialises in mountain gorilla and chimpanzee safaris in Uganda and Rwanda. For more than 15 years Volcanoes Safaris has been at the forefront of great ape ecotourism and are the only safari company to have signed the UN Kinshasa Declaration on Safeguarding the Great Apes. In addition to operating safaris in Uganda and Rwanda, Volcanoes Safaris has a collection of four eco-luxury lodges in the region: Kyambura Gorge Lodge; Mount Gahinga Lodge; Bwindi Lodge; and Virunga Lodge.