Vazquez Tours & Travel · Rwanda Safari Journal
Rwanda’s Gorilla Naming Ceremony:
Experience Kwita Izina 2026
On 4 September 2026, twenty-two mountain gorilla infants will receive their names on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. Here’s how to be there.
21st Edition
Friday, 4 September 2026
Kinigi, Musanze District
A centuries-old Rwandan tradition, reimagined as one of Africa’s most important conservation events — and one of the most memorable mornings you can spend in Volcanoes National Park.
21st
Edition in 2026
22
Gorillas Named
460
Named Since 2005
Free
Public Ceremony
01 What Is Kwita Izina?
Kwita Izina takes its name from an old Rwandan custom: the ceremony families hold to welcome and formally name a newborn child. Since 2005, Rwanda has extended that same tradition to its most famous residents — the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park. Each September, government officials, conservationists, celebrities, and travelers gather in Kinigi to give names to the gorilla infants born over the previous year, an act that mirrors the care and identity given to a human child.
What began as a symbolic gesture has grown into a genuine measure of Rwanda’s conservation success. The mountain gorilla, once feared close to extinction, is now one of the only great ape populations in the world with numbers on the rise, a recovery closely tied to the tourism revenue, anti-poaching enforcement, and community partnerships that events like Kwita Izina exist to celebrate and fund.
02 Kwita Izina 2026: The Details
The 21st Ceremony
This year’s ceremony, held under the theme “Conservation is Life: Sustaining the Future,” takes place on Friday, 4 September 2026 at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Musanze District. Twenty-two baby mountain gorillas will be named, bringing the total number of gorillas named since the tradition began to 460. The ceremony continues into the weekend with the Kwita Izina Concert at BK Arena in Kigali on Saturday, 5 September.
A Living Ritual
Each name reflects an infant’s birth story, temperament, or landscape, and is presented on a bamboo structure symbolizing a silverback.
Open to the Public
Entry to the ceremony ground is free, though space is limited. Arriving early secures a better vantage point.
A National Occasion
The event welcomes government officials, conservation partners, international guests, and communities central to gorilla protection.
More Than a Ceremony
Kwita Izina anchors a wider week of cultural performances, conservation dialogue, and celebration across Musanze and Kigali.
03 Why Time Your Safari Around It
Rwanda’s gorilla trekking permits are available year-round, but pairing your trek with Kwita Izina turns a remarkable wildlife encounter into a complete cultural and conservation experience. Trekking through Volcanoes National Park to sit with a habituated gorilla family, then days later watching a gorilla infant receive its name in the same landscape, connects the two halves of Rwanda’s conservation story: the animal in the forest, and the nation that protects it.
Few places in the world let you witness both the everyday life of an endangered species and the public ceremony built to protect its future — in the same week, in the same valley.
Because Kwita Izina draws visitors from across the world, early planning matters. Gorilla trekking permits are limited to a fixed number of visitors per habituated family each day, and lodges near Volcanoes National Park fill quickly in the weeks around the ceremony.
04 Where to Stay Near Kinigi
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
Comfortable, well-located base in Musanze
One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
Luxury lodge minutes from the park entrance
Bisate Lodge
Forest-edge villas overlooking the Virunga peaks
Singita Kwitonda
Secluded, high-end lodge bordering the park boundary
05 Planning Your Visit
Do I need a ticket for the ceremony?
No. Kwita Izina is free and open to the public, though the ceremony ground has limited capacity, so an early arrival is recommended.
Can I combine Kwita Izina with gorilla trekking?
Yes. Most visitors build their trip around one or two treks in Volcanoes National Park in the days before or after the ceremony, along with a visit to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Ellen DeGeneres Campus and a stop in Kigali.
How far in advance should I book?
Given the international attention Kwita Izina attracts, gorilla trekking permits and lodges around Musanze should be secured well ahead of the first week of September.
Plan Your Kwita Izina 2026 Safari
Vazquez Tours & Travel designs custom Rwanda itineraries around Kwita Izina — pairing the naming ceremony with gorilla trekking, golden monkey encounters, and cultural experiences across Volcanoes National Park.
info@vazqueztours.com · vazqueztours.com