Guests will witness conservation efforts first-hand, thanks to a new partnership between the resort and the campus. The resort is situated in the foothills of the Volcanoes National Park, which is one of the few remaining natural habitats of mountain gorillas.
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund works to protect and study gorillas in their natural habitat, alongside empowering the people living near the Volcanoes National Park. The Fossey Fund was established in 1967 and in 2022 it opened its first permanent purpose-built home with The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
The campus is located a 10-minute drive from One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, and guests staying in the Ingagi or Silverback suites from this September will receive a complimentary VIP back-of-house tour of the facility. It will be led by a senior member of staff, including a visit to the scientific labs, providing visitors with a rare insight into the study and protection of the gorillas.
The resort gives all guests a handmade felted gorilla produced by Handspun Hope, a local co-operative that supports vulnerable women who experienced trauma in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, as well as those living with HIV/Aids. Guests are also invited to consider adopting a mountain gorilla.
President and chief scientific officer of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Dr Tara Stoinski, said: “We have created a space to engage the many stakeholders in conservation – students, scientists, tourists, conservation partners, community members – to advance our collective goal of saving gorillas and more broadly, the planet. It is our hope that people who visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus will leave inspired to make a difference, just as [American primatologist and conservationist] Dian Fossey did.”
Craig Storkey, area manager for One&Only Gorilla’s Nest added: “Our partnership with the Dian Fossey Fund is one of many ways we are engaging with local communities, and together with our guests, contributing to socio-economic transformation in the region.
“From the coffee that we serve at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, which is produced by Twongere Kawa Coko Cooperative, a women-led cooperative of coffee farmers, to our partnership with the Inyange Conservation Troupe, who deliver exceptional moments for guests, such as the inspiring drumming that greets them upon arrival, teaching them local dances and boma evenings. We are passionate about preserving the rich stories of Rwanda, protecting the natural habitats here and being a valued member of the community.”
