Dian Fossey's grave at Karisoke, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Dian Fossey's grave at Karisoke, Rwanda - darkometer rating : 2 - A site in Rwanda of pioneering conservationist heroism, of tragedy, mystery and beauty all in one. It was here that Dian Fossey (of "Gorillas in the Mist" fame) was based during the 18 years of studying the endangered mountain gorillas in the wild. It was also here that she was murdered, under mysterious circumstances, in 1985, in her cabin, and where she was subsequently buried – next to her favourite gorilla Digit. The place is now kind of a remote pilgrimage site, reached on a strenuous but extremely scenic hike. > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: Everyone who has seen the 1988 movie "Gorillas in the Mist" starring Sigourney Weaver in the lead role will be fairly familiar with her story ... the film was based on Dian Fossey's book of the same title. For those few who are not familiar with the story, here's a brief overview: Fossey, born in 1932 in California, began her gorilla studies that would make her famous in 1966, inspired by and under the auspices of the eminent evolutionary archaeologist Louis Leakey – just like Jane Goodall and her chimpanzee research before. Initially she briefly started studying gorillas in the wild in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo ), but due to the increasingly insecure situation there relocated to Rwanda in 1967. Here she set up camp by Mt Bisoke (sometimes also called 'Visoke' – 'b' and 'v' appear to be somewhat interchangeable in Rwanda, as are 'r' and 'l'). This is part of the Virungas range of volcanoes, of which the Rwandan part is the Volcanoes National Park, or Parc National des Volcans, PNV.