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ToggleNyungwe Forest National Park; Best Activities, Map + Animals
Explore Nyungwe Forest National Park in its untouched form like never before on your Safari to Rwanda and get to discover the hidden gems that are found within this park’s boundaries.
This park is situated in the southwest part of the country close to the border of Burundi, Lake Kivu and it is popularly known for chimpanzee tracking presenting you an opportunity to get up close with these species we share almost 98% of our DNA with.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is Africa’s largest afro-montane forest and while here, on a clear day it will present you beautiful scenic views of the Virunga ranges, Lake Kivu and the Congo as well. The park is known to have a well maintained canopy walk (only found here in East Africa) and hiking trails that will lead you to the different points with ease.
History of Nyungwe Forest;
Nyungwe Forest is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa and this was established as a national park in 2004 to pave way for conservation of the rich biodiversity that is found in this park. The park covers an area of 1,019 square kilometers of dense Afromontane forests, bamboo-covered slopes and wetlands.
Like any other national park, Nyungwe’s past was not an easy one. The park has had challenges like poaching, encroachment on its land, endangering the rich biodiversity of the park among others but the Government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Development Board entered into a partnership with Africa parks in 2020 in Akagera National Park to manage the park.
Today, the population of wildlife species is thriving and this partnership is bearing fruits with community engagement efforts to sensitize them about the need to conserve the forest and the significant role it plays in influencing the climatic and economics of the country.
Tourism in Nyungwe National Park has since improved and the government uses almost 90% of the revenue from the park for conservation purposes.
Nyungwe National Park Map;
Where is Nyungwe Forest located on the Map of Rwanda?
What to see in Nyungwe Forest National Park?
Nyungwe National Park is home to over 75 mammal species that include leopards, cerval cat, mongoose among others.
There are 13 primate species that have been documented in this national park and these include L’Hoest’s monkey, silver monkey, golden monkey, grey- cheeked mangabey, olive baboon, vervet monkey, red-tailed monkey, Angolan colobus monkey and chimpanzees among others.
Apart from these, over 1,068 plant species, 140 orchids have been documented in this place, there over 300 bird species and 29 of these are endemic to the Albertine region which makes it the best place you can visit for a memorable birding experience.
12 amphibian and 15 reptile species have also been documented in this park. While in Nyungwe Forest National Park, you will as well walk up to the Isumo falls, or along the canopy walk suspension bridge and also get to visit the tea plantations at the edges of the park.
Best Safari Activities in Nyungwe Forest National Park:
On your Rwanda safaris, you will definitely need to include Nyungwe Forest National Park because this park has more than memories it will offer you. While within her boundaries, you can choose to do the activities below.
Chimpanzee Trekking;
The highlight of your Safari to Nyungwe Forest National Park is to get an up close experience to man’s cousins – chimpanzee species and get to watch them as they play and feed while on ground and tree branches.
This park has two habituated chimpanzee groups or communities that are available for tourism. One of the chimpanzee of the communities you can track is found in the Cyamudongo section of the park and the other is found close to the Uwinka area of the park.
Like gorilla trekking, before you are led into the dense rainforest to see the chimpanzees, you will be briefed on the guidelines you are expected to follow while close or during the chimp tracking process. Briefing usually takes places on three reception centres of the park and these are Uwinka, Kitabi and Gisakura.
After briefing at around 8am, you will be led into the forest to search for these species and upon seeing them, you will be allowed to observe their behavior, take as many photos as you want of these species as they breastfeed, play and eat.
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park takes between 2-6 hours and this depends on the location of the chimpanzees as these species usually move from one point to another in search of food.
There about 400 chimpanzee individuals in this park and seeing these species, is an experience worth it.
Birding in Nyungwe National Park;
This park is also known to be the best birding destination in Rwanda for birders with over 300 species of birds documented in Nyungwe Forest National Park and 29 of these are Albertine rift endemics.
This number is attributed to the fact that the park has different habitats that include swamps, trees, tea plantations on the edge and more.
Some of the bird species you will spot on your birding safari in Nyungwe Forest National Park include; great blue turaco, Rwenzori nightjar, Dwarf honeyguide, kivu ground thrush, montane double collared sun, white-tailed crested flycatcher, red collared barbler, mountain sooty boubou among others.
We recommend making sure you carry along a pair of binoculars and a guide as well who will help you spot these birds right in the forest and give you the necessary information you would need to know about the various species.
Canopy Walk;
Your trip in Nyungwe Forest National Park is incomplete if you don’t get the opportunity to walk on the canopy walkway. This is a 50 meters high bridge that is constructed on tree tops and the only walkway in the whole of East Africa and among the largest in Africa.
While on this walkway, you will see a number of wildlife species like monkeys on trees, various species of birds as they pass above and below you and enjoy the spectacular views of the forest. The canopy walk way starts from Uwinka reception centre and takes about 2 hours.
Nature Walks and hiking in Nyungwe Forest;
Nyungwe park has different hiking trails with each unique in its own way. Before you go for a nature walk/hiking, its very important you get to know how teneous it is to go through such a trail and whether you will be able to hike the trail with ease. The guides will brief you on the various trails and you will choose what is best for you.These hiking trails include;
The Congo – Nile trail: This is a 227km trail and best for seasoned hikers. This implies that it may take you several days to finish and within this time, you will get to discover a lot that includes the different communities along this route. You will be camping along the way and you are required to have your own camping gear.
The Isumo waterfall trail: This 10.6km long trail will take you through the tea plantations where you can take part in harvesting tea leaves and it will lead you the biggest waterfall in the park. Along this route, you will get to enjoy the various wildlife species and the beautiful scenic views of the surrounding.
The Karamba trail: This is the best trail for birding as it presents you the various species of birds. Its situated close to the former gold mine site which was later transformed into a quarry site and an army camp. It is among the easiest trails.
Ngabwe trail: This is among the short trails and it is only 4.7km. On this trail, you will get to spot the various primate species, birds and also capture the beautiful scenic views.
Bigugu trail: This is among the best trails you can choose. It is 7km long and will take you to the highest point of Nyungwe Forest National Park that is Bigugu peak. This is not the easiest route as it requires some level of physical fitness but the trail is rewarding once you get to top which present you with picturesque views of the different corners of the forest, wildflowers, several bird species among others.
Apart from the above, there other trails within Nyungwe Forest National Park you can choose from depending on your level of fitness and your trip plan as well. All these will present you to the park’s hidden gems that you can capture with your lens.
Gisakura Tea Plantation Tour;
For tea lovers, this is a must visit destination where you will get to see the parallel ridges of tea and you will be given the opportunity to participate in harvesting of tea.
You can as well visit the tea processing plant where you will be briefed on the different stages it does go through before it is made ready for drinking.
You can combine your Gisakura tea plantation tour with other activities for a very memorable experience.
Best Time to Visit Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda:
Nyungwe National Park can be visited anytime of the year but for the best experience, you will need to visit the park during the dry season of the year. This takes place during the months of June to September and between mid-December to February.
During this time, the park receives less amount of rainfall making all the trails passable and less slippery. This also allows you to do all your activities without any inconveniences. However, since Nyungwe Forest National Park is a rainforest, we recommend that you visit with a rain jacket just in case it rains.
You can as well visit the park during the wet season of the year that takes place between the months of March to May and October to early December. During this time the park receives a lot of rainfall which does make the trails slippery and hard to go through.
However, during this season you will still find and do all the park activities and also you might get to enjoy the discounted rates on various accommodation options.
Overall, regardless of the season you choose to visit the park, you will still get the best memorable experience.
How to Get to Nyungwe Forest National Park?
Heading to Nyungwe Forest National Park for a safari, you can either get there by road or by air.
By road, the park is situated 186KM away from Kigali and it will take you about 4 – 5hrs to get to this park depending on the set off time and the stopover along the way.
Throughout your road trip to Nyungwe, you will get to enjoy the beautiful scenic views of the mountains, valleys and the different communities you will meet along the way.
By air you will need to take a scheduled flight from Kigali International airport to Kamembe airport where you will then connect to Nyungwe Forest National park.
Being in Nyungwe forest National Park is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will forever remain fresh in your memories especially after a beautiful encounter with man’s closest relative – chimpanzee and other primates.
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