Nyungwe Forest National Park is found in the western Rwanda and is one of the world’s most beautiful and pristine rain forests. It is dominated by a series of mountains, originating in the northern Uganda and Congo, running south through the Rwenzori mountains, western Rwanda and Burundi, to the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The Park offers scenic safari views over the Lake Kivu and sometimes the Virunga ranges on the clear day, the forest has an extensive network of well-maintained walking and hiking safari trails to various waterfalls and viewing points.
Attractions
Nyungwe Forest National park has got various attractions that the tourists spot during their Rwanda safari in the park as they includes.
Plant species.
Nyungwe forest national park has got various plant species that are over 1,060 plant and tree species as these can be found in the park with the most attractive ones that are such taller tree species such as the Carapa, Cyathea, Manniana, Newtonia, Prinaria that are exelsium standing at a height of 1,900 meters above the sea level, while other species like the Hagenia, syzygium, podocarpus, macaranga are at a heights of 2500 meters and above, while the sub alpine vegetation consisting of the shrubs and Bamboo such as the podocarpus, Phillipia and others can live at the height of 2950 meters above the sea level, other vegetation species like the mosses, ferns can also be tressed in the forest these are such amazing and the tourists can be grateful after observing those various plant species in the Nyungwe Forest National Part and at the same time they can serve as medicinal extracts.
Wildlife.
It is a wildlife haven with various animal species that can be attracted by various tourists, these include the primates mammals, insects, birds. Nyungwe National Park animals include the primates such as the Angola colobus monkey, Red tailed monkey, silver monkey, Golden monkey, Dents Mona monkey, olive baboon, Vervet monkey. In the park the Chimpanzees are the main tourist’s attraction and also chimpanzee trekking safari as the main activity in the park.
Though most of the Nyungwe national park animals are found in the Albertine Rift montane forest of the ecoregion in Africa, other Nyungwe forest national park animal species that can be observed includes the duikers, golden cats, impalas, bushbucks, buffaloes, elephants, bush pigs, Gant forest hog, Mongoose, carnival genet, Congo clawless, western tree hyrax and many others.
Bird species.
Nyungwe national park is well known as the important bird area by the Birdlife international, the park is a birding paradise with over 300 bird species recorded of which 16 are endemic, 27 Albertine rift endemics, 121 forest species. Here the forest birding is never easy, but the wide road running through the park offers a great vantage point into the canopy, of special interest are the many Albertine Rift endemics ( birds restricted to the Albertine Rift), the bird species that can be spotted includes the Blue-headed sunbird, Buff-throated apalis, Dwarf crimson wing, Handsome francolin, Kivu ground thrush, Mountain masked apalis, Neumann’s warbler, Purple-breasted sunbird, Red-throated alethe, Regal sunbird, Ruwenzori batis, Strange weaver White-tailed Blue-flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Olive and Elliot’s Woodpecker, Chestnut Owlet and many others.
Activities done in the Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Chimpanzee trekking.
Animals include the chimpanzees that share the 98% DNA with human beings, during the chimpanzee trekking safari you watch them as they continue with their day to day activities in the forest such as the grooming each other, feeding, playing and among others these can be witnessed during the chimpanzee trekking activity.
Canopy walk.
Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest is along the Igshigishigi trail. The walkway is accessible as part of specialized guided tour along the trail. The canopy walk hangs 60 meters above the forest floor between giant trees and towers, which provides a stunning view of the park. Canopy walk is an activity not to be missed in Rwanda when you adventure Nyungwe forest. In case you are coming to Rwanda to trek the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park, your safari will always be memorable if you add some days to spend in Nyungwe and enjoy the canopy walk as part of your Rwanda safari itinerary.
Monkey trekking.
Nyungwe Forest national park is such amazing one in that it is very interesting, encounter on a monkey trek and see a number of large and different monkeys as mentioned above. Other primates trekking can be done in the park that is the Angolan colobus monkeys tracking, there are over 350 to 400 individuals of the colobus monkeys in the park. Trek of these monkeys is not difficult and be considered as a nature walk and is also a perfect morning activity for any visitor.
Camping.
Camping is another of the amazing activity in the Nyungwe National Park, like when it comes to the accommodation inside the park, camping is the only option to be able to spend the night as a tropical rain forest, the visitors do enjoy the wild nature of the park during the camping safari, the only campsite inside the park is tented and the tents are pitched on the wooden made of platform not like the house because it has no walls but covered on top to prevent rain, the campfire is always there during the night and the toilets plus the bathrooms.
Nature trail hiking.
The hiking trail is in the Nyungwe Forest national park that takes 4 hours to 3 days to hike, there are 130 kilometers of well-constructed hiking trails that are found in this park like the Congo Nile divide as the longest one, Imbaraga as the difficult one and Igishigishigi trail as the shortest one. A tourist should remember the National ID or passport, permit, hiking boots, drinking water, hiking stich, raincoat, and camera when going for the hiking trail safari.
Bird watching.
Birding safari is one of the most done activities which is untouched tropical rain forest and it is a home of over 300 bird species of which 29 are endemics in the Albertine like Kungwe Apalis, Shelley crimson wing and among others, during the bird watching the bird lovers are excepted to come along with their binoculars, cameras, guiding book and among others. Nyungwe forest national park is amazing birder’s paradise and you will see many other things from the orchids to the primates during your birding walks within Nyugwe forest.
Tropical waterfall.
The visit to the tropical waterfall is one of the amazing activities in Nyungwe Forest national park, there are plenty of waterfalls within the park but the most famous and biggest one is Kamiranzovu waterfall as the biggest tropical waterfall found in the park. The name Kamiranzovu (swallowing elephant) named after the wetland Kamiranzovu swamp found in the park as the main source of this waterfall, this is also famous activity for the visitors in the park especially hikers because, after 3 to 4 hours of the hike, they are rewarded of this breathtaking tropical waterfall.
Cultural tours.
To complete your safari experience of Nyungwe Forest national park, you should engage in the rich Rwandan culture, the communities along the boundaries of this forest have co-existed with it and helped to some extent in its preservation after understanding its importance to the Rwanda’s eco system. There has been efforts to launch community-based experiences to preserve the culture of Rwanda and offer the guests a rich experience, once at the village you can be part of the activities like the dance ceremony, banana beer production, a bow-and-target shooting, traditional medicine making and also maize-grinding.
Best time to visit Nyungwe Forest National Park.
The best time to visit Nyungwe Forest National Park is during the drier months of June to August or December to January. Even though June to August or December to January are categorically referred to as drier months, it still does rain the Nyungwe forest national park almost all year around. Nyungwe Forest National Park is open for the chimpanzee trekking and hiking throughout the year, the wet months from October to May are the best time for chimp trekking and forest birding, but general hiking and spotting other primates might be easier in the drier months, from June to September.
How to get to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Nyungwe Forest national park can be accessed in two ways that is by the road and air transport from Kigali city to the park.
By Road transport.
You can drive from Kigali to Nyanza to Huye and finally get to Nyungwe National Park, the drive takes approximately 5 hours depending on your stop overs.
By Air transport.
Alternatively and the quickest means is that you can fly using the services of Akagera Aviation.
