Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of Rwanda's biggest and most pristine national parks, covering an area of approximately 1,019 square km (393 sq mi) located southwest of Rwanda. The park is a hidden gem in the middle of tea plantations and is stunning, with a vantage point of the picturesque views of the Virunga Mountains and Congo. Nyungwe National Park stretches from Lake Albert to Lake Tanganyika, which is covered by numerous lakes and mountains. There are two groups of habituated chimpanzees: the smaller group of 30 located in the Cyamudongo area and the large group of 60 inside the forest. Nyungwe Park also has the most prominent black and white colobus monkey troops, and the Gisakura area has the second group of habituated colobus monkeys.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe National Park protects the largest highland rainforest in East Africa. Even from the main road, you’ll be blown away by the endless views over layers of steep jungle-clad mountains. It provides an opportunity to see an amazing variety of monkeys and birds. It’s also a prime chimpanzee trekking destination and notable for its thrilling 70m-/230ft-high canopy walk.
The scenery is nothing less than spectacular. Even a drive on the main road will offer incredible views of the pristine rainforest canopy stretching over endless hills toward the Burundi border. A hike to a forest waterfall or to the vast open swamp area offers different glimpses into the stunning range of habitats.
Wildlife Experience
In addition to chimpanzee trekking, Nyungwe Forest National Park has a spectacular biodiversity, including over 300 bird species, making it a paradise for birding. 85 types of mammals and 1068 plant species, making it a priority conservation area in Africa. The park is also home to over 13 primate species ( common chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s monkey, golden monkey, vervet monkey, olive baboon, silver monkey, Ruwenzori colobus, silver monkey, red-tailed monkey,hamlyn’s monkey, dent’s mona monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey. Nyungwe Park's unique canopy walking activity is absent in other African parks. The suspended bridge provides magnificent aerial views of the canopy. The forest has an estimated 130km of constructed trails. If you enjoy walking with scenic views while breathing fresh air, Nyungwe Forest is one of the hot spots for all Rwandan safaris.
Birdlife Experience
Nyungwe Forest National Park is a top birding destination in Rwanda. Over 300 bird species are recorded in the park, of which 27 are the Albertine Rift Endemics. The forest trails make it an accessible birding destination. Some of the birds include dusky crimson wing, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Kivu ground thrush, Neumann’s warbler, Albertine owlet, Ruwenzori batis, purple-breasted sunbird, handsome francolin, Ruwenzori Turaco, Ruwenzori nightjar, Kungwe Apalis, Archer’s ground robin, stripped breasted tit, dwarf honey guide, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, mountain masked apalis, red -collared babbler among others.
Locate the Nyungwe Forest National Park
Getting There
By Air: If you want to get the most out of your journey, air travel is the fastest and most fascinating way to see Rwanda from above. You can catch a domestic flight from Kigali using Rwandair, the only airline operating on this route, to Kamembe National Airport and then proceed on a road transfer with a 4WD safari vehicle, which takes about 33 km.
The other option is to fly with Akagere Aviation, which operates chartered and scheduled luxury helicopter air transfers from Kigali to Nyungwe at one &only one Nyungwe House. Enjoy mindblowing scenic views of the rolling hills, Nyungwe Forest and the tea plantation. The approximate flight time is 45 minutes, and the price starts from $280 to $3000 per person, departing at 2:00 p.m.
By Road: The drive from Kigali City to Nyungwe Forest National Park is approximately 230km, taking about 5-6 hours. Other attractions to see on your way (are Nyanza King’s Palace at Nyabisindu, Craft Shops, Gikongoro Genocide Memorial Center, and the National Museum & Aboretum.
Best time to visit
Nyungwe Forest National Park can be visited all year round. However, the best time to visit is the dry season, the peak season from December to February and June to September. However, Nyungwe is a tropical rainforest, and rain is expected at any time of the year. It is advisable to carry waterproof and warm clothing when visiting the park. The best times to visit the park are during the dry seasons, from December to February and June to September.
