Visit Nyungwe Forest National Park, a primate paradise in Rwanda. This travel guide to Nyungwe covers everything you would like to know when planning a trip. Nyungwe National Park is the 2nd biggest park in Rwanda after Akagera. It was declared as a park in 2004, and today, it covers 970 sq. km with an altitude range of 1600 to 2950m.

Nyungwe National Park is located in the Southern Province and is close to Lake Kivu, Congo, and Burundi. It holds diversity of wildlife, birds, and flora. Nyungwe supports diversity of species, including 13 primates, 40 amphibian species, 310 species of birds, and 40 reptile species.

Key Attractions in Nyungwe Forest National Park (Rwanda)

Nyungwe’s diverse wildlife

A total of about 85 species of mammals reside in the Nyungwe Forest, including many primates. The primates in Nyungwe comprise red-tailed monkeys, 500 chimpanzees, silver monkeys, 400 colobus monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and more.

The bird species

At Nyungwe Forest National Park, there exist about 310 species of birds, which include 29 Albertine Rift species of birds. In the various habitats, the birds you can identify include Archer’s robin chat, Shelley’s crimson-winged, bar-tailed trogon, Kungwe Apalis, Doherty’s bush shrikes, barred long-tailed cuckoos, handsome francolins, Rwenzori turacos, blue-headed coucals, bar-tailed trogons, Kivu ground thrush, and Congo bay owlets. You can also find birds like red-throated alethe, Chapin’s flycatchers, Great blue turacos, black saw-wing, African black ducks, and others.

The floral species of Nyungwe

Within the Nyungwe National Park, there exist about 248 orchids, 200 tree species (including mahogany and holstii trees). Nyungwe also features the scenic bamboo thickets, sub-alpine, and montane forests.

Activities in Nyungwe

The diverse safari experiences that await you on a Nyungwe National Park vacation include colobus monkey tracking, chimpanzee trekking or tracking, birding, forest hiking, and community visits.

Chimpanzee trekking/tracking

While in Nyungwe Forest National Park, chimpanzee trekking is the leading experience that awaits every primate enthusiast. The park currently features a good section of habituated chimpanzee community, and ideal sectors to begin your trekking include Uwinka, Cyamudongo, & Kitabi. Guests are expected to report at the briefing location at 5:00 am, and the entire session can run for 2-5 hours. The day begins with you learning about the rules and regulations for chimpanzee tracking and the allocation of a ranger guide. The chimpanzee permits and park entry costs US Dollars 250.

Colobus monkey trekking experience

Nyungwe National Park protects over 400 colobus monkeys with many of them that have been habituated. Expect to walk through the lush rainforest while searching for the colobus monkeys with an experienced guide from Nyungwe. The trek with colobus monkeys involves learning more about their unique behaviors and taking photos. The available sessions include morning from 8:00 am and afternoon. The colobus monkey tracking permits cost US Dollars 40, exclusive of the park entrance fee of US Dollars 100. While tracking colobus monkeys, there are higher chances of seeing other primates along the way, including l’hoest monkeys.

Bird-watching and nature walk.

The Nyungwe Forest National Park offers the most captivating nature walking and birding experiences. During the nature walk and birding tour, you can have a chance to spot diversity of birds, including the African crested flycatchers, red-backed shrikes, Rwenzori turacos, Archer’s robin chat, Lagden’s shrikes, less gray shrikes, and many others.

Available trails for you to begin your nature walk include Ngabwe trail (4.7km), Bigugu (13.2km), Karamba trail (4km), Igishigishigi trail (2.1km), Uwinka (17.8km), Umuyove (5.5km), Congo Nile divide (42km), Isumo waterfall trail (10.6km), Irebero, Imbaraga, Umugote trail, and Muzimu hiking trails.

Guided canopy walk

Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the ideal places in East Africa to explore during a canopy walk. The canopy walkway extends 200m and is 60m above the forest floor. It can take you 2 hours to have a round walk through the canopy walkway, and the start point is the Uwinka reception with an experienced guide taking the lead.

Community visits

Embarking on a guided community tour in Nyungwe offers nature lovers a chance to have a close interaction with the residents. Expect to explore more about the distinct cultures and traditions. You can also get entertained by the traditional dances, while others can participate in the craft-making or cooking classes. You can also visit the tea farms in the adjacent area to Nyungwe Forest, especially the Gisakura tea estate or the Gisovu tea estate. During the tea farm tour, you can learn more about the tea farming and all the stages taken till the final product is obtained.

Best Time to Visit Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe safaris can be organized and booked at any time of the year. But the dry season offers more ideal weather conditions for tourists to enjoy guided chimpanzee treks, canopy walk, and other hiking adventures. The dry months in Nyungwe include June, July, August, & September, while the second dry season also occurs around December to February. These are excellent for most safari activities compared to the off-peak/wet season from March-May/October-November.

Where to stay during a safari in Nyungwe

The lodges and camp options to consider for overnight stay in or around Nyungwe National Park range from budget, midrange, to luxury. The lodges present include Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, Kitabi Eco-Centre, Gisakura Guesthouse, One&Only Nyungwe House, Nyunwe Nziza Eco-Lodge, and others.

How to reach Nyungwe Forest (from Kigali)

Nyungwe National Park can be safely reached by road or air. You can drive from Kigali to Nyungwe in about 6-7 hours, depending on the driver’s speed. Navigate through Butare/Huye, which offers a possible stopover point. Guests can also safely connect from Volcanoes National Park to Nyungwe in about 6-hour drive. By air –this offers the quickest connection option from Kigali to Nyungwe, and you can land at Kamembe Airport, where you can drive for 40km.

Conclusion: Book a Rwanda safari to explore Nyungwe National Park. Get to enjoy captivating experiences and encounter your favorite primates or bird species. Contact Maranatha Tours & Travel to plan your Nyungwe Forest National Park adventure.