Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe national park is one of the biggest national parks that have improved on Rwanda’s tourism sector. The national park is famous due to the existence of the chimpanzees thus making chimpanzee trekking the main activity within the forest. Nyungwe forest national park has only 2 habituated chimpanzee families and the small one has 30 chimpanzees that are tracked in Cyamudongo forest. The other group has 60 chimpanzees that are habituated as well. The national park is the largest Afro-montane Forest and the other famous activity is the canopy walk where tourists hike up to the top of the trees and take a walk on a hanging bridge as they view the beauty of the forest. Nyungwe national park is located in the western rift valley and it stretches from lake albert to Lake Tanganyika. The rift comprises of many mountains and lakes that flow west into the Congo River. Beside the amazing landscape in the Albertine rift, it’s known for its endemic species of fauna and flora. The park is a home to 13 primates including the chimpanzees, 1,068 plant species and 85 mammal species as well as 300 bird species and 29 species that are endemic to the Albertine rift.
History of Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe forest national park was declared as a national forest reserve during the colonial period by the German colonialists. The population of people started increasing around the forest in 1933 which became a big threat due to the fact that they used the forest resources such as collecting firewood, poaching wildlife, illegal mining as well as cutting down timber. This caused a reduction in the size of the national park from 1,140 kilometres to 1,019 kilometres. Later things got worse in 1958 to 1973 as well as political instability issues started as well. During that period the elephants and buffaloes were habitats until the late 1999. The last buffalo was killed in 1974 and the elephant in 1999. Therefore from 1970 to 1980s, research was started by biologists as well as various researchers. The buffer zones of eucalyptus were established in the early 1980s to mark as boundaries from the community. This helped in preventing societies from fetching firewood from the forest.
In 1985 the wildlife conservation society started the protection program of the forest in partnership with the Rwandan government. The project of protecting Nyungwe forest was named “Project de conservation de la foret de Nyungwe”. The society came up with some long-term training and habituated primates for tourism purposes. Another project was started of creating trails within the park in cooperation with US Peace corps. The mining within the park was stopped immediately for the betterment of the park. This was the time a big troop of colobus monkeys with over 400 individuals within the troop was confirmed in the forest by the wildlife conservation society. A survey of birds, reptile, amphibian, mammals and plants became applicable. The construction of infrastures started in 1995 till 2004 when the forest was established as a national park. in 2005, the national park was declared and confirmed to be a national park in after akagera and volcanoes national park. Many theories about where Nyungwe national park obtained its name from and the traditional ones have more information to tell. One of the tales is that the name Nyungwe is similar to the name of the leopard in Kinyarwanda Ingwe. Therefore, some of the surveys confirmed the existence of leopards in the forest. So up to now the park was named nyungwe forest national park.
Discover Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe national park is one of the biggest national parks in Rwanda and it’s famous due to the existence of the chimpanzees as well as other primates. The national park has 2 habituated chimpanzee families and the small one has 30 troops of chimpanzees and the other has 60 individuals. The national park was established in 2005 and it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2023.
Nyungwe Forest National Park Safaris
Rwanda safaris offer a unique blend of traditional game viewing, primate tracking, cultural immersion and conservation success stories. Rwanda is blessed with 3 national parks of volcanoes, nyungwe and akagera national park as well as the newest national park and each has various activities they can engage in such as gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, game drives, hiking volcanoes, nature walks and bird watching among others.
2 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee & Canopy Walk Safari
3 Days Nyungwe National Park Safari
4 Days Nyungwe Primates & Hiking Safari
4 days Nyungwe Chimps, Canopy Walk &Hiking Safari.
5 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Chimpanzee Trekking Safari
7 Days Akagera, Volcanoes & Nyungwe Safri
Activities to Do Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe national park was established as a park in 2004 and has become a sanctuary for a remarkable array of flora and fauna. The national park is a home to over 1,000 plant species including more than 100 species of orchids and supports a wide variety of wildlife. The park as well boosts with 13 primate species such as the endangered eastern chimpanzee, L’hoests monkey, and white and black colobus monkeys which has over 400 individuals thus making it the largest primate groupings in Africa.
Chimpanzee trekking:
Chimpanzee trekking is the major activity and the forest has a large population of chimpanzees. Nyungwe national park has 2 groups of fully habituated chimpanzee troops where the biggest troop is found in Nyungwe national park with over 60 individuals. The rest of the other troops is in Cyamudongo with 30 individuals which are as well trekked every day. The trekking within Nyungwe starts at 5;30am, therefore tourists should reach early at the headquarters for briefing. Then after the briefing, you will proceed to the forest for the activity.
Hikes:
Nyungwe national park has a 130kilometer well-constructed hiking trails that are located within the forest such as Congo Nile known as the longest one, imbaraga the difficult one and Igishigishigi trail as the short one. One is required to come along with hiking boots, national ID or passport, hiking permit, hiking stick, raincoat, camera and drinking water.
The cost of hiking for foreign non-resident $40, foreign residents $30, Rwanda residents RWF 3,000, east Africa community nationals $5, east African community foreigner residents $30, Rwandan students RWF1,500, east African community students $3, foreign resident students $20 per person.
Canopy walks:
The canopy walk is the most famous activity for domestic tourists as well the second done in big numbers in nyungwe forest national park. after the chimpanzee trekking, the canopy walk was established in 2010 in order to boost domestic and international tourism. The canopy walk is part of the Igishigishigi trail which is a high suspension bridge with amazing views over the valley as well as the surrounding area. the walkaway is a unforgettable experience with a breathtaking view of the forest from the top. The activity starts at 9am and the last trip is 3pm.
Birding:
Nyungwe national park is a home to over 300 bird species as well as 29 species that are endemic to the Albertine rift such as Shelley crimson, grauer’s warbler and kungwe Apalis. While on a birding safari, a tourist should carry a national ID or passport, permit binoculars, raincoat, camera as well as a guiding book. The cost of birding follows: foreign non-residents $50, foreign resident 40, Rwanda resident’s rwf 5000, east Africa community nationals $10, east Africa community resident $40, Rwandan students RWF5000, east African community students $5 and foreign resident students $20 per person.
Attractions in Nyungwe Forest National Park
The national park is a home to 13 primate species which includes the chimpanzees, colobus monkey which is the largest troop which numbers up to 400 individuals. The forest is as well a home to over 300 bird species which are recorded, 30 that are endemic to the albertine rift region. Nyungwe national park shelters over 85 mammal species, 32 amphibians, 38 reptiles and more than 1,000 plant species thus making it critical area for biodiversity conservation.
Chimpanzees:
Chimpanzee trekking is the major reason why most people come to Nyungwe national park while on a Rwanda safari. Nyungwe forest national park is a home to about 4000 chimpanzees found in a family structure. The national park has 2 chimpanzee families that have been habituated within this park and can be visited daily. Once the chimpanzees are located the tourists. Once the chimpanzees are spotted, the tourists spend an hour with the primates as they are observe their different characters, ways of living while in the habitant, feeding patterns, how they nature their young ones and the how they relate with one another. This makes the trekking experience the best.
Birds:
Nyungwe national park with its diverse habitats is a bird watchers paradise. A number of many species are spotted within the forest and these include the grauer’s swamp warbler, Rwenzori Turaco, handsome francolin and archer’s robin chat among others. The birding safari is led by specialised and knowledgeable guides thus making the experience amazing for the tourists. Bird watching in Nyungwe forest national park costs $50.
Waterfalls:
Nyungwe national park is blessed with its rich biodiversity and stunning landscape. The park boosts with 2 notable waterfalls.
Kamiranzovu waterfall. This is located within the Kamiranzovu swamp which is the largest wetland in Nyungwe forest. The name Kamiranzovu translates to “swallowing elephants”.
Isumo waterfall; the waterfall is the longest within Nyungwe forest and it stands at an impressive 25 meters. The waterfall is accessible through the Isumo trail which offers a blend of beauty and cultural experiences.
How to get to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe national park is a cornerstone of Rwanda’s eco-tourism and unique highlights of any Rwanda safari experience. Nyungwe national park offers tourists an immersive journey through the ancient montane rainforest rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage. Tourists can engage in a wide range of activities and these include;
- Chimpanzee trekking. Guided treks lead tourists deep into the forest to observe wild chimpanzees within their natural habitat. This offers an unforgettable encounter and defining feature of many Rwanda safari itineraries.
- Canopy walkway; A canopy walk way is suspended 60-70 meters above the forest floor. The 160-metre walkway offers panoramic views of the lush landscape. The ariel adventure offers a rare perspective of the rainforest ecosystem thus making it a standout moment on any Rwanda safari.
- Hiking trails; with over 130 kilometres of scenic trails including the popular Igishigishigi and Isumo trails, the national park caters to all fitness levels. The guided walks offer safari goers the chance to discover waterfalls, endemic plant life, bird species and unique forest habitats at their own pace.
Best Time Visit to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe can be visited anu time of the year but For the birders while on a Rwanda safari, the best time of the year to visit Nyungwe national park is the short wet season of September to mid-December. The national park has over 310 bird species including 29 albertine rift endemics such as Ruwenzori Turaco, handsome francolin, grauer’s swamp warbler and red collared mountain babbler among others. During this season migratory species arrive in the park adding to the diversity of the national park. Colourful plumages of breeding birds make it exceptional photography. The gisakura and Kamiranzovu areas are hotspots for rare sightings while on the Rwanda safari. Hiring a local bird guide enhances your chances of spotting elusive species.
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