Myungwe national park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is a 4–5-hour drive from Kigali located southwestern south of Lake Kivu and Democratic Republic of Congo, on the border with Burundi. It was established in 2004.It covers an area of approximately 970 km² of rainforest, bamboo, grassland, swamps, and bogs. This park has a wide diversity of animal species. It contains 13 different primate species, 275 bird species, 1068 plant species, 85 mammal species, 32 amphibian and 38 reptile species. Many of these animals are restricted-range species that are only found in the Albertine Rift eco region in Africa. Nyungwe Forest National Park offers the best Chimpanzee Trekking experience.

Chimpanzee trekking

Chimpanzee trekking is the most tourist activity in the Nyungwe Forest National Park. The national park is a home to large population of chimpanzees, the closest relatives to human beings sharing approximately 98% of human DNA. The chimpanzees live in different families each family headed by one dominant who leads the group. They demonstrate different roles in a family with the females nursing and taking care of the young ones, the males protecting the family, and the young ones playing and feeding.

Chimpanzees are trekked in the rainforest and usually in the morning hours, therefore rain might fall at any time whether it’s a dry season or not, and therefore rain jacket should come handy. A poncho can also be worn; most trackers, rangers and porters wear it. If you are carrying one, carry a light one which you can easily fold and kip in your bag pack until you need it the next time.

Monkey trekking

Monkey trekking is another interesting and highly participated activity and the national park is home to the two threatened species of monkeys which are the owl-faced monkey and the golden monkey. The most celebrated of Nyungwe’s primates is the Ruwenzori Colobus which is a highly arboreal and acrobatic leaf-eater, easily distinguished from any other primate found in Nyungwe by its contrasting black overall color and snow-white whiskers, shoulders, and tail tip. The colobus monkeys in Nyungwe forest national park typically move in troops of several hundred animals.

Bird watching

There are over 270 bird species and Nyungwe is the best birding spot in Rwanda. Out of the total bird population in Nyungwe forest, 121 are forest birds while 27 are endemic to the Albertine rift valley. The most spotted birds in Nyungwe forest national park include Rockefellers sunbird, Chapin’s flycatcher, Great blue Turaco, red collared mountain babbler, Rera grauer’s rush warbler, Rwenzori Turaco, white-tailed flycatcher, Rwenzori batis, barred long-tailed cuckoo, Rwenzori nigh jar, Rwenzori hill babler, yellow eyed black flycatcher, Congo Bay owlet, mountain sooty boubu, and the Neumann’s warbler among others.

Nature walks and Hiking

Discover and enjoy the beauty of Nyungwe forest by hiking through the forest on an extensive network of well-maintained walking trails that lead you through the forest to various waterfalls and viewing points. The park has over 13 hiking trails, which are approximately 130 kilometers, which lead travelers into the interior of the forest. The trails include: Igishigishigi trail, Bigugu trail, Ngabwe trail, Isumo waterfall trail, Kamiranzovu marsh trail, Karamba birding trail, Source of the Nile trail, Irebero trail, Muzimu trail, Imbaraga trail, Congo Nile trail, Umoyove trail, and Rukuzi trail among others. Some trails are long while others are short hence providing a chance to all kinds of travelers to enjoy any of the hikes depending on one’s physical fitness and the ability to hike. Depending on which trail a traveler follows, a forest walk in Nyungwe forest national park can as be short as three hours to as long as 3 days. A hike through the forest helps travelers to enjoy a peaceful calm environment while listening to the sweet sounds of birds singing up in the trees which melodies keep running in the minds of travelers.

Canopy walk

Nyungwe forest national park is said to have the biggest canopy walk in East Africa which is 50 meters above the ground level and 200 meters long. The canopy is a steep and deep valley across a massive forest. The canopy walk has its towers and is a hanging platform that provides travelers with a clear view of different animal species in eye-to-eye contact. All animals and bird species that live in the upper scale of the tropical rainforest are accessed by travelers which is not the case in other national parks that have no canopy walks. It is an activity not to miss.