Nyungwe National Park lies in the southwest of Rwanda, close to Lake Kivu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo border, and Burundi. The town of Cyangungu is home to the park. Originally established in 1903 as a forest reserve, the park now covers 970 km2 and became a fully recognized National Park in 2005.
The park’s greatest valued resource is Nyungwe Forest. It has existed for a long time and is the largest remaining montane forest in Africa. One of the great River Nile’s sources is thought to be Nyungwe Forest. The park’s varying mountainous, hilly, and level terrain contributes to its incredible plant diversity. The park is home to around 1,060 different plant and tree species, with some of the species being

the Carapa, Cyathea manniana, Engtandophrama, Newtonia and the Prinaria exelsium standing at heights of 1,900m above sea level. Species like the Balthacaria, Hagenia Syzygium, Macaranga and Podocarpus thrive at heights of 2500m and above. The Sub Alpine vegetation consisting of Shrubs and Bamboo live at heights of 2,950m above sea level. Other vegetation species like mosses and ferns are found throughout the forest.

The mountains (Mount Bigugu), vegetation and trees found in the park as well as its location within the Albertine Rift provide combine to provide perfect home for several wildlife and bird species. 85 mammal species are found in the park of which 13 are primates. The primates in Nyungwe National Park include the rare owl faced monkeys, golden monkeys and the Angola Colobus Monkey.

Because of the rich variety of plant and animal life in the forest, the government of Rwanda has used significant resources with support from other conservation organizations to position the park into one of top tourist attractions while on  a safari in Rwanda. This has led to the virtual elimination of poaching in the forest and sensitization of locals about the importance of conserving trees and wildlife. For a comprehensive tour of the park, please check out our 3 days Rwanda chimpanzee tracking safari package.

Things to do in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Travelers to Nyungwe National Park can expect a memorable experience given the amazing set of activities open to visitors in the park. The park is blessed with amazing views of mountains, water bodies and green vegetation that allow for great forest walks and wildlife activities. While visiting Nyungwe Forest, visitors can do any of the following activities:-

Chimpanzee tracking

Nyungwe forest is currently the best place to track chimpanzees in Rwanda. Nyungwe forest has about 400 individual chimpanzees that live in different clans. Only two groups are habituated. Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest is a year round activity. Every morning groups of tourist set off as early at 4:00am under the guidance of experienced guides to search for one of the two habituated clans found the Uwinka and Cyamudongo sections of the park. One needs to be prepared for the demanding activity which requires following highly mobile primates who do not necessarily follow the main trails but can wander off to thick untouched forest. However, once they settle down, visitors get a chance to spot the primates sitting on top of the trees, feeding and grooming.

After watching the group dynamics for a while, you will be surprised by how much they behave like we humans. In order to have the best experience, trackers should come with long sleeve shirts and pants, hiking boots, a hat, a rain jacket, a walking stick and binoculars for spotting the chimps on top of trees. Do not forget to pack lots of drinking water bottles and light snack to renew your energies. In order to have a comfortable time tracking the chimps, we recommend that you hire the services of a porter to help carry any extra heavy luggage and equipment. A chimpanzee trekking permit costs $100 and can be got directly from the Rwanda Development Board or by using the services of a good tour operator to get you one. One also needs to pay for the Park entrance which costs $100. The age limit for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is 15 years. Check out our 2 Days Nyungwe forest safari package.

N.B: Many tourists find chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest challenging because they have to take long hours before finding the chimps – sometimes with no success. The best place to track chimpanzee is in Uganda’s Kibale Forest National park. The chance of seeing chimpanzees in Kibale is over 95%. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale is also less strenuous as visitors do not need to move too far to find the chimps. There are more habituated clans in Kibale Forest and the total number of individuals is over 5000. Check out this 3 Day Chimpanzee Tracking Safari to Kibale National Park for more information.

Tracking Monkeys

Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda is one of the best places to spot small primates in Africa. Although Chimpanzee tracking is the dominant primate activity, some tourist come with the purpose of seeing the other smaller primates like the Angola Colobus Monkeys, Dent’s Mona Monkeys, Grey Cheeked Mangabeys, Hamlyn’s Monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, Olive Baboon, Red tailed Monkeys, Silver Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, White and Black and Colobus monkeys. Groups of golden monkeys have been spotted in the park but because of their small numbers, finding them is difficult. The most popular species among tourists is the arboreal Ruwenzori Colobus that feeds on leaves and is identifiable by the contrasting black and white (tail and whiskers) colors. All the monkey species move in troops that can go beyond 100.

Forest and Canopy walks

Visitors interested in taking walks in Nyungwe forest have two alternatives – a canopy or low ground forest walk. Nyungwe National Park is special because it is the only national park where nature lovers can go for a true canopy walk. The canopy walk in Nyungwe forest is the best in East Africa. The canopy walk starts at the Uwinka Visitors Center and goes through a hanging platform that is about 45 meters above the ground.  From these heights, visitors get spectacular views of the rain-forest, animals and birds.

There is no doubt that the canopy walk is amazing and adventurous, but it can be scary for those with a fear of heights. Those who fear heights should instead go for the Forest walks. There are several hiking trails which go up to the forest interior. The trails are painted in different colors allowing visitors to spot the forest animals and birds in the interior. Some of the trails require 8 hours to complete. The Igishigishigi Trail is the shortest while the Bigugu Trail leading up to the mountain is the most difficult taking at least 5 hours to complete. The water fall trail is designed to lead visitors to the beautiful waterfalls of the forest. Nature lovers with time to spare usually take time to complete each trail at a time.

Birding walks

For those who love birds, Nyungwe forest is arguably the best place to go birding in Rwanda. According to Birdlife International, Nyungwe National Park has over 300 bird species of which 27 can only be found in the Albertine region. Because of the biodiversity in the park and particularly its rich collection of birds, Birdlife International considers it the most important site for conservation in Rwanda. The top bird species to look out for  while walking through the established trails in the forest are the Archer’s Robin Chat, Barred long Tailed Cuckoo, Blue Turaco, Chapin’s flycatcher, Doherty’s Bush Shrikes, grey-chested kakamega, Handsome Francolin, Lagden’s Bush Shrikes, Mountain Sooty Boubou, Pockefellers’s sun bird, Purple Throated Sunbird, Red collared mountain Babbler, Rwenzori Double Collared Warbler, Rwenzori Nightjah, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, White Bellied Robin chat, White Tailed Flycatcher and the Yellow Eyed Black Flycatcher.

Because some of the bird species inhabit specific sections of the park, one needs to take a guided bird walk. The guides have clues on where to find them. Their best method of identifying them is by bird calls. We recommend that you use more than one of the established trails to ensure that you have spotted most of the bird species.

Biking through the Congo Nile Trail:

The Congo Nile Trail passes through Nyungwe National Park allowing visitors to bike through this particular section.  The Congo Nile trail offers perfect opportunities to explore the park as a whole. As one meanders through the trail, they are bound to encounter countless bird species, primates and other forest wildlife. It is also a perfect way to see all the beautiful nature and diverse landscape such as lush hills, tree and plant species, and the surrounding areas of Lake Kivu that makes the forest so attractive to nature enthusiasts.

The trail passes through various towns and communities where you interact with locals experience their culture and also visit tea plantations. The terrain is challenging that includes dirt roads and steep climbs. When it rains, the path becomes slippery.

Accommodation / where to stay in Nyungwe

There are several lodges, hotels found near the Nyungwe Forest. These offer three categories of accommodation – Luxury, Mid-range and Budget. Travelers interested in a campsite can find a few established ones near the park reception center. It is important to book accommodation before your arrival date as some of these lodges receive many travelers during peak seasons of the year. Many of the lodges require one to show proper identification (passport) before checking in. Additional charges may apply even after booking and hence you need to move with your credit card.

One & Only Nyungwe House: This is the only true luxury (five star) lodge near the forest. It was formerly Nyungwe Forest Lodge but now under One & Only hotel group. It’s located in the middle of a tea plantation with 6 high end wooden villas and 22 Luxury rooms. This lodge offers magnificent views of the Nyungwe Forest and the tea plantations. The lodge does not only offer the most comfortable rooms, but is also the best place for tracking primates in the park including chimpanzee.

Kitabi Eco-Center: Is located in Kitabi with beautiful views of Mount Kitabi. The lodge has services like an in-house restaurant, morning continental breakfast. The lodge specializes in international dishes, a playground for children, ample parking space and spacious terrace.

Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge: Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge is found in Kitabi and offices good midrange and budget rooms that offer free Wi-Fi, a lounge and barbecue.  There is early morning continental breakfast that is served in rooms or at the general restaurant. The restaurant serves local and international dishes including tasty Pizza. The area around the lodge has good biking trails and bikes can be rented on arrangement.

Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel: This hotel is located near the park headquarters and was opened in 2011. This hotel offers great views of the forest Mountains and offers front desk services, a general restaurant that serves drinks to all residents and a sitting area with TV. Other services include barbecue facilities, shuttle services, a banquet and meeting facilities. The room balconies offer good views of the mountains and forests. Because of her location in the middle of the park, it is great place for hiking.