Nyungwe National Park is the best preserved montane rainforest in the central Africa; it is located in southwestern region of Rwanda boarded by Burundi in the south, Lake Kivu and Democratic Republic of Congo in the west and the nearest town is Chyangugu in Rusizi district.
Uwinka being its main park headquarters and a reception center as well, it takes a distance of 218 kilometers approximately 5 hours’ drive from Kigali – the capital city of Rwanda to the Park and Gisakura being a reception center in Nyungwe National Park.
Nyungwe National Park is surrounded by five districts i.e. Karongi in the North of, Nyarugugu in the south east, Nyamagabe in the North east, Nyamasheke in the North West and Rusizi in the south West, all these districts make your safari in Nyungwe National Park simple and enjoyable in terms of accessibility, accommodation and physical features.
Nyungwe National Park is one of the biggest national parks that have boosted tourism in Rwanda. It was established by the German Colonial government as a reserve in 1903 with huge chunks of land in thousands of square kilometers but later poachers, deforestation and fires led to the decrease of the forest to only 150 square kilometers between 1958 and 1973.
Research facilities were setup at Uwinka in 1994, however it was destroyed during the Rwanda genocide in 1994, the restoration of research facilities started in 1995 until 2004 when the park was declared a national Park.
The large number of chimpanzees in this montane rainforest make Nyungwe National Park the best place to visit while on your Rwanda Safari. The park has two chimpanzee groups where the smallest group has a total number of 30 chimpanzees in Uwinka sector and the big group has a population of 60 habituated chimpanzees trekked in Cyamudongo – an area inside the park as a fragmented forest. There is a third group that is still under habituation in Gisovu in the northern sector of the park.
What to do in Nyungwe forest?
Chimpanzee trekking has been the main activity carried out in Nyungwe national park since its establishment; it is therefore not surprising that this activity is the favorite and the most enjoyed by tourists while on a safari to Nyungwe National Park.
Before you kick off to the trekking expedition, you are assembled at the park headquarters for a briefing and be divided into groups of 8 people and each group is assigned to a different park ranger guide to trek a different chimpanzee family.
Visitors not only enjoy a memorable chimpanzee trekking experience in Nyungwe national park but also enjoy a unique activity which cannot be found anywhere in East Africa, that is canopy walk beginning from Uwinka. This thrilling activity is not common in the whole of Africa and one can experience it only on a Safari to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Canopy walk in this park enables a tourist to have a great view of the montane rainforest since the canopy walk way is 160 meters and 70 meters from the ground. The activity is in 3 sections – the first canopy at 45 meters, second at 90 meters and third at 25 meters and this creates a great view for the tourists to see a clear day, monkeys playing can be clearly spotted, close encounter with birds and Lake Kivu can be clearly spotted while on a canopy walk.
Before you join the canopy walk, one is advised to carry a rain coat since rainfall is frequently expected in the forest, strong boots and walking sticks should also be packed. However, if you tend to forget them, there are some for rent at the starting point.
Another activity that one should not miss out while on a safari in Nyungwe Forest national park is Bird watching since the park accommodates over 300 bird species. Hiking trails are divided into three geographical groups and these include; a trail that begins from Uwinka and Gisakura reception and the trail between Kitabi and Uwinka, all making it possible to do bird watching easily.
When to visit Nyungwe Forest N/park?
Enjoy a safari in Nyungwe national park when you visit it during the long dry season; that is from June to September, they are the best months to enjoy your group safari since least rain is expected.
You can as well visit the park during the short dry season from mid-December and mid-February however you expect some rainfalls during this short dry season because rain is expected.
Where to stay in Nyungwe forest?
Nyungwe national park also has nice and confortable accommodations which favor any number of tourists and offers Bed, breakfast and lunch according to the lodge that matches your budget.
The park is surrounded with a handful of accommodation facilities that range from luxury and these include; One & Only Nyungwe located in Gisakura at the edge of Nyungwe National Park, Nyungwe Top View Hotel located along the Ruhengeri-Gisakura Road near Nyungwe National Park, and then Nyungwe Forest Lodge which also offers Luxury accommodation while on a safari in Nyungwe Forest National Park.
When it comes to Midrange accommodation while on your safari in Nyungwe, this park offers to the fullest and one of these pleasant accommodations include; Gisakura Family Hotel, Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge located in Nyamagabe district in the northeast of the park, only 32 kilometers to the park headquarters that is 40 minutes’ road transfer and Kitabi eco-center in Nyamagabe district, only 33 kilometers – approximately 45 minutes’ road transfer to the park headquarters in Uwinka.
When it comes to Budget accommodation, this park offers various facilities and these include; Peace Guesthouse, located in Rusizi district and it covers a distance of 49 kilometers that is approximately 1-hour drive on road to Uwinka reception center in Nyungwe, while a transfer to Gisakura reception center covers a distance of 35 kilometers.
Other budget accommodations include; Regina Pacis Kibeho hotel, Norte Dame Kibeho Rest house, Home Saint Jean, Comoran Lodge to mention but a few.
Visiting Nyungwe national park with evergreen nature and Ice age, fabulous lodging and hotels on a safari is worthy a journey measured in friends rather than miles.
