Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Updated: 1 month ago
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Nyungwe Forest National Park Safaris, Chimpanzee Trekking
Rwanda might bring to mind images of mist rising over rolling hills, but only stepping into Nyungwe National Park will help you realize how deep the beauty runs. The air here is dense and almost syrupy in texture, rich with the aroma of damp leaves. Somewhere beyond your field of vision, a monkey or more likely a zephyr quietly rustles high within the canopy.
This isn’t the Africa of endless golden savannahs. This is an Africa of concealed waterfalls, dense rainforests with overflowing with tangled vegetation, and inquisitive primates peering down at you from the murky depths. If you crave the mysterious, or even something that seems ancient, this is where you will find it.
Why Visit Nyungwe National PArk
Nyungwe is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, and unsheltered for thousands of years, so it exhibits the effects of modern-relentlessness outside. Immediately upon stepping inside intrepid travelers can sense the age throughout dazzling massive mahogany trees, colossal ferns, and immeasurable lianas growing thickly and hanging over trails like ropes.
The park is well-known due to its diverse primate population. The park houses thirteen species including chimpanzees and Ruwenzori colobus monkeys. You can spend a whole morning tracking their calls, which echo like a forgotten tune, mostly in the distance. If you are fortunate enough, you will see them very busy with feeding, grooming, and sometimes even engaging in drama that feels surprisingly familiar.
Canopy Walkway is one of the best things to do in the park. It is a suspension bridge located about 230 feet over the ground. When you set foot on it, there is a moment that your heart appears to stand still. There is a bit of swaying on the bridge which makes you hold the rails more than what is required. Looking at the view from the bridge, you see the treetops in all directions which makes you forget your momentary hesitation.
Past the canopy, the trails go to areas that seem like secret worlds. You can hike to waterfalls that cascade from moss-covered cliffs or even admire orchids gripping to tree branches. For even, not the greatest birdwatcher, it is nearly impossible not to notice over three hundred species of birds that occupy the trees, some so bright that you begin to suspect that they were painted when no one was looking.
Best Time to Visit Nyungwe National Park
From June to September, these are the months with less rainfall Nyungwe has, and trekking in the area gets a bit easier, as well as having clear skies and dry trails. Another dry period is from December to February.
Regardless, Nyungwe is still a rainforest, so in the ‘dry’ period expect at least a bit of rain. The comforting patter of rain falling here acts like gentle drumming that quiets the world around you and draws your attention. If you go from March to May or October through November expect the most rain out of the year, but also the most vibrant, lush forest.
Nyungwe Forest Location
Nyungwe National Park occupies the southwestern corner of Rwanda near the Burundi border. It consists of approximately 394 square miles of montane forests, bamboo, swamps, and grasslands. While some travelers may be surprised about how high it sits, parts of the park soar to almost 10,000 feet above sea level. That elevation enhances the cooler air during lengthy hikes.
How to Get There
Most trips to Nyungwe begin from Kigali and it is a roughly 5 to 6 hour drive from there to Nyungwe. While that may be a longer distance, the tea plantations, little hillside villages, and roadside pineapple vendors make the drive worthwhile.
Commonly, visitors book the trip with private drivers, as it is the most comfortable option, especially to avoid hilly roads and with luggage in hand. A bus can also be taken to Cyangugu (or Rusizi) where a lodge pick-up can be organized. Almost all the roads are paved, although some of them tend to be very curvy, so prepare for motionsickness if you are sensitive to it.
Nyungwe Forest National Park Gallery
Nyungwe Accommodations
Nyungwe offers has places to stay to match different needs, preferences and even budgets.
If you are looking for luxurious accommodation, One&Only Nyungwe House is perhaps the most famous lodge. It sits on the edge of a working tea plantation, and you’ll wake to mist drifitng over rows of bright green tea leaves. The rooms are elegant without feeling fussy. After a long trek, you can enjoy soaking in a tub with a view of the forest.
For most comfort-minded travelers, Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel offers reasonably priced chalet style rooms with balconies overlooking the canopy. It’s welcoming and comfortable. As the sort of place where the staff remembers your name, they ask about your hikes during evenings after dinner.
Budget travelers are not left out such as small guest houses in Cyangugu and budget campsites for the more adventurous. Even the more basic lodgings provide the peace that knits everything together here.
Tips for Your Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe feels remote, which is part of the charm as you can spend a day hiking and not encounter another group. That said, a few simple strategies can keep your time here relaxing.
Most activities have specific permits. Chimp trekking is one of those activities that require reservations, preferably several weeks ahead of time. To maximize the chances of finding the chimps when they’re most active, all groups depart at about 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning.
Make sure to wear proper hiking boots. The trails are steep and can turn muddy after rainfall. Regardless of your fitness level, you will appreciate having good ankle support while climbing over roots.
Mornings are often cold but warm up quickly in the afternoons, so dress in layers. A lightweight waterproof jacket will spare you discomfort during unexpected downpours.
Binoculars are essential. While scanning the canopy for monkeys or trying to spot a Great Blue Turaco, having some extra reach is always useful.
Above all, be patient. Tracking chimpanzees can take several hours. The process involves a lot of walking, listening, and waiting. When the distant calls are heard, or movement in the trees is spotted, all the hard work suddenly feels very rewarding.
Final Thoughts
Nyungwe National Park is a top destination that offers you a unique mix of wildlife and nature, but the greatest wonder of this park is that it gives the feeling as if you’ve entered a world that is far removed from your presence, a world that has been existing independently for thousands of years. You are a visitor, and in complete reality, that is the only way to put it. You are traversing through an entire ecosystem.
You might be here for the chimpanzees or the sensation of the canopy walk. Perhaps the serene beauty of the tea plantations could be your reason of choice. Regardless of your reason of visit, it is bound to be simpler and tranquil. The mist enveloping the trees during dawn, rainfall gently kissing the leaves in a dark setting. You will take away a peaceful experience rooted far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Quite often, the journeys that call to us in the form of impulse are the best and the most memorable ones. Standing in the trail deep in the rainforest, you will then understand why people regard it as one of Rwandas greatest treasures.
