NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK.

Nyungwe National park is located in the southwestern part of Rwanda at the border with Burundi, it takes 219 kilometers to Nyungwe from Kigali. It covers an area of 1020 square kilometers at an elevation of 1600- 2950m above the sea level, it’s said to be the largest montane rainforest in the whole of east Africa and central Africa and receives rainfall of 2000mm.

Nyungwe National park has a variety of natural resources that are important and helpful to the people that live around the park and the whole country at large. Like freshwater and wildlife. Nyungwe National park has got a variety of wildlife, plants and water bodies. Nyungwe National park has got habituated chimpanzees and 12 other primate species ranging from 400 Rwenzori black and white colobus monkeys, 300 bird species, 26 endemic and also is a home to 75 different types of mammals then 1000 tree species, 120m butterfly species, 310 bird species, 27 endemic to the Albertine rift valley like the Chapin’s flycatcher, Rockefellers, and sunbirds.

Wildlife in Nyungwe National park

Nyungwe National park of Rwanda has got a lot of wildlife species ranging from birds, primates, water bodies, tree species and a lot more. The major activity in Nyungwe is chimpanzee tracking, Nyungwe has got 500 chimpanzee individuals, and 100 habituated ones. There are two groups of habituated chimpanzees, one group has got 60 individuals and above and another one got 30 chimpanzee individuals, the 30 habituated chimpanzees are tracked in cyamudongo.it has also got canopy walks, birdwatching, colobus monkey tracking and more.

Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe National park

Nyungwe National park is the best national park for trekking chimpanzee, Nyungwe national park accommodates approximately 500 chimpanzees. The Park has got two habituated chimpanzee groups, one is composed of 60 chimpanzee individuals and another one has got 30 individuals. In Rwanda, chimpanzees are found in three places makura, Gishwati and finally Nyungwe national park accommodating the biggest percentage of the chimpanzees. To do chimpanzee tracking activity one must acquire a chimpanzee permit that costs 90 dollars for foreign non-residents and 60 dollars for foreign residents, packed lunch and water. The trekking activity takes 2 to 6 hours and 8 people are authorized to trek chimpanzees if found 1 hour is the time set to be spent with the chimpanzees. Other primates that are found in the Nyungwe national park include, blue monkey, Mona monkeys, owl-faced monkey, the dents monkey, l Hoest’s monkey, baboons, grey checked mangabey and the Rwenzori black and white colobus monkey.

Nyungwe canopy walk

This activity allows you to view the rest of the park above 50 meters, a great chance to see the beautiful sights and sounds of the park, the forest from above, walk 200-meter distance around the aye catching afro montane rain forest in Africa, this great activity takes approximately 2 hours in a walk, 4 years old to go the canopy walk activity and children below 16 years must be accompanied by parents. During the canopy walk, you get to see different wildlife species ranging from birds, monkeys, chimpanzees,  mangabey to mention but a few. The Nyungwe canopy activity was introduced to boost domestic tourism in Rwanda.

Birding in Nyungwe National park.

Nyungwe National park accommodates 300 bird species 27 endemic the Albertine rift valley which includes, rare Rwenzori turaco, Archers robin chat, Dusky crimson wing, mountain masked Apalis, Neumann’s warbler, purple breasted sunbird, Red-collared babbler, Red-faced woodland warbler, Regal Sunbird, yellow-eyed black flycatcher to mention but a few. Having a variety of bird species makes it the best destination for birding.

Hiking

Nyungwe national park has got 130 kilometers of hiking through the montane rain forest. Hiking in Nyungwe national a park is done in different trails, Ngabwe trail, this takes 4-7 kilometers, it takes you to kitabi tea plantations and you get a chance to see l hoest’s monkey.

Bigugu trail, this trail is about 7 kilometers, it takes approximately 6 hours to complete the journey, its 2950 meters in elevation, bigugu trail is the best destination for the birders, and you get a chance to see as the red collared mountain babbler. Igishigishigi trail this 2.4 kilometers it takes 1and 30 minutes to complete the trail, it’s the most popular trail from the uwinka reception of the park and the best place for primates and birds, kamiranzovu marsh trail, this trail is 6 kilometers long and it takes almost three hours to complete- along the way you get to see the orchids especially during the rainy season, isumo, this 10.6 kilometers long it takes about 4 hours plus to complete the journey, on the way you get to see birds and primates. There is also mazimu trail, imbaraba trail, irebero trail, umugote trail, rukuzi tail, umuyovu trail, the Congo Nile trail which takes 42 kilometers and takes 3 to 4 days along the ridge to the forest.

Some of the accommodations in Nyungwe National Park

• Nyungwe top view hotel
• Nyungwe Nziz eco-lodge
• Kivu lodge
• Ubumwe lodge