Top things to do In Nyungwe National Park Rwanda

Top things to do In Nyungwe National Park Rwanda,Nyungwe Forest National Park is located in the southwestern corner of Rwanda the land of a thousand hills. This park covers an area of about 1019 square kilometers which is rich in biodiversity of flora and fauna including a significant population of the endangered chimpanzees and the Rwenzori Colobus Monkeys who are endemics of the Albertine rift. 

Nyungwe Forest National Park is home to a tropical montane rainforest that is said to be among the oldest and best-preserved forests on the Africa continent. Discover abundant diversity hidden beneath and among the lush foliage of this unexplored tropical planet. 

Nyungwe Forest National Park has a wide range of incredible tourist activities that travelers need to make their safari in Rwanda a journey to remember. These activities are the top most thought after activities in Nyungwe Forest National Park.  

• Chimpanzee Trekking 

chimpanzee trekking in nyungwe national park

Nyungwe Forest National park’s primate population accounts for 25 percent of Africa’s total primate population. There are various trails to choose from, but in order to see the chimpanzees, you need to go off into the forest with your guide’s assistance so as to experience our closest cousins. Chimpanzees performing acrobatics on tree branches, mothers comforting their babies, and other heartwarming sights await you at the end of the trek. 

This exciting chimpanzee trekking adventure begins at around 5am at the park headquarters, so make sure you’re awake and ready to go by that time. There is a limit of eight people per hiking group. Nyungwe Forest is a rainforest, so you’ll want to bring good hiking boots, a rain poncho in case it rains, a thick long-sleeved shirt for the cool weather, long pants in case you wander off the trail, and binoculars to get a better look at the chimpanzees in the trees. 

• Waterfall Hike 

One of the most spectacular things to do in Nyungwe National Park is to hike to the tropical waterfalls of the Nyungwe forest. Kamiranzovu Waterfall is the largest tropical waterfall in Nyungwe National Park, this is the park’s most well-known and impressive natural attraction. This waterfall gets its name from Kamiranzovu (swallowing elephant) the park’s swamp “Kamiranzovu Swamp”, a wetland that serves as its primary water source. At the end of the 3-4-hour hike, guest are rewarded with a stunning tropical waterfall views, making this a very popular activity done by mostly everyone who visits the park. 

• Rwenzori Colobus Monkey Trekking 

There are 13 different kinds of primates in Nyungwe Forest, and more than half of these are monkeys. One of these species are endemic species of monkeys for-example the Rwenzori Colobus Monkey. Nyungwe is home to a variety of primates, including the Grey-Cheeked Mangabey, L’Hoest Monkey, Owl Faced Monkey, Blue-Monkey, and Mona Monkey, all of which can be seen on one of the park’s 13 hiking trails. You can see up to 200 Rwenzori Colubus Monkeys in one large group if you venture deeper into the forest away from the main trails with you trekking guide. 

• Canopy Walk 

Canopy Walk  in nyungwe national park

Canopy Walk is one of the newest attractions in the Nyungwe Forest. The canopy walk is a thrilling activity that consists of a guided, 1-hour trek along a 200-meter-long trail that is suspended at more than 50 meters above the forest canopy. From the peak, you may survey the beautiful jungle below from the perspective of an eagle. There is a high chance that you will see blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and other primates that are normally only found in the upper levels of the forest. 

For those who aren’t afraid of heights, the canopy walk’s bridge crossings of deep valleys with no view of the earth below can be thrilling. The canopy walk is not recommended for children under the age of 6. 

• Forest and Nature walks 

Experience a visual feast as you follow an experienced guide over some of the gorgeous paths in Nyungwe Forest, another favorite activity there. Hundreds of species of trees, butterflies, and orchids can be seen and appreciated by hikers throughout the forest’s many color-coded routes, and visitors can also enjoy the peace and calmness of the forest. The guided hikes last for about 3-hours and are led by a knowledgeable native and experienced guide. 

Nature hikes typically begin at the edge of the forest and follow trails down into the rainforest’s Amphitheatre, where the sounds of birds, frogs, and insects create a beautiful soundtrack. Colorful wildflowers, orchids, and ferns provide a lavish display that can be seen all across the rainforest. 

• Birding  

Birding in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is home to more than 300 different bird species, 27 of which are unique to the Albertine Rift’s forests. For instance, the Grauer’s Rush Warbler is a Nyungwe Forest resident that is confined to the alpine marshes of the Albertine Rift. Both the Rwenzori Turaco and the Large Blue Turaco are common in Nyungwe Forest. There are many kinds of sunbirds, and you can usually spot them in flowering trees, including the purple-breasted sunbird and the blue-headed sunbird. While strolling through Nyungwe Forest in search of birds, you may also come across orchids and primates.