Driving to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Driving to Nyungwe Forest National Park: Nyungwe Forest National Park is situated in Rwanda’s south-western region, bordering Burundi to the south and near the Lake Kivu/Democratic Republic of the Congo border has 1020 square kilometers of Africa’s oldest montane rainforests.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is a biodiversity hotspot with over 1000 species of plants, and 75 species of animals, including 13 monkey species, more than 120 butterfly species, and over 300 bird species that will take your breath away.
Driving to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
This Forest National Park in Rwanda is around 225 kilometers/4-5 hours’ drive from Kigali city and has been recognized as one of the highest priority sites for protecting natural forest cover on the African Continent, as well as providing shelter to one of Africa’s oldest forests.
Nyungwe Forest National Park may be accessed by plane or road, but if you choose to drive, you will be rewarded with stunning views of Rwanda’s mountainous hills and green foliage along the way. A good and comfortable automobile is required to go 225 kilometers/4-5 hours from Kigali to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Nyungwe Forest National Park may be reached by both private and public transportation like a public bus.
If you’re taking public transportation, ideally by bus, take it from Nyabugogo Bus Station in Kigali to Ruzizi Town/District, but get out at Uwinka Center. Buses go on time and often take longer, approximately up to 8 hours since there are multiple stops along the way to pick up and drop off passengers.
Private transportation is the quickest, easiest, and most pleasant method to reach Nyungwe Forest National Park, personal or special hire cars. This means you save the headache of reserving and the lengthier journey time associated with public transportation. Tourists going from Huye Town are approximately 87 kilometers/2-3 hours away from the National Park, while those connecting from Ruzizi Town are only 55 kilometers/1 hour away. The drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park is pleasant, however, there are a few steep turns that necessitate attention on the part of the driver.
For more adventurous self-drive trips, travel from Kigali to Muhanga, then south to Nyanza, stopping at the Nyanza King’s Palace in Nyabisindi, Gikongoro’s Genocide Memorial site and National Museum, and finally Huye Town. You will afterward proceed west to Nyamagabe, which is only a short distance from the Park’s entrance.
Activities to do during your visit to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Chimpanzee Trekking
Nyungwe forest or Cyamudongo Forest is also a wonderful site for chimpanzee trekking following your gorilla trekking activity in Volcanoes National Park without having to drive great distances. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest National Park begins in the morning, and it is essential to have a daypack with adequate water, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, a rain jacket, hiking boots, and a cap.
The maximum number of humans allowed to monitor chimps in the Nyungwe forest is eight. These chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest or Cyamudongo Forest have been around humans and are used to them. Even though gorilla tracking is both fascinating and lucrative, many people set out to monitor their closest cousins as they play in Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Primate Tracking
There are roughly 13 primate species present in Nyungwe forest park, including unconfirmed reports of golden monkeys. In addition to chimp trekking, you may also see owl-faced monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, Ruwenzori colobus monkeys, and a variety of other primates in Nyungwe. These monkeys are also found in huge groups of up to 300 colobus monkeys.
You are also likely to spot additional monkeys when tracking any of the primate groups in the jungle. L’Hoest’s monkey, Owl-faced monkeys, Mona monkeys, and blue monkeys are examples. The old forest is also a primate habitat, and you may go on a chimpanzee, grey-cheeked, and Colobus monkey trek.
Birding
Around 300 bird species have been identified in Nyungwe Forest Park, with 27 of them being indigenous to the Albertine Rift woodland. For example, Grauer’s Warbler, an Albertine Rift endemic, may be found in mountain swamps such as the Kamiranzovu in Nyungwe. Both the Rwenzori Turaco and the huge blue Turaco may be found.
Sunbirds of many species, such as the purple-breasted and blue-headed sunbirds, can be found in blooming trees. Nyungwe is also a birder’s heaven, and you’ll encounter everything from orchids to primates on your birding trips in Nyungwe Forest.
It boasts some spectacular and magnificent landscapes and serves as a vantage point for scenic views of the Virungas and the Congo. Nyungwe is nature at its most beautiful. It’s lush and picturesque, with cooling mists in the early mornings and late evenings.
Canopy Walk
Canopy walk in East Africa’s first treetop forest canopy walk and Africa’s third overall. This hike is a must-do activity in Rwanda when exploring the Nyungwe forest national park. If you are visiting Rwanda to see the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, your safari will be even more memorable if you include some time in Nyungwe and experience the canopy walk as part of your Rwanda Chimpanzee Safari itinerary.
The canopy walk is 50 meters above the ground, which might be intimidating for some people. You will observe monkeys moving about in the treetops, birds flying over and below you, and a stunning perspective of the massive Nyungwe. The canopy walk is 90 meters long, which is not a huge distance, but it is when you are 50 meters above the earth.
