Nyungwe Forest National Park

In addition to chimpanzee trekking, Nyungwe Forest National Park has a spectacular biodiversity, including over 300 bird species, making it a paradise for birding. 85 types of mammals and 1068 plant species, making it a priority conservation area in Africa. The park is also home to over 13 primate species ( common chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s monkey, golden monkey, vervet monkey, olive baboon, silver monkey, Ruwenzori colobus, silver monkey, red-tailed monkey,hamlyn’s monkey, dent’s mona monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey. Nyungwe Park's unique canopy walking activity is absent in other African parks. The suspended bridge provides magnificent aerial views of the canopy. The forest has an estimated 130km of constructed trails. If you enjoy walking with scenic views while breathing fresh air, Nyungwe Forest is one of the hot spots for all Rwandan safaris.

Nyungwe Forest National Park is a top birding destination in Rwanda. Over 300 bird species are recorded in the park, of which 27 are the Albertine Rift Endemics. The forest trails make it an accessible birding destination. Some of the birds include dusky crimson wing, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Kivu ground thrush, Neumann’s warbler, Albertine owlet, Ruwenzori batis, purple-breasted sunbird, handsome francolin, Ruwenzori Turaco, Ruwenzori nightjar, Kungwe Apalis, Archer’s ground robin, stripped breasted tit, dwarf honey guide, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, mountain masked apalis, red -collared babbler among others.

Nyungwe Forest National Park can be visited all year round. However, the best time to visit is the dry season, the peak season from December to February and June to September. However, Nyungwe is a tropical rainforest, and rain is expected at any time of the year. It is advisable to carry waterproof and warm clothing when visiting the park. The best times to visit the park are during the dry seasons, from December to February and June to September.

Getting There?

By Air: If you want to get the most out of your journey, air travel is the fastest and most fascinating way to see Rwanda from above. You can catch a domestic flight from Kigali using Rwandair, the only airline operating on this route, to Kamembe National Airport and then proceed on a road transfer with a 4WD safari vehicle, which takes about 33 km.

The other option is to fly with Akagere Aviation, which operates chartered and scheduled luxury helicopter air transfers from Kigali to Nyungwe at one &only one Nyungwe House. Enjoy mindblowing scenic views of the rolling hills, Nyungwe Forest and the tea plantation. The approximate flight time is 45 minutes, and the price starts from $280 to $3000 per person, departing at 2:00 p.m.

By Road: The drive from Kigali City to Nyungwe Forest National Park is approximately 230km, taking about 5-6 hours. Other attractions to see on your way (are Nyanza King’s Palace at Nyabisindu, Craft Shops, Gikongoro Genocide Memorial Center, and the National Museum & Aboretum.