FACTS ABOUT NYUNGWE – Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the premium tourist destinations in Rwanda and one of the four national parks in the country.
It is famously known for chimpanzees, making chimpanzee trekking the most popular activity in the park, done in Nyungwe Forest and Cyamudongo Forest.
The canopy walkway suspended above Nyungwe Forest is another major attraction.
Interesting Facts About Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Establishment and Management: It was established as a national park in 2004 under the management of the Rwanda Development Board. In 2010, the board signed a partnership with African Parks to help manage and run the day-to-day activities of Nyungwe Forest National Park, a key destination for Rwanda safaris, under the Nyungwe Management Company.
- Location: The park is located in the southwestern part of Rwanda, southeast of Lake Kivu, next to the Burundi border. It is easily accessed from Kigali by both road and air.
- Area and Features: The park covers an area of 1,019 km², characterized by montane rainforest, swamps, bogs, grasslands, marshes, valleys, waterfalls, bamboo, and Mt. Bigugu.
- Primate Species: The park is home to 13 primate species, including common chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, silver monkeys, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, L’Hoest’s monkey, mona monkeys, vervet monkeys, Angolan colobus monkeys, owl-faced monkeys, and Hamlyn’s monkeys.
- Bird Species: Over 300 species of birds inhabit the national park, including 29 Albertine Rift endemics such as Archer’s robin-chat, dusky crimson-wing, handsome francolin, purple-breasted sunbird, and red-collared babbler. Common birds sighted in the forest include the Rwenzori batis, black saw-wing, regal sunbird, great blue turaco, and Ruwenzori turaco.
- Plant and Butterfly Species: Nyungwe Forest National Park is a botanist’s heaven with over 1,000 different plant species and about 140 orchid species. The park is also home to over 100 butterfly species.
- Mammal Species: There are 75 known mammal species deep in the Nyungwe jungle, although most are rarely seen. These include the Congo clawless otter, mongoose, serval cat, duikers, giant forest hogs, and bushbucks.
- Forest Coverage: Nyungwe Forest covers 970 km² of the national park.
- Hiking Trails: There are over 100 km of hiking/walking trails in Nyungwe Forest National Park that visitors can explore. The trails include Igishigishigi Trail, Congo Nile Divide Trail, Kamiranzovu Trail, Imbaraga Trail, Uwinka Trail, and many more, totaling about 15 different hiking trails.
- Activities: Activities in Nyungwe Forest National Park include chimpanzee trekking, bird watching, canopy walk, colobus trekking, hiking, guided nature walks, and cultural tours.
- Attractions: Attractions in Nyungwe National Park include primates, birdlife, plant and tree species, well-established hiking trails, and the canopy walk.
- Accessibility: Nyungwe Forest National Park is a 6-hour drive from Kigali city and can be accessed by both air and road. Cyangungu is the nearest town to Nyungwe National Park.
- Adjacent Parks: Nyungwe Forest National Park is adjacent to Kibira National Park in Burundi.
- Highest Point: Mt. Bigugu Peak (2,150m) is the highest point in Nyungwe Forest National Park.
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