AUTHENTIC SAFARIS & PERSONALIZED TOURS IN NYUNGWE WITH AFRICANMECCA

Safari Forest Viewing Guide For Nyungwe Park

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Follow the various exciting trails leading through the forests of Nyungwe National Park and you’ll find yourself lost in a wonderland of lush greenery that hosts many small and intriguing fauna. The experienced forest tracker assigned to you by AfricanMecca Safaris will join in your enthusiasm for this amazing environment by showing you how to identify some of the huge variety of plants and trees. Your guide can also explain aspects of the rich, 50,000-year-old culture of the people who live close to these forests, and the medicines they have traditionally made from its plants. As you will learn during your travels, the forest hosts an incredible 1068 varieties of plants, including 140 kinds of orchids and 240 tree species. Be on the lookout as well for 120 varieties of gorgeous butterflies and moths flitting about the shrubs and flowers, resplendent in their distinct colors.

Hidden away in this incredible biome are small reptiles, amphibians, and 310 species of magnificent birds, including great blue turacos, red-breasted sparrow hawks, and giant hornbills, to name a few (read more on birding safaris in Rwanda). Each trail lets you tour a unique section of this Rwandan reserve. Depending on which one you chose, you may spend anywhere between one and seven hours completing your trail. You will surely spot tiny reptiles in addition to some of the 85 species of small mammals that call the park home, including the hyrax, mongoose, bushbuck, duiker, genet, civet, Congo clawless otter, and many more. The park has no large predators and you can safely explore it under the direction of your guide.

Nyungwe is known for the 13 species of primates that flourish in the park. Look for the gray-cheeked mangabey, Rwandan black and white colobus monkey, golden monkey, L'Hoest's monkey, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, Dent's Monkey, owl-faced monkey, bushbabies or galago, and tailless potto. Of course, your vacation in Rwanda wouldn’t be complete without searching for one of the main attractions of the reserve: the chimpanzees. About 500 of them live in the park and they are primarily seen high up in the trees; your guide will show you how to spot them. Your chimp viewing trek will be made truly memorable when you visit the Cyamdungo and Uwinka forests, places where you might be lucky enough to see these fascinating and human-like primates feeding, grooming, and otherwise caring for their young. Though they are habituated to the presence of humans, visitors must only photograph them from afar.

Some trails lead to the glorious waterfalls of Nyungwe Park, whose water eventually flows into one of Africa’s greatest rivers: either the Congo or the Nile. Spend some time at the Kamiranzovu Swamp, an important habitat that supports unique flora and fauna. You could also visit the reserve’s dense bamboo forests. Follow the Igishigishigi Trail and you will find yourself climbing the stairway to the Canopy Walkway. Walking on a steel bridge suspended high up above the Nyungwe Forest allows you to view forest life from a whole new angle; as you walk in the treetops, the sights and sensations under your feet and the mist swirling around you are almost surreal. Pause at the viewing decks for a 360-degree view of the high-forest landscape.

Every step you take on the various trails will be filled with sightings of fascinating wildlife, while the songs of birds, crickets, and running water fill the air with music (best time to go to Nyungwe). The truly adventurous can walk parts or all of the 227-kilometer Congo-Nile Divide Trail, which takes hikers to both rivers. Note that walking the trail requires carrying camping gear and setting up camp at various marked sites along the trek. The Igishigishigi Trail may also be combined with the Umoyove or Imbaraga Trails, where hikers will be able to see breathtakingly beautiful wildflowers.

Bird lovers will no doubt want to travel the Karamba and Umugote Trails as part of their trip of Nyungwe Forest. The latter offers views of Burundi’s Kibira National Park, along with rainforest primates and superb flowers. The Umoyove Trail, also called the Mahogany Trail, provides opportunities to see more chimpanzees and visit a waterfall. Somewhat tough to hike, the Uwinka Trail is known for its unparalleled beauty, while the Irebero Trail offers panoramic views of Lake Kivu in western Rwanda. Catch the Bigugu Trail to see more flowers, Lake Kivu, and perhaps even glimpse the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the distance on a clear day. The Kamiranzovu Trail takes walkers to wetlands, bogs, and fabulous waterfalls, and the Muzimu Trail offers a fragrant walk through pine and eucalyptus forests. Hiking novices will enjoy the easy trekking offered by the Ngabwe Trail, which ends at a picnic spot, while the Rukuzi Trail takes you through chimpanzee viewing areas and the Banda Village.

Finally, a reminder that Rwanda is about much more than wildlife and scenery. Before leaving Nyungwe National Park, take some time to interact with its beautiful Rwandan forest tribe and learn about their interesting culture. Take part in music and dances, or perhaps try some authentic local dishes. On your way out, stop by the park shop to purchase small handicrafts as souvenirs of your adventure-holiday in Rwanda. Proceeds from these sales support the economic development of the community and promote sustainable tourism, ensuring that the park and its wild inhabitants will flourish for generations to come.