NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

Nyungwe Forest is One of Africa’s most stunning and oldest rain forests well known for its lush evergreen forest and rich biodiversity.

It is home to over 1000 plant species, 13 different species of primates, 75 species of mammals, 275 species of birdlife, and more than 120 species of butterflies coloring the forest.

Famous for its rich eco-system, a big draw to the park is its population of chimpanzees and the chance to track them. You’ll find chimp communities here of up to 100 individuals living in highly cooperative groups which is essential for their survival. Other primates available for tracking here includes troops of Colobus monkeys which a times lives in a group of up to 200 individuals.

The other primates you might see during you nature walks are the L’Hoest’s monkey, Owl faced monkey, Dent’s monkey, grey-cheeked mangabeys, vervet monkey, and olive baboons.

The park also offers an enticing variety of wildlife and other larger mammals such as the Serval cat, mongoose, otter, and leopard. Birdlife includes the Rwenzori Turaco, sunbirds, wagtails, African crowned eagles, hornbills, and the red-collard babbler.

Another attraction that draws people to this park is the chance to traverse high through the trees on the Nyungwe Forest Canopy Walkway. The 160 m long and 70 m high canopy is the first in all of East Africa and affords a bird’s eye view of the dense and colorful jungle below.

Nyungwe Forest has a collection of excellent walking trails which gives you the option of exploring the park by foot. It has six walking trails, the shortest being the 2km (1.2 miles) Buhoro Trail and the longest one is the Imbaraga Trail which is 10 km (6.2mi) long winding through forest.

Climate:

The average temperature during the day is at around 20°c-22°c and the coldest night’s ranges at about 12°c -13°c.

The park is accessible throughout the year and best time to visit is during the dry season that runs from June to September and also from December to mid-February.

During rainy season, the walking trails becomes wet and slippery so it’s advisable to plan appropriately if you like hiking.