Where to stay in Nyungwe forest national park
Where to stay in Nyungwe forest national park
Where to stay in Nyungwe forest national park : Nyungwe forest national park is the home of the chimpanzees in Rwanda and is located in the southern part of Rwanda. Nyungwe forest is the second most visited national park in Rwanda after the Volcanoes national park the home of the mountain gorillas. The Volcanoes national park Rwanda is the most known national park and is located in the north western part of the country.
The Volcanoes national park aside from mountain gorilla trekking offers a number of tour activities like golden monkey trekking, hiking some of the Virunga volcanoes like the Mount Bisoke, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Muhabura and Mount sabinyo, visit the twin lakes or the Buhanga eco park.
Nyungwe forest national park is famous for its chimpanzees and the canopy walk as the most sought after activities in the region. Chimpanzee trekking in the Nyungwe forest is an enjoyable activity with a thrilling feel as the forest is thick and the chimpanzees can be heard all the way from the starting point to the point when you meet them. Chimpanzees are very active animals and they will be seen swinging from one tree branch to another or playing with the young ones or adults fighting. A chimpanzee trek in the Nyungwe forest is approximately a 4 hour trek to and back and a chimpanzee permit will go for only 90 USD.
The canopy walk in Nyungwe forest is the third best canopy in the whole of Africa and a permit goes for only 60 USD for the international travellers. This is usually a 2 hour walk at the top of this rain forest giving you a bird’s view of the forest. It is an ideal activity for those looking for an adrenaline rush activity and also for the birders and those interested in butterflies as you will be able to spot a number at the top.
This bridge is suspended 70 meters high above the ground and is a 160 meter long bridge. Guests start this hike from the Uwinka centre and set off times are at 9 am and 2 pm.
Besides the canopy walk and the chimpanzee trek, Nyungwe forest national park has a number of other activities to take part of like the other primates treks like the black and white colobus monkeys, the blue monkeys trek and the grey Cheeked mangabeys tracking and these all start from the Uwinka reception and you can book yourself a permit in advance of the visit at 60 USD for the foreign travelers.
You may also opt to take on the Ishigishi waterfall hike, visit the Gisakura Tea factory or the Hot spring in Bugarama. This hot spring has high cultural value and is located just 6 kilometers away from the Cyamudongo forest. The park offers guided nature walks in the forest at 40 USD, Guided birding walks at 50 USD and even the 1 day Congo Nile Guided hike at 60 USD.
If you are interested in the Congo Nile Guided Hike of 3 days, you can also take book that when visiting Nyungwe forest at 100 USD per person. All the primate treks in the Nyungwe forest are available for booking a daily basis but with an age expectation of everyone taking on the trek should be above the age of 16 to qualify for a visa. Children below the age of 7 years are exempted from paying any fees at the park.
All activities offered in the Nyungwe forest national park have a 5% that is gotten off each visitor’s activity permit and put into the conservation efforts in Rwanda. Camping in the Nyungwe forest is also offered as an activity however if you are looking for ideal accommodation for your stay in the park, you may check out a few of these options. The Nyungwe forest has a limited number of accommodations but has all classes of accommodation be it luxury, midrange or budget.
The park is currently being managed by the African Parks, the same management that has been managing the Akagera national park which is the only wildlife park in the country. The African parks saw the building of high end lodges in the Akagera national park and that is also a future plan for the Nyungwe forest.
While in Nyungwe forest, you may check out the One & Only Nyungwe house which is a fine high end establishment in the park. This accommodation was previously known as The Nyungwe house but was renovated and rebranded as the One & Only Nyungwe house.
This luxury lodge is built in the middle of the forest and surrounded by a tea plantation giving it the beautiful natural look which is an ideal option for guests who want to enjoy a private hotel while on safari. There are 23 luxury rooms built in a form of a villa and advance booking is a must. Each of these rooms has a luxury touch with a cultural and contemporary design throughout the lodge. A night at this villa can go for up to 3,000 USD.
You may check out the Nyungwe top hill view hotel which is a home for the midrange and some luxury guests. This hotel is at the top of a hill and is the nearest hotel to the forest with a beautifl view from the hilltop thus the name. This hotel boosts of 12 standard rooms with an ancient design of how houses in Rwanda were built and this hotel can top up on your experience on Rwanda safaris. A room at this hotel goes for about 400 USD.
There is new midrange lodging in the area known as the Nyungwe Nziza eco lodge and is at the end of the Nyungwe national park which means it borders the park making it accessible. This lodge has both deluxe tents and the deluxe rooms and these rooms range from about 90 USD to 200 USD so you choose your preference.
For the budget guests who would not be interested in camping, you can check out the Gisakura Visitor Center or the Gisakura guest house both offering basic lodging and these are great for guests who are on a budget but still want to enjoy the park. Get in touch with us and let us book your stay in Nyungwe forest as desired.
