Trails of Nyungwe Forest National Park
Trails of Nyungwe Forest National Park: Nyungwe forest national park is a rain forest located in Rwanda in the south western part covering approximately 970 square kilometers and reaches an altitude of 3000 meters above sea level. This rain forest is one of oldest rain forests in Africa and is the most preserved forest in the central part of Africa. This rain forest is bordered by Burundi and is closely located near the Kibira national park of Burundi in the south, Lake Kivu and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the western side.
The Nyungwe forest has been a long existent rain forest however the Nyungwe forest national park was established in 2004 and was managed by the Rwanda Development board but recently taken over by the African parks in October 2020 for a contracted period of 20 years. This national park is located inside this forest with a number of trails for every activity done in the park. The Nyungwe forest is majorly vegetated by rain forest, bamboo, grasslands, swamps and bogs.
This Nyungwe forest is famous for its primate life and the biggest numbers of visitors of Rwanda headed to Nyungwe forest are interested in visiting the primates of Nyungwe forest. The Nyungwe forest is a home to a number of animals with a recorded number of 13 different primate species which is 25% of total number of primates found in Africa with an estimated 275 different bird species, 38 reptile species, 32 amphibian species, 85 mammal species and 1068 plant types. With all this flora and fauna, Nyungwe forest is an idle tour destination for the primate and bird lovers also having an interest in botany.
Nyungwe forest has the greatest number of endemic species than any other forest in the Albertine Rift Mountains. The biggest primate that attracts huge numbers of people to the Nyungwe forest is the Chimpanzees. Chimpanzee trekking is the major activity of the Nyungwe forest national park. Another major attraction of the Nyungwe forest national park is the 160 meters long and 70 meters high canopy walk in the forest. The other primates of the Nyungwe forest national park include the Ruwenzori colobus, L’hoest’s monkey, the silver monkey, golden monkey, Hamlyn’s monkey, red-tailed monkey, dent’s mona monkey, vervet monkey, olive baboob and the grey cheeked mangabey.
The Nyungwe forest national park offers quite a number of tour activities like the chimpanzee trekking, canopy walk, nature walks, birding walks, tropical waterfall guided hike, congo nile guided walk, other primate trekking and all these activities have set out trails to be followed while on the safari.
There are three reception centers for the activities of the Nyungwe forest national park and that is the Gisakura Reception center, Uwinka reception centre and the Kitabi Reception center. The reception center you will check in at before your activity in the park entirely depends on which trail you will be taking on for your activity.
At the Gisakura Reception center, there are 3 trails you can take on which are the Isumo trail, Karamba trail, Nyungwe forest lodge trail;
Isumo trail is a 5.3 kilometer one way trail that can be completed in 2hours to and 2 hours back to the reception making the activity a 4 hour activity. The visitors interested in the Isumo waterfall hike take on this trail and cross a large tea plantation while on it. The Isumo waterfall hike is a daily activity that starts at 9 am for the morning hikers and at 1pm for the afternoon hikers.
Karamba trail is a 2 kilometer trail that will take the hikers about 3 hours to complete and this is a recommended trail for the bird watchers and the set off times from the reception are 8 am for the morning shift and then 1 pm for the afternoon shift.
Nyungwe forest Lodge trail is a 5 kilometer long trail that will take you about 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete and is also great for bird watching and has a number of serene viewing points. The set off times from the Gisakura reception to take on this trail are 8 am for the morning group and 1 pm for the afternoon group.
At the Kitabi reception center, there are four trails that one can take on and these are the Ngabwe trail, the Mwumba trail, Rutovu trail and the Rukungu trail.
Ngabwe trail is a 4.6 kilometer trail that will take you about 4 hours to complete to reach the campsite at the top. This trail is often taken by the visitors interested in camping in Nyungwe forest national park. This hike usually starts at 9 am daily from the Kitabi reception center.
Mwumba trail is a 4 kilometer long trail that will take the trekkers approximately 4 hours to complete to reach one of the tea factories of the region for a visit. This trek sets off from Kitabi reception center at 9 am on a daily basis.
Rutovu trail is a 7 kilometer long trail that will take you 6 hours to complete. This is a full day activity in Nyungwe forest which set off time from the Kitabi reception is at 9 am and has a number of viewpoints on the trail.
Rukungu trail is a 3 kilometer long trail in Nyungwe forest that will take the trekkers an estimated 2 and a half hours to complete arriving at a tea plantation for a visit and the experience of the tea growing experience from the soil to the cup ready for consumption. This trek leaves the Kitabi reception center at 9 am.
There are other longer trails in Nyungwe forest offered by the Nyungwe forest national park like the Rukuzi trail, Congo Nile Divide trail, Congo Nile trail, Uwinka trail, Imbaraga trail, Igishigishigi trail, canopy walk, Umogote, Mount Bigugu, Kamiranzovu, Irebero trail, Umuyove trail from the Uwinka reception center.
Rukuzi trail is a 9.1 kilometer trail that will take you about 5 hours to complete with a number of viewpoints to the village. People taking on this trail will set off from Uwinka at 9 am in morning.
Congo Nile Divide trail is a 42.2 kilometer long trail that will take the riders 3nights on route before completing the trail. This trail is usually taken on by cyclers and they set off at 8 am. This will take you to the source of the Nile and end in Gatare.
Congo Nile trail is a 54 kilometer long trail that lasts 4 nights and leaves the Uwinka reception at 8 am. You will visit two sources of the Nile that is the Richard Kand’t and the new furthest source and you will end in Gisovu tourism.
Uwinka trail via swamp is a 10.5-kilometer long trail that will take the trekkers about 8 hours to complete making it a full day activity in the Nyungwe forest national park. There a number of splendid viewpoints enroute and you will set off from Uwinka at 9 am.
Imbaraga trail is a 9.8 kilometers long trail that lasts 6 hours to complete and its set off time from Uwinka reception is 9 am. This trail boosts 4 beautiful waterfalls enroute with great viewpoints.
Igishigishigi trail is a 2.4 kilometer long trail that will take you 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete. One of the fastest trail and has the canopy walk view that has four set off times from the Uwinka reception that is 8 am and 10 am for the morning walk and 1pm and 3pm for the afternoon walk.
Canopy walkway is a 2.4 kilometers trail with the forest view from above. It will take you 2 hours to complete this trail and it has two set off times from the Uwinka reception that is at 8am for the morning walk and 1 pm for the afternoon walk.
Umugote trail is a 3.6 kilometer trail that will take the trekkers about 3 hours before completion of the trail. This trail offers a number of viewpoints of the forest. Set off times for this trail is 9 am and 1 pm
Mount Bigugu is a 6.6 kilometer trail that will take the trekkers about 6 hours to reach the highest point and also the camping site at that point of 2,950 meters. The starting time for this full day activity is at 9 am.
Kamiranzovu swamp is a 5.9 kilometer trail that can be completed in 3 and a half hours starting at 9am from the Uwinka reception.
Irebero trail is a 3.5 kilometer long trail that is completed in 3 hours and is a great trailfor birders and also outstanding viewpoints enroute. The starting time for this trail from Uwinka reception is 9 am and 1 pm.
Umuyove trail is a 5.6 kilometers long trail from the Uwinka reception boosting a great waterfall enroute and a forest canopy of mahogany trees that lasts 4 hours before it is completed. The trekkers taking on this trail are expected to be at the reception by 9 am for the morning trail or 1 pm for the afternoon trail.
All these trails have a highlight enroute such a unique tree species, bird species, chances of meeting the Nyungwe primates, and great viewpoints of the forest and the villages. All the tours taken on these trails are guided by the Nyungwe forest ranger guide so ensure to have one on your visit. Some trails for example the chimpanzee trails are not open to children below the age of 15 as they are not legible to track chimpanzees. Children below the age of 7 are exempted from paying the park fees on show of proof of their age.
Safaris to Nyungwe forest National park
3 Days Nyungwe chimpanzee trekking
