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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Nyungwe National Park Forest Adventure Tips

Nyungwe National Park Forest is the biggest and most visited tourist attraction in Rwanda, and it also ranks among the top ten safari destinations in East Africa.

The park is filled with adventures and is most famous for chimpanzee trekking and gorilla, among other safari packages. Here you will find species of wildlife in their habitat while enjoying the beauty of nature.

Nyungwe National Park Forest is a tropical rain forest covering 101900 hectares. It is the African oldest conserved tropical forest.

The park has been in existence since 1993, and it was officially inaugurated in 2006. The park runs daily all year round from 7 am to 5 pm.

You will find here the adventure tips for your next trip to the Nyungwe National Park Forest.

1. Best Time to Visit Nyungwe Forest National Park 

You can visit Nyungwe Forest National Park at any time of the year to pack the right things and depend on your activities.

However, if you prefer watching monkeys and hiking, the best time to visit is the dry season, from June to September. You wouldn’t want to slip while hiking.

Also, adventure travelers who come for chimpanzee trekking and bird watching are encouraged to visit during the wet season from October to May.

Importantly, international visitors to Nyungwe Forest National Park must have their complete documents, including visas.

2. What To Pack For A Visit To Nyungwe Forest National Park 

Nyungwe Forest National Park is filled with many adventures, and you will enjoy it the most if you have the correct gears.

First, you need to pack a lot of comfortable clothes. Ensure that the clothes are light so that you can easily hike and participate in other activities of your choice.

Secondly, do not forget to pack shoes suitable for hiking. Even if you visit during the dry season, some paths in the park are usually slippery, so a hiking shoe will keep you going.

Thirdly, you can go with a portable camera. Though not compulsory, I bet you would love to keep memories of your adventure.

Fourthly, keep handy a mosquito repellent. Nyungwe Forest National Park is in a tropical rain forest, and you may have mosquito and other insect bites.

Lastly, go in a rain jacket. Tourists do come along with their rain jackets because there is a high tendency for rainfalls.

3. Chimpanzee Trekking

Chimpanzee trekking is a major highlight at the Nyungwe Forest National Park. Most visit troupe to encounter these primates in their natural inhabitants.

 Nyungwe Forest National Park has over a thousand chimpanzees, and you can go trekking for up to one hour. You can always any time of the year visit to trek and see the chimpanzees.

These chimpanzees can be very friendly swinging across trees in the Nyungwe and Cyamudongo.

The charge for chimpanzee trekking differs among visitors. For instance, if you are a foreign resident, you will pay $60, but if you are a foreign non-resident, you will pay $90.

Citizens pay 5,000Rwf while East Africa Community (EAC) nationals pay $10. Also, foreign residents from East Africa Community (EAC) pay $60.

Additionally, international students pay $30; Rwandan students pay $2,500Rwf, whereas students from East Africa Community (EAC) pay $5.

4. Canopy Walk

The canopy walk is among the top tourist attractions in Nyungwe Forest National Park. The canopy walk is a bridge built with metals hanging 70 meters above the ground and 1km long. It is the first canopy walkway in the eastern part of Africa and the third across Africa.

Tourists stroll through the canopy walk to have a clear view of the Igishigishigi trail in the Nyungwe Forest National Park. It is quite an attractive sight to behold.

The canopy walkway was commissioned in 2010 and ran daily from 9 am to 3 pm. To price for the canopy walk vary among tourists.

Rwandan students and residents are to pay each 5,000 Rwf, foreign residents and students are to pay $50 and $25, respectively.

In the same way, foreign non-residents are to pay $60, East Africa Community (EAC) students and nationals are to pay $5 and $10, respectively.

A foreign resident from East Africa Community (EAC) and foreign residents, in general, are to pay $50 each.

5. Bird Watching

Bird watching at Nyungwe Forest National Park can be quite an adventure. Nyungwe Forest National Park has more than 300 species of birds, including 29 species of Albertine birds.

The cost for birding includes 5000Rwf and 2000Rwf for Rwandan residents and students, respectively. It also costs $40 for East Africa Community (EAC) residents, foreigners, and foreign residents.

Additionally, East Africa Community (EAC) nationals and students will pay $10 and $5, respectively. Foreign non-residents and foreign resident students pay $50 and $20 each.

6. Monkey Tracking

At the Nyungwe Forest National Park, the monkey track is another exciting escapade to embark on. The park has more than 400 Angolan Colobus monkeys that visitors can nature walk, especially in the early mornings.

The monkeys in the park are usually spotted in groups, and the most popular is the grey-cheeked mangabey and Ruwenzori Colobus monkeys. These primates are up to 13 species.

The most common monkeys at the park are the white Colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, and more.

To embark on the monkey tracking adventure, you need to pay $40 if you are a foreign resident and $60 if you are a foreign non-resident.

However, if you are a citizen, you will pay 5000Rwf, while Rwandan students pay 1,500Rwf. Also, East Africa Community (EAC) students pay $3, and East Africa Community (EAC) nationals and foreign residents pay $10 and $40.

7. Waterfalls Hiking

Nyungwe Forest National Park has tropical waterfalls, with the largest and most visited been the Kamiranzovu waterfall.

It takes about 4 hours to hike to the waterfall, but it is worth it because you have no option than to hold your breath while you admire the waterfall that got its source from the Kamiranzovu swamp.

The Izumo tropical waterfalls hiking can be fun-filled as you hike past the tea plantation, among other attractions.

A hike to the waterfall costs $40 for foreign residents and East Africa Community (EAC) foreign residents. East Africa Community (EAC) students will pay $5, while East Africa Community (EAC) nationals pay $$10.

 Additionally, foreign resident students will pay $20 while Rwandan students and non-resident international students will pay 5000Rwf and $50.

8. Camping

At Nyungwe Forest National Park, many tourists do not just come and go in a day, and some spend a couple of days exploring various adventures and camping.

The camps provide accommodation to tourists from different parts of the world. You can both within and outside the center. So ensure you park your camping kit.

Bottom Line

Nyungwe Forest National Park has witnessed an increasing number of tourists over the years due to its welcoming environment and security.

It is filled with adventures that can take a couple of days. Yes, you will get to meet adventurers from different parts of the world.

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