Nyungwe National Park

Nyungwe National Park is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa and boasts a rich biodiversity, making it a spectacularly beautiful region. The park is located in a mountainous area that is home to a variety of wildlife, including a small population of chimpanzees, as well as 12 other species of primates, including the L’Hoest’s monkey, which is endemic to the Albertine Rift.

Visitors to the park can choose from 15 trails and a variety of other activities, allowing them to experience the forest’s delights or indulge themselves for a week or more in one of Africa’s most stunning forests. While primate tracking tops most visitors’ lists, there are plenty of other things to see and do in the park. Botanists will be amazed by the 1,068 plant species and 140 orchids. Birdwatching is also a popular activity, with 322 bird species, including the Red-collared Babbler and 29 other Albertine Rift Endemic species. Butterflies are also a common sight, with at least 120 species.

The park is home to 75 known mammal species, such as the serval cat, mongoose, Congo clawless otter, and leopard, to name a few. Many of these animals are shy, so sightings are often a matter of luck.

Some of the most memorable and photogenic moments in the park include walking up to the Isumo waterfall or along the Canopy Walk suspension bridge. Tea plantations border the edges of the park, with a habituated troop of Ruwenzori colobus monkeys at Gisakura, as well as forest fringe birds.

Nyungwe is a major catchment area in Rwanda and supplies water to 70% of the country. With plenty of rainfall, a ridge running through the forest forms a watershed between the drainage systems of the Nile and the Congo. A spring on the slopes of Mt Bigugu is said to be the most remote source of the Nile, the world’s longest river.