Nyungwe National Park : Located in a breathtaking backdrop of Rwanda’s rolling hills and surrounded by ever-green tea plantations, Nyungwe is a piece of naturally aspiring jewel in southern Rwanda, away from busy city life.
Canopy walk
Nyungwe is currently trending as one of the three best destinations in Africa for canopy walk. Its soaring suspended bridge structure offers an exhilarating for a walk through the forest canopy at heights of more than 70 meters above the ground. Its metal grid walkway covers 160 metres all of which is protected by a wire fence to keep you from falling.
Standing upon this structure that was constructed over 6 years ago, you will experience a refreshing breeze of pure clean air and see countless birds, a good number of which have stunning plumage. The swing bridge offers stunning 360 degrees views that are to die for. Brace yourself for magnificent scenery, crowns of trees in the forest and lots of bird life at the right time of day. It is so lovely for a quiet laid back afternoon. When you look down, you will see multi coloured leaf cover and appreciate the wealth of life in the forest’s ecosystem.
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park
Covering 970 sq kms within the tropical belt found in the Southern Hemisphere of Rwanda, Nyungwe’s a lush montane rainforest with an ancient foundation that dates back to the ice age. It boasts a plethora of indigenous flora that thrive at altitudes above 1,000m/3,281ft, inclusive of over 300 bird species, countless butterflies, orchids and of course 13 primate species. The forests most famous inhabitant is Chimpanzee, a type of ape that shares 98.7% common D.N.A with you (man). It is one of the 85 mammal species to whom the park is home, (some of the others being black and white colubus, l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys and red tailed monkeys).
The hike to see all this nature entails following an even network of trails. There are options for both tourists who want a hustle free experience and those who desire for an experience that gets one out of their comfort zone. Both end at a spectacular waterfall that feeds river the source of River Nile. Thanks to the abundance of underground springs, it gushes in flow even during dry season.
Considering that there aren’t many information boards along the route to let you know what surrounds you and what life exists in the forest, you will be accompanied by an enthusiastic guide with a wealth of knowledge about the park.
The canopy walk costs $60 and its age limit is 6 years.
Bird watching in Nyungwe
If you are passionate about birds, don’t forget to carry your binoculars for clear views of three species birds that haven’t been recorded elsewhere on the eastern side of the Albertine Rift. These are Rockfeller’s sunbird, Albertine owlet and Red-collared babbler. Other species found here include Mountain masked apalis, Albertine owlet, Buff-throated apalis, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Blue-headed sunbird, Handsome francolin, Newmann’s warbler, Archer’s robin-chat, Purple-breasted sunbird, Kivu ground thrush, Regal sunbird, Ruwenzori apalis and Ruwenzori batis among others.
Travel tip
Please don’t forget to carry your jacket when heading out for the chimpanzee trek or nature walk. It can get chilly here, but when fully underway on the activity, that coldness soon disappears.
