Nyungwe Forest National Park is situated in the town of Cyangungu, close to Lake Kivu and the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, in southwest Rwanda. Beginning as a forest reserve in 1903 and later evolving into Rwanda’s full National Park in 2004, the park now covers 970 km² of territory.
The park’s greatest valued resource is Nyungwe Forest. In Africa, it is the biggest montane forest still standing, having existed since the Ice Age. One of the alleged sources of the mighty River Nile is Nyungwe Forest. The park’s varying mountainous, hilly, and flat environment contributes to its incredible plant diversity.
Nyungwe, one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, is incredibly gorgeous and abundant in wildlife. Wildlife abounds in the mountainous area, with 12 different kinds of primates, including the L’Hoest’s monkey, which is exclusive to the Albertine Rift, and a tiny colony of chimpanzees.
Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda is home to more than 1,060 plant and tree species, including the higher Carapa, Cyathea manniana, Engtandophrama, Newtonia, and Prinaria exelsium trees, which reach heights of 1,900 meters above sea level. At elevations of 2500 meters and higher, species such as the Balthacaria, Hagenia Syzygium, Macaranga, and Podocarpus flourish. The Podocarpus, Erica johnstoni, and Phillipia are among the shrubs and bamboo that make up the Sub Alpine vegetation, which is found at elevations of 2,950 meters above sea level. The woodland is home to a variety of other vegetation species, including ferns and mosses.
Nyungwe Forest is currently Rwanda’s greatest place to track chimpanzees. The Nyungwe Forest is home to more than 400 different chimps, each of whom is a member of a distinct clan. There are just two groups that have formed habits. Chimpanzee monitoring is a year-round activity in Nyungwe Forest. Under the guidance of experienced guides, groups of visitors leave the park at 4:00 am each day to locate one of the two habituated clans in the Uwinka and Cyamudongo regions. Extremely mobile monkeys can veer off the main roads and enter dark, uncharted jungles, so following them is a demanding undertaking that requires preparation. Once the primates have calmed down, visitors can observe them feeding while perched atop the trees.
Some visitors come to see the smaller primates, such as the Angola Colobus Monkeys, Dent’s Mona Monkeys, Grey Cheeked Mangabeys, Hamlyn’s Monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed Monkeys, Silver Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, White and Black, and Colobus monkeys, even though chimpanzee tracking is the most common primate activity. Although groups of golden monkeys have been seen in the park, it is challenging to locate them due to their limited numbers. The arboreal Ruwenzori Colobus, which eats leaves and is distinguished by its contrasting black and white (tail and whiskers) colours, is the most popular species among travellers. Every species of monkey moves in groups of more than 100.
A canopy walk or a low ground forest walk are the two options available to visitors who want to take walks in Nyungwe forest. The unique feature of Nyungwe National Park is that it is the only national park where visitors may experience a true canopy walk. The best canopy walk in East Africa is found in Nyungwe Forest. Beginning at the Uwinka Visitors Centre, the canopy walk traverses a hanging platform approximately 45 meters above the ground. Visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the rain forest, wildlife, and birds from these altitudes.