Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park, in the mountains of southwestern Rwanda, is one of the oldest and best-preserved montane rainforests in Africa, a vast, ancient and biodiverse wilderness. Home to an extraordinary richness of primates, including habituated chimpanzees and enormous troops of colobus monkeys hundreds strong, along with hundreds of bird species and orchids, it is explored on guided treks through the lush forest and, most thrillingly, on a high canopy walkway suspended above the treetops, offering a dizzying view over the green expanse.

History

Worried in the 1920s by the spread of pasture into the forest, the Belgian colonial government made Nyungwe a forest reserve in 1933, where clearing for farms was banned but firewood, hunting, honey, woodcutting and gold mining went on under lax enforcement. Between 1958 and 1973 the forest shrank by more than 150 square kilometres, the last buffalo was shot in 1974, and in 1984 it was zoned for sustainable use, with surveys that year finding colobus monkeys in groups of up to 400; a trail system was begun at Uwinka in 1987. Many of the research and tourist facilities were wrecked in 1994; rebuilding began in 1995, the last elephant was killed by poachers in 1999, the national park was established in 2004, African Parks took over its management in 2020, and in September 2023 it became a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Nyungwe Forest).

What's there

• The chimpanzees - the chimp-trekking through the rainforest.
• The colobus monkeys - the huge troops of black-and-white colobus.
• The canopy walkway - the suspended walkway high above the treetops.
• The birds and orchids - the rich birdlife and forest flora.

When to go

The drier seasons, June to September and December to February, are best for trekking the forest trails, though it can rain in any season, being a rainforest. Chimpanzee trekking permits are limited, and the early morning offers the best primate activity.

Things to know

It is remote, in the far southwest, so reaching it takes a long drive from Kigali, best combined with Lake Kivu. Chimpanzee trekking here is more challenging and less reliable than with gorillas, as the chimps range widely and fast, so sightings can be fleeting or missed. The huge colobus troops and the canopy walkway, though, are more reliable highlights, and the ancient forest is beautiful and biodiverse.

Nearby

Lake Kivu and the southern province are within reach.

Key facts