Safari to Nyungwe forest national park

A safari to Nyungwe forest national park is an amazing one that takes you to the southern part of Rwanda near the famous Lake Kivu. A safari to Nyungwe forest national park can be done at any time of the year by all people from different parts of the world. There are so many activities that can be done on a tour to Nyungwe forest national park and they do include chimpanzee trekking, canopy walk, bird watching, nature walk, and community visits.

Nyungwe is found in the southwestern part of the country in Rusizi district on the borders of Burundi and DR Congo near Lake Kivu. Nyungwe forest was gazetted in 2004 to protect the remaining species of chimpanzees, other animals, and the forest.

As of today, Nyungwe forest national park protects over 500 chimpanzee species, 85 mammals, 12 primates, and 1086 plant species. All these can be seen on a safari to the park which can be done at any time of the year although the dry months are the best for a visit to the park because they are characterized by little or no rainfall.

Booking a safari to Nyungwe forest national park

Africa Adventure Vacations Limited helps on booking safaris to Nyungwe forest national park for all people in different places of the world. To book with us a safari, you will have to send us an email containing the dates you want to travel and the activities you want to do while in the park. if there are activities such as trekking that require advance booking of permits, you will have to send money for the booking of the permits. The other thing we do during booking a tour to Nyungwe forest national park is book accommodation and transport.

What to do on a safari in Nyungwe forest national park?

Chimpanzee trekking

On a safari to Nyungwe forest national park, tourists shouldn’t miss out on trekking chimpanzees. Trekking chimpanzees is the most done activity in Nyungwe forest national park since it harbors the highest population of these apes in the country. Chimpanzee trekking activities in Nyungwe forest national park are done in Nyungwe forest and Cyamudongo forest where 2 fully habituated chimpanzees are found.

Trekking in both areas starts with a briefing where trekkers are taught about the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee trekking before grouping and armed ranger guides leading them into the jungle. The trekking activity takes 2-6 hours of going through different trekking trials meeting different attractions of the park but on meeting these apes, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around the chimpanzees and this gives them an opportunity to see them do daily activities, learn about their habits and take photos

Encountering birds

Encountering birds is another activity tourists can do while on a safari in Nyungwe forest national park. The birding activity is done on foot as the armed ranger and a birder guide take you through different trails of the park to the best birding spots. The birding activity in Nyungwe forest needs you to put on long-sleeved clothes, a birding book, a pair of binoculars to see distant birds, a camera for photography, and keep rules and regulations.

Birding activities in Nyungwe forest national park exposes you to birds such as Albertine owlet, Rockefeller’s sunbird, strange weaver, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, Neumann’s warbler, Archer’s robin-chat, red sunbird, stripe-breasted tit, Rwenzori turaco, Kivu ground thrush, regal sunbird, Rwenzori nightjar, shelley’s crimsonwing, Rwenzori Apalis, buff-throated Apalis, red-throated alethe, blue-headed sunbird, mountain masked Apalis, handsome spurfowl, dwarf honeyguide, red-throated alethe, archer’s robin-chat among others.

Nature walks

Nature walks are other activities you can do on a tour in Nyungwe forest national park. There are designed trails in the park that are used for nature walks activities and completing them takes different hours depending on the speed and other factors. The nature walks are guides and the armed ranger guides do protect you throughout the whole walk from dangerous wild animals. The nature walks on a safari to Nyungwe forest national park give opportunities of meeting different park primates, mammals, birds, water sources, and plant safaris.

Community visits

On a safari to Nyungwe forest national park, tourists can spare time and visit any of the communities around the national park. The community visit while on a safari in Nyungwe forest national park can be done at Banda village, and Butare village where you meet local people, interact with them about how they live their day to life, watch them do daily activities, be part of ceremonies and get entertained by the traditional dancers. Tourists can as well as visit the nearby towns where they can interact with the business people or visit Lake Kivu.

Monkey trekking

The most trekked monkeys are the Angolan colobus monkeys because they are habituated. Trekking these monkeys is like trekking chimpanzees because the activity starts with a briefing and then the ranger guides lead the trekkers into the jungle. The activity that takes 2-4 hours gives you an opportunity to see other primates such as olive baboons, silver monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, dent’s mona monkeys, crowned monkeys, grey checked mangabeys, silver monkeys, and Hamlyn monkeys among others

What to pack for a safari to Nyungwe forest national park?

When you plan to go to Nyungwe forest national park for a trip, you must prepare for the different activities in the park as well as the weather condition. The packing list is effective for tourists coming to Nyungwe forest national park and it’s good to know that the national park comprises rainforest vegetation so it can rain t any time of the year.

Essential things to pack for a safari to Nyungwe forest national park include waterproof hiking boots, a pair of gaiters, a camera, a pair of binoculars, long-sleeved clothes, a rain jacket, a hat, sunscreen, a drinking water bottle, energy-giving snacks, gardening gloves, insect repellents, first aid kit, face mask, and sanitizer.

Best time for a safari to Nyungwe forest national park

Tourists intending to have a tour in Nyungwe forest national park can have it at any time of the year but there are months that are better than the rest. The best months to have a safari in Nyungwe forest national park are the dry months which occur from June to September and December to February. The drier months are the best to have a safari because they are characterized by little and sometimes no rainfall, the trekking trails are dry, the vegetation is short and the roads leading to the park are passable.

Tourists most especially budget travelers can visit Nyungwe forest national park in the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November and enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities. However, during these months, there is too much rainfall, the trekking trails are muddy, the vegetation is tall giving unclear views of primates and the roads leading to the park are impassable.

Where to stay on a safari in Nyungwe forest national park

There are several accommodation facilities tourists can use while on a trip to Nyungwe forest national park and these are spread outside the areas of the park. The accommodation facilities in Nyungwe include One & Only Nyungwe House, Nyungwe Top View Hotel, Gisakura Guest House, Gisakura Family Hostel, E.R.A Gisakura Visitor Guesthouse, Emeraude Kivu Resort, Peace Guesthouse, Hotel du Lac, Rusizi Progress Hotel, Golden Monkey Hotels, Comoran Lodge, and Delta Resort Hotel among others.