Why visit Gishwati-Mukura national park
There are several reasons why you need to visit Gishwati-Mukura national park and we are going to list some of the reasons you need to take a visit to this place. Gishwati-Mukura national park is the newly gazetted national park in the western part of the country covering 35 sq. km. The national park is a second home for endangered chimpanzees in Rwanda and other attractions such as birds, monkeys, mammals, waterfalls, and different plant species.
Gishwati-Mukura national park hosts endangered chimpanzees: Gishwati-Mukura national park should be visited because it’s home to endangered chimpanzees. A visit to this park will give you an opportunity to encounter the endangered chimpanzees that share over 98% DNA with human beings. There are not so many chimpanzees in Gishwati-Mukura national park but the few that are here are habituated for tourism purposes.
Tourists from different parts of the world come to this park to simply trek chimpanzees. Those that are planning to trek chimpanzees in this park must do an early booking of trekking permits before arriving in the park. the chimpanzee trekking permits are cards issued out by Rwanda Development Board to allow you to trek endangered chimpanzees for 1 hour. During the one hour with chimpanzees, you will be able to learn about their habits, watch them do daily activities, and take photos.
Gishwati-Mukura national park hosts several monkeys: The other reason you need to visit Gishwati-Mukura national park is that it harbors a lot of monkey species. A visit to this park will give you an opportunity to see several monkey species although only golden monkeys are habituated for tourism purposes. Other monkeys in Gishwati-Mukura national park include blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, l’hoest’s monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and olive baboons among others. Most of these monkeys are seen while trekking chimpanzees or golden monkeys.
Gishwati-Mukura national park is home to 230 bird species: Gishwati-Mukura national park is home to over 230 bird species of which 20 are endangered to the Albertine region. The birding activities in this park are led by well-trained bird guides who help you spot birds such as strange weaver, Ruwenzori Turaco, slaty flycatcher, Woodhoopoe, Mountain Yellow Warblers, yellow ramped tinker bird, Red-throated Alethe, purple-breasted sunbird, Dusky Crimsonwing, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, great blue turaco, grey crowned crane, handsome francolin, Abyssinian ground-thrush, booted eagle, grasshopper buzzard, red-faced barbet, Martial Eagle, black-faced apalis, Strange Weaver, short-tailed warbler, cardinal woodpecker, Grauer’s swamp warbler, regal sunbird, Ruwenzori Batis among others.
Gishwati-Mukura national park is safe: All the national parks in Rwanda are safe for tourism activities including Gishwati-Mukura national park. At the park entrance all tourists entering the park must be checked if they have firearms, pistols, knives, and other equipment that are harmful. Inside the national park are armed ranger guides that always protect the tourists from dangerous wild animals as well as attacks from people which is very rare.
Gishwati-Mukura national park can be easily accessed: Another reason to visit Gishwati-Mukura national park is the park can be easily using road transport or air transport. Using road transport, the park can be accessed from Kigali by driving from Rubavu to Kivu to Rusizi to Gishwati Mukura national park in 2-3 hours. Luxury travelers can use chattered flights by Akagera aviation to Gisenyi airstrip where they can connect to the park in a few minutes.
Gishwati-Mukura national park can be visited at any time of the year: Yes, Gishwati-Mukura national park can be visited at any time of the year for different activities that are carried out in the park. Gishwati-Mukura has always been open for tourists at all times of the year but of course, there are months that are better than the rest and these are the dry months. They do occur from June to September and December to February and they are characterized by little and most of the times no rainfall. This leaves the trekking trails less slippery, the vegetation is short with clear views of wildlife and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Travelers can still visit Gishwati-Mukura national park in the rainy season of March to May and October to November to enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities. During these days there is plenty of rainfall which leaves the trekking trails muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall giving unclear views of animals and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
Gishwati-Mukura national park has good accommodation facilities: Another reason you need to visit Gishwati-Mukura national park is it has good accommodation facilities even though they are not built inside the park. Only Gishwati Lodge is located inside Gishwati-Mukura national park but others that are located outside the lodge such as Emeraude Kivu Resort, Golden Monkey Hotels, INZU Lodge, Peace Guest Hotel, KCCCEM Guest House, The Uwinka Campsite, Gisakura Family Hostel, Muhabura Mountain Lodge, and Comoran Lodge among others.
