Nyungwe National Park is one of the most popular attractions in Rwanda. We even featured it in our list of key activities to enjoy in the country: you can check out or complete Rwanda travel guide to help you plan your trip.
This national park, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, is practically unrivaled when it comes to biodiversity. There are 13 species of primates coexisting within its limits, hundreds of different kinds of birds and the most lush rainforest you could imagine, one of the oldest in all of Africa and the largest in Rwanda.
In this guide we’ll tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful, lush rainforest. Prepare to discover the best things to do there, how to get to the park and where to spend the night if you wish to do so. Let’s go!
Where is Nyungwe National Park located?
You can find Nyungwe National Park in Southwestern Rwanda, right at the border with Burundi.
How to get to Nyungwe Forest National Park
You can get to this national park by land or air. If you travel by road, there are a few alternatives to choose from. You can drive there yourself or rent a chauffeured car, for an estimated drive time of 5 hours from Kigali (the capital of Rwanda). The roads are in good condition and the drive will allow you to enjoy the scenery, so it’s a very advisable way of traveling. You can also get there by bus, but it takes around 8 hours so it’s not ideal.
You can also travel by air, with two options available. The first is to travel by plane: RwandAir operates daily flights from Kigali to Kamembe Airport. From there, you’ll be less than an hour drive away from the entry to Nyungwe Forest National Park. The other option is booking a helicopter ride. Pros: getting a bird’s-eye view of the rolling hills of Rwanda and a shorter travel time. Plus, it would be an incredibly fun experience. Con: obviously, the cost.
As always, you need to balance each option and choose the one that fits your priorities the best, whether they’re the amount of time or money needed to reach your destination.
Things to do in Nyungwe National Park
There’s so much to do inside this forest! Its natural environment is so rich that it never fails to entertain visitors.
During your visit, you can go bird watching. You can spot more than 300 species of birds, 10% of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift region where the park is.
You can also go hiking along the many trails in existence. Ten of these trails start from Uwinka Visitor Center, and three start from Gisakura Campsite. Be prepared to take pictures of the nearby waterfalls and the beautiful scenery!
Another unique activity is the night walk, which starts at 17:30 and allows you to experience the rainforest after dark, when the nocturnal wildlife comes out to play. Its duration goes from one hour to about three.
You can also take the opportunity to do a three-park route that includes Nyungwe Forest. One of the other two is Volcanoes National Park, famous for its mountain gorilla trekking. The other is Akagera. Discover Akagera National Park for the dream safari experience: it’s the only place in Rwanda where you can see all the Big Five.
When it comes to Nyungwe, there are two specific activities that are its bread and butter: chimpanzee tracking and the Canopy Walkway. Let’s dive into them.
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park
This is definitely the most popular activity to do inside this park. It’s not for everybody: you have to be at least 15 years old and you must have a certain level of fitness to manage the trek. Plus, you need to be at least a circumstantial morning person: you need to be ready to go by 5 am!
This activity needs to be planned well in advance for two reasons. First, you need to get a permit (your tour operator can do it for you). Second, only two groups of 8 people are allowed to see the chimpanzees in a single day.
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park consists of a few hours of walking in the jungle. The rangers and your guide will be in constant communication to track these primates so that the group can meet them.
If all goes well, you’ll eventually catch up to them and you will be able to see the chimpanzees interacting with each other in their natural habitat. It’s a very unique activity typical of Rwanda so, if you have the chance and feel like you can do it, definitely do it!
Canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park
If chimpanzee tracking is the first, the Canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park is the second most famous activity you can enjoy there. It’s one-of-a-kind, there are no bridges quite like this one.
The bridge is suspended 70m high in the trees, allowing you to get the most stunning views of the surrounding rainforest. The journey starts in Uwinka Reception Centre, and the walk will take around two hours.
Where to stay inside the park
- Campsites (you can bring your own tent or use the ones provided)
- Guesthouses
- One&Only Nyungwe House
- Nyungwe Top View Hotel
These last two options will guarantee a deluxe experience. However, as you can expect, they cost more than simply staying in a campsite, or even the guesthouses. Even if you select the more accessible lodgings, you can rest assured that you’ll get the necessary amount of comfort (including hot water!).
Checklist of useful things for Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest offers many different activities for its visitors, but it’s not quite a walk in the park: you need to be well prepared. To help you achieve this goal, I’ve put together a comprehensive list of things that are sure to come in handy when you explore this national park.
- Waterproof and durable hiking boots
- Rain gear, i.e. a poncho or rain jacket and waterproof pants
- Sun protection: sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
- Insect repellent, as strong as possible
- Backpack to carry all your things. It would be best to have a waterproof backpack.
- Garden gloves to grab onto trees and branches without hurting yourself
- Long sleeved shirt, pants and long socks for protection against bug bites (including the pesky red ants) and vegetation scratches
- If you’re going on a safari, a packed lunch. Snacks and power bars are a good idea as well.
- Drinking water
- Warm layers for nighttime
- Binoculars
- Camera/phone. Bring a portable charger or extra batteries.
- Dry bags in case it’s raining too much
- A small First Aid kit is always useful
- Hand sanitizer
