Nyungwe National Park
Nyungwe is one of the oldest forests in Africa. This is Rwanda’s most important water catchment area, a montane rainforest receiving in excess of 2000mm of rain annually. Covering an area of about 1000 sq km over the mountainous south east of Rwanda, Nyungwe protects a remarkably rich diversity of wildlife including among others, 75 mammal species, 275 endemic and migratory bird species, 120 butterfly species and even a variety of orchid.
Nungwe forest’s main attraction is its primates: 13 species in all, including humankind’s closest living relative the chimpanzee as well as the handsome L’Hoest’s monkey and hundred-strong troops of the delightfully acrobatic Angola colobus. This is also the most important ornithological site in Rwanda with almost 300 bird species of which two dozen are restricted to a handful of montane forests on the Albertine Rift. The highlight is the great blue turaco - an outlandish blue, red and green bird which streams from tree to tree like a procession of streamlined psychedelic turkeys.
Nyungwe is also highly alluring to botanists and walkers. One of the joys of Nyungwe is its accessibility. Not only is the forest bisected by a surfaced trunk road, it can also be easily explored along a well-maintained network of walking trails. Being a high altitude or montane forest, Nyungwe lies at an altitude of between 1600m and 2950m resulting in an agreeably cool climate throughout the year.
Nungwe forest’s main attraction is its primates: 13 species in all, including humankind’s closest living relative the chimpanzee as well as the handsome L’Hoest’s monkey and hundred-strong troops of the delightfully acrobatic Angola colobus. This is also the most important ornithological site in Rwanda with almost 300 bird species of which two dozen are restricted to a handful of montane forests on the Albertine Rift. The highlight is the great blue turaco - an outlandish blue, red and green bird which streams from tree to tree like a procession of streamlined psychedelic turkeys.
Nyungwe is also highly alluring to botanists and walkers. One of the joys of Nyungwe is its accessibility. Not only is the forest bisected by a surfaced trunk road, it can also be easily explored along a well-maintained network of walking trails. Being a high altitude or montane forest, Nyungwe lies at an altitude of between 1600m and 2950m resulting in an agreeably cool climate throughout the year.
