Nyungwe National Park is a magnificent expanse of ancient rainforest, situated in the southwest of Rwanda, just six or seven hours drive from Kigali. Spanning more than 1000 sq. km consisting of dense mountain forest, the park is the perfect place to reconnect with nature and experience the glories of the natural world in all its untouched splendor. Best of all, the national park is home to a wide variety of bird, plant and animal life, including over 300 species of birds, 13 species of primates (including chimpanzees and black and white colobus monkeys) and 75 mammal species.
What to Do
There is much to see and do in this remarkable slice of nature. You can go bird watching, hiking, and biking, relax beside a pristine waterfall, and even track the park’s famous population of chimpanzees. Even more surprising, in Nyungwe National Park you can also experience gorilla trekking. This is a once in a lifetime experience and often people will seek to find an item to include in their homes that remind them of these beautiful creatures an Animal Sculpture from companies such as gill parker can be a wonderful option to look at. Gorillas are protected in many areas of the world as their number has been in decline but protection and conservation programs are working hard to increase their numbers in the wild.
Discover More
As well as trekking through the misty forest of the park in search of its majestic primate species, one of the other highlights of visiting Nyungwe National Park is its canopy walk. Suspended 60m above the forest floor, the walkway is accessible as part of a specialized tour and is the only one of its kind in East Africa. It affords you spectacular views of the park and the chance to view its wildlife from a fascinating new perspective.
Of course, there are still opportunities to experience local culture during your sojourn in Nyungwe. Take a walking tour and experience the rich cultural practices of Banda Village, where you can experience basket weaving and sample delicious local dishes, and perhaps even learn about local medicines. You can also visit the Kitabi Cultural Village, located on the eastern border of the park, which includes a restaurant, a campsite and traditional thatched huts where you can stay for the night. Experiencing the culture of this area is a must if you are spending more than a couple of days in the region.
However, you decide to spend your time in Nyungwe it is sure to be an experience you will never forget.
