Nyungwe National Park is Located in the Southwestern region of Rwanda with an area of over 1000 square kilometers, Nyungwe National park is surely one of the world’s most beautiful and pristine mountain rainforests. It’s believed to be one of Africa’s oldest forests, staying green even through the Ice Age, which explains its diversity. At an elevation of over 1600m, sounds and sights collaborate to create a magic experience as you journey through the majestic rainforest. The park holds the source of Africa’s great rivers, feeding the Nile in the east and Congo River in the west, and is known as the most endemic species -rich in Africa. It is a home to habituated chimpanzees and 12 other primate species, birds with over 300 species, butterflies and moths abound and the forest comprises of more than 243 species with canopy reaching 70m high in places, orchids and over 1000 plant types. This rain-forest is also a hiker’s paradise. There are 13 hiking trails with over 130 kilometers of network of trails system to wander into and explore the Nyungwe wilderness.
This moderate 4.7 kilometers takes 3 hours to be completed. This trail takes you through much vegetation zones even though it’s a short trail. It can be extended to 8 hours long and would then include the Kitabi tea plantation. Along the trail, you can view the colobus monkeys, L’Hoest silver monkeys, chimpanzees as well as the Mangabey. You are free to carry packed lunch and eat at the picnic site that offers some good views of the forest. .
This 7 km trail is somehow difficult as it’s too steep and slippery at times and it can take 6 hours to be completed. This trail also goes up towards the highest point in the park which is Bigugu peak at an elevation of 2950m. One has to be fit in order to complete this trail but it’s also worthwhile the efforts. This is an excellent trail for the birders where one can see the red collared mountain babbler as well as see the fantastic wild flowers including the orchids and the giant lobelias.
Igishigishi is the most famous trail from Uwinka reception area of the park since it includes the magnificent canopy walkway. The trail is about 2.4 km and takes 4hours to be completed including the canopy walk. You will be up in the tree tops and view the primates, birds, and butterflies in their habitat. This is an amazing hike that you shouldn’t miss.
This trail is inside of the caldera like depression and it’s a large swamp which forms a vital watershed with in the park. This 6 km trail is moderately difficulty and takes 3 hours to be completed. Along this trail, you will find lots orchids in the rainy season which is October to November and then April and May each year. This trail is also rich in botanical and is good for swamp associated birds like the Grauer’s Rush warber.
This is also a famous trail and its 10.6km long and is moderately difficult; it takes 4 hours to be completed. First, you go through a tea plantation and then through the patches of forest where you can view many species of monkeys. On the way to the waterfall, you will also move through the tree ferns which require imposing eyes and often you will view the Ruwenzori Turaco bird. This is also one of the popular trails of Nyungwe Forest.
This easy stroll reaches a 360-degree viewpoint with little physical effort and is the premier bird walk in the park; it is short (4 kilometers long), relatively flat, and has excellent traction. If you’ve spent a few days hiking on rainforest trails, you will notice the dearth of big trees. Most of this trail is open to the sky due to substantial human influence in the relatively recent past; first as a gold mine and market; then as a quarry for road building material; and more recently as an army camp. Although such disturbances are now kept to a minimum, it is gratifying to see the degree to which even severely degraded habitat can recover. The open habitats, low young trees of secondary vegetation, and the forest margin are
all conducive to good birding. On this hike, you will be able to spot some of the Orchids, the giant tree ferns as well as the Dent’s Monkey’s that are so rare to find.
Muzimu is a 5.2 km trail, also remote and takes about 3.5 hours to be completed and is also moderately difficulty. The trail passes through the open heath like shrubs and vegetation. The trail also has much wild flowers along it and there are also non forest birds along the way and you will also have a 360 degrees view of the park as well as Lake Kivu in the far distance. On a clear day, you can view the Virunga Volcanoes that are a tower over Rwanda.
The hike to this 10 km trail starts at Uwinka reception center and takes 6 hours to be completed. It is somehow difficult hence the word Imbaraga to means strength. The trail also takes in four different waterfalls and you have a chance to view the chimpanzees. The trail might also be difficult but generally rewarding.
IREBERO TRAIL
The word Irebero means view point, this 3.4 km trail offers you outstanding scenic views. It is moderately difficult and takes only 3 hours to be completed. It was designed to show you the beautiful views from high altitude and be able to look onto Rwanda’s borders and look at Lake Kivu. This trail also takes you on a loop around the two highest peaks that are found in Nyungwe forest.
This trail was named after Syzygium tree that are commonly found along this trail. It is 3.6 km long and takes 3 hours to be completed. The hike rises up the side of the mountain and you will also have great views of the pristine part of the forest as you also go through the valley and see the forest’s rich biodiversity. On a clear day, you will view the mountains of Burundi.
THE RUKUZI TRAIL
This is also a fairly difficult trail to hike and it takes in the chimpanzees of the rain forest. Apart from the chimps, the trail also takes in the stunning vistas for the hikers to vie along the way. This 9 km trail takes 5 hours to be fully completed and offers fantastic scenery along the hike.
This is one of the famous hikes with in the park and I relatively short and filled with fantastic views of the waterfalls and the orchids along with many other wild flowers for you to enjoy the hike. The Umuyove means Mahogany and many of these trees line this trail which makes it a more enjoyable hike. On this 5.5 km hike, you will meet birds and primates and it just takes 3.5 hours to be completed.
THE CONGO NILE DIVIDE TRAIL
The Congo-Nile Divide trail is a 42 km trail in the area where the sources of the Congo and Nile Rivers both are found within the Nyungwe and Kibira National Parks in Rwanda and Burundi. Streams and rivers flowing west end up in the Congo River while those flowing east end up in the Nile. This longest hiking trail in Nyungwe Forest is also for the experienced hikers and includes camping in the forest as you make the 42km trek through the ridge of the forest. About 1344 species of plants thrive within the area which also includes the 187 endemic species and 18 threatened species, about 123 species of mammals, which 19 are endemic and 14 are threatened, there are 43 reptile species 11 of which are endemic and over 267 bird species, 29 of these are endemic and 7 threatened. This is memorable multi days hike not to be confused with the popular Congo Nile Trail that runs alongside Lake Kivu in western part of Rwanda.
http://rwandatourism.com/destinations/nyungwe-national-park/
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