Getting to Nyungwe forest national park
Getting to Nyungwe forest national park : Getting to Nyungwe National park is easy as most of the roads are tarmacked well and the road connecting networks are easy. Nyungwe National Park is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, covering 1,019 km2 of dense Afromontane forests, bamboo covered slopes, grasslands and wetlands. Nyungwe National Park is located in the south west of Rwanda on the border with Burundi in the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo in West on the shores of Lake Kivu. The park is a 6 hour drive from Kigali International Airport in the Capital city of Kigali, Rwanda. Below are things you need to know before visiting Nyungwe National Park. Nyungwe National Park has been in existence since 1903 and in 2004 it was then declared a National Park and one of the 4 national parks such as Volcanoes National park, Akagera national park and Gishwati Mukura national park.
The park is known for its 13 primate species, including the famous chimpanzees, which are the highlight of any visit to Nyungwe. Chimpanzee trekking is one of the most popular activities in the park, and visitors can expect to encounter these intelligent creatures in their natural habitat. Nyungwe is also home to the largest troop of black and white Colobus monkeys, which can be seen swinging through the trees.
The park is also rich in other wildlife, including duikers, golden cats, Klipspringer, impalas, Bushbucks, Buffaloes, Elephants, Bush pigs, Gant forest hog, Blotched serval, Carnival genet, Congo clawless, Mongoose, otter, serval, felis, black-fronted duiker, western tree hyrax, and many more. Birdwatchers will also be thrilled to know that the park is home to over 300 bird species, including the Albertine Rift endemic species. Getting to Nyungwe National park will require one to drive to the park from Kigali or fly there.
Getting to Nyungwe forest national park by Road
With 225km to cover from Kigali to the Nyungwe forest, you will need a good functional car to make good time and best experiences. You can either go by bus or hire a car.
Getting to Nyungwe National park by bus is possible and one will use the buses that heading to Ruzizi from Nyabugogo Bus Park in Kigali. You will get out at Uwinka travelers Center, you should not that the bus takes longer time to completer the travel. It might take you an 8 hours’ drive. Some buses are also allowed to drive through the park, however packed and good for a tourists who wants a luxury travel
By Car; you also need to hire a car is much more comfortable, convenient and will take a much shorter time. To avoid hustle of travelling the difficult stretches such as stretch between Uwinka Center and Gisakura.
Car hire costs can go up to 40,000RWf per day. You will start the journey from Kigali, and travel to the south and there you will come across the towns with rolling hills. You will continue to drive through Huye town and it only takes 34 km from the capital city of Rwanda. Always note that the roads in Rwanda are very smooth and sharp and the country is found in the rolling hills, therefore, one should be very careful and the distance to Nyungwe National Park is also quite long.
Travelling by car starts in Kigali following the south one of the main cities you will come across is Huye town, which is about 32km from Kigali. The connecting to the national park are quite smooth but has sharp turns or corners which may require they driver to be careful. It takes over 100km to reach Nyungwe forest national park.
Using road transport to Nyungwe forest national park might take long hours but the journey is rewarding with beautiful views of the rolling hills, terraces, plantations, homesteads, and beautiful people. Tourists who use road transport can have stopovers at different museums such as Nyanza King’s Palace where you get different information about the culture of Rwanda. Take time to visit the sights and sounds at the National Museum where you will see things such as the traditional entertainment, arts, crafts, and enjoy the Intore dancers on your way as well as the Gikongoro genocide memorial on your way.
Getting to Nyungwe National park, by Air will require you to book with Rwanda Air transport.
Rwanda Air offers the best domestic flights, and there are over a total of 9 flight here are now flights to Nyungwe forest national park so getting there can be a few minutes from Kigali international airport. The flights to Nyungwe forest national park are managed by Akagera aviation and they do commence from Kigali International Airport to Kamembe Airport or One and Only Nyungwe House Helipad. Tourists who use air transport to Nyungwe forest national park will always find their driver guides ready to transfer them to the park. From Kamembe airport it takes 40km to Nyungwe forest lodge. The lodges offer helicopter pickups, and one can arrange it for those who can afford it, for example, One & Only Nyungwe Lodge.
Getting to Nyungwe National park, the park houses a number of mammals and these include the Chimpanzees, monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white monkeys, colobus monkeys, warthogs, antelopes and many more. The main tourist activity is Chimpanzee trekking which is done daily as you see the chimpanzees close to human beings and the other most sought activity in Nyungwe National Park is the Canopy walks. The Canopy Walks in Nyungwe forest are built 50 m above the forest.
When to get to Nyungwe forest national park
Tourists can get to Nyungwe forest national park for any park activities at any time of the year but there are recommended months that are better than the rest. The dry months are the best for a visit to Nyungwe forest national park since are characterized by little and sometimes no rainfall which leaves the roads leading to the park passable, the trails in the park dry, and the vegetation short for clear views of animals and good photography.
Nyungwe can still be visited in the months of March to May and October to November and these are the rainy months characterized by too much rainfall which leaves the trekking trails slippery, the roads leading to the park impassable and the vegetation is tall giving unclear views of the park animals.
