Nyungwe Forest is a high-altitude, mountainous rainforest in southern Rwanda established as a forest reserve in 1933. The forest is located in the Albertine Rift, a series of mountain ranges beginning at the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda and Congo, continuing south into the Lendu Plateau in eastern Congo. Contiguous with Kibira National Park in Burundi, Nyungwe is one of the largest mountainous rainforests remaining in Africa. Nyungwe’s biodiversity is astonishing by African standards and is one of the most endemic species-rich areas in all of Africa. Along with its biodiversity, Nyungwe is an important water catchment for Rwanda and contains many natural resources integral to Rwanda’s human populations.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is a rain forest that receives about 2,000mm of rainfall yearly. In addition the park is among the most ancient forests in the whole of Africa, and this among the many why it prides in such an elevated level of wildlife range. Nyungwe Forest National Park, together with additional forests on the Albertine Rift, was actually unaltered by the drying-up of the lowland regions during the very final ice age, and for that reason turned a refuge for several wild plants as well as animals.
The wonderful and extensive Nyungwe Forest is a specific reason to extend your time of staying in Rwanda. The forest is a habitat to a wealth of floral diversity as it is host to an overwhelming quantity of Albertine Rift endemics, plus 13 species of primate of the full amount of primates living in Africa. Among these is a strong Chimpanzee population, L’Hoest’s Monkey, the biggest group of arboreal monkeys in Africa; the Ruwenzori Colobus and Golden Monkeys.The great blends of habitats in the park vary from bamboo groves, 2 to 3 meters tall huge lobelias by the roadside, thick jungle vegetation and the open-flowery marshes. Tangled around the park are the characteristic countryside of rising and falling tea plantations, forested slopes, terraced verdant hills and a blend of the tumbling verdant hills closing towards the border of Burundi.
Nyungwe is referred to as a Bird-watching Paradise, habitat to an increasing number of not only mammals but also a countless of birds among which are at least twenty six endemic species; which, is perhaps one of the most significant destinations to watch birds in Rwanda. A number of these species can be seen on any of the various walking paths found within the forest, which basing on the trail you choose will journey you past the freshwater springs, small streams, areas with a plentiful quantity of orchids, ravines and beautiful waterfalls.
Chimp tracking is carried out along Uwinka and the colored trail. The Trails here pass through the area of habituated groups of about four hundred colobus monkeys. During the rainy months, a group of chimpanzees normally moves into this region as well, so this gives tourists an opportunity to track them but at an extra cost. You can practically anticipate in seeing a number of primates as you trail these vivid paths as well as a good diversity of forest birds, although the latter requires patience and frequently stops in places where there are actually open sights into the verdant canopy. except you choose for precise primate visits, luck will be the major influential factor in exactly what you will see, although the 2.5 kilometer Blue Trail is considered specifically a perfect trail for primates as well as birds, whereas the 10 kilometer Red Trail is perfect for chimpanzees and additionally extends past the 4 waterfalls.