In the heart of the Albertine Rift, is Nyungwe Forest, the largest high-altitude montane forest in East and Central Africa, and one of the oldest forests in Africa.  Nyungwe Forest National Park stretches over an area of 1,019 km2 of dense Afromontane forests, bamboo-covered slopes, grasslands, and wetlands. The park feeds two of the largest rivers in the world, that is the Congo and the Nile, providing a significant portion of Rwanda’s fresh water.

Nyungwe Forest National Park is the largest tract of forest in Rwanda and one of Africa’s vital biodiversity hotspots, the protects over 1, 100 recorded plant species, 3545 bird species and 85 recorded mammal species, including 13 primate species namely chimpanzee, Ruwenzori black-and-white colobus and L’Hoest’s monkeys among others. Nyungwe Forest being a place of outstanding universal value with significant biologically diversity and vital ecological and biological process, it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park also hosts several endemic species greater than any other forests in the Albertine Rift Mountains.

Location of Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is found in western region of Rwanda, the park is dominated by a series of mountains, originating in northern Uganda and Congo, running south through the Rwenzori Mountains, western Rwanda and Burundi, to the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Wildlife in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is home to 85 different species of mammals including 13 primate species and one of the largest populations of chimpanzees in the region, chimpanzees are the main attraction in Nyungwe Forest as it is one of the best places in Africa for chimpanzee trekking experience. The forest is also home to troops of more than 300 colobus monkeys roaming through the forest.

The 13 Primate Species in Nyungwe Forest National Park include Chimpanzees,

Silver monkey, Golden monkey, Owl-faced monkey/ Hamlyn’s monkey, Grey-cheeked mangabey, Red-tailed monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey, Vervet monkey, Olive baboon, Dent’s Mona Monkey, Blue Monkey and Angolan Colobus Monkeys. Several of these primate species are classified as threatened by the IUCN.

Other wildlife species found in Nyungwe Forest National Park include duikers, golden cats, bushbucks and elephants. There are also 30 reptile species, 12 amphibian species and over butterfly species found in Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Birdlife in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 300 bird species including about 29 species endemic to the Albertine Rift such as the Rwenzori Turaco and the Albertine owlet.

Bird species in Nyungwe Forest National Park include Chestnut Owlet, Olive and Elliot’s Woodpeckers, Great Blue and Ruwenzori Turacos, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, , Stripe-breasted Tit, the remarkable Red-collared Babbler, Archer’s Robin Chat, White-bellied Robin Chat, Doherty’s Bush-Shrike, Handsome Francolin Mountain Masked, Black-faced, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Purple-breasted and Regal Sun-birds, Chestnut-throated, Collared Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Neumann’s Short-tailed Warbler and White-tailed Blue-flycatcher among others.

Fauna in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is home to over 1,068 plant species including over 200 tree species such as Mahogany and Miliantus holstii and over 248 orchid species. The park features various vegetation types including montane forests, bamboo thickets and sub-alpine vegetation, with some species found at elevations exceeding 2,950 metres above seal level.

Nyungwe’s diverse altitudes create unique microhabitats that support an array of flora, making the park one of the richest botanical sites in the Albertine Rift Region. The park hosts 21 out of 24 endemic plant species only found in the region.

Rwanda Safari Activities to do in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Chimpanzee trekking is one of the premier wildlife experiences in Rwanda, offering visitors a unique opportunity to observe wild chimpanzee troops in their natural habitat. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest provides an exhilarating experience for primate lovers and offers a chance to interact with our closest relative in their natural habitat.

There is only two chimpanzee groups in Nyungwe Forest habituated for tracking; the Uwinka and Cyamudongo groups. The trek starts with briefing at the park headquarters, then venture into the forest looking for the chimpanzees, the tracking can take 2 to 6 hours depending on the chimpanzee’s movements and their location.

Once visitors find the chimpanzees, spend about one hour observing the chimpanzees, watch their social interactions such as grooming, playing and feeding.