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    Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Background Info: Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Rwanda’s fourth national park, Gishwati Mukura is made up of two separate forests – the larger Gishwati and small Mukura, forming a total of 34 square kilometres plus a buffer zone. The forests sit on the ridge which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the incredibly biodiverse Albertine Rift in the west of the country. It is made up of 60 species of tree, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo.

    Gishwati is home to a group of 20 chimpanzees which live alongside golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s and Blue Monkeys. Birds are well represented too, 232 species have been seen at Gishwati and 163 at Mukura, among them Albertine Rift Endemic species and forest specialists. Activities in the park started in 2019 and include a guided nature hike, guided chimp and monkey tracking, bird watching and a visit to the waterfalls.

    Destination Highlights - Gishwati Mukura National Park

    • Chimpanzee Tracking:The park is home to a small, semi-habituated population of chimpanzees. Tracking them is a major highlight, offering a unique opportunity to see these fascinating primates in a less-crowded environment compared to other parks. The experience often involves an early morning trek to find the chimpanzees as they wake up and begin their day.
    • Golden Monkey Tracking:Besides chimpanzees, the park is home to several other primate species, including the endangered golden monkeys. Trekking to see these playful, golden-furred primates is a popular activity. You can also spot other monkeys like L'Hoest's monkeys, blue monkeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys.
    • Bird Watching Gishwati Mukura is a fantastic destination for birders, with over 230 bird species recorded. A significant number of these are Albertine Rift endemics, making it a key location for spotting rare species like the Ruwenzori turaco, handsome francolin, and the red-throated alethe. The relatively small size of the park and well-maintained trails make it an excellent and easy-to-navigate birding spot.
    • Hiking & Nature Walks: The park offers a network of guided hiking trails that wind through the beautiful montane rainforest. These walks provide opportunities to explore the park's diverse flora, including various species of trees and orchids, and to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding hills, tea plantations, and the Congo-Nile Divide. A highlight for hikers is the trail to the Kazeneza waterfall.
    • The Congo-Nile Divide Trail: This iconic hiking and biking trail passes through the area of Gishwati Mukura National Park. It offers a spectacular journey along the ridge that separates the Congo and Nile River basins, providing breathtaking scenery and a chance to experience the local rural life.
    • Cultural Experiences: The park is a model for community-based tourism. Visitors can engage with local communities near the park, learning about traditional Rwandan culture through activities like traditional dance, storytelling, and visits to local farms and homesteads.
    Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Gishwati Mukura National Park Wildlife Experience

    Gishwati Mukura National Park will offer incredible biodiversity, providing a corridor for free movement of primates. The park includes a lot of animal species, around 293 reptile species, and around 1000 bird species. It is also home to 5,793 plant species , 60 tree species, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo. Wildlife sightseeing is possible as they support various wildlife animals, some of them that you can see are southern tree hyrax, black-fronted duikers, Red River hogs, besides chimpanzee and other animals such as the mountain monkey, golden monkey, black and white colobus monkeys, and the blue monkeys.

    Locate the Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Best time to visit
    The Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Visits to Gishwati-Mukura can be done all-year-round, considering its favorable weather and climatic conditions. The most ideal time is during the dry season; June to September noted to be the long dry spell and short dry months run from December to February.

    Gishwati Mukura National Park

    How to get there

    By road travel; getting to Gishwati-Mukura is possible within 2 to 3 hours’ drive from Kigali. For a smooth road travel, we recommend a 4×4 drive vehicle.

    Gishwati Mukura National Park Birdlife

    Gishwati Forest offers great birding. More than 150 species have been recorded so far. Approximately 20 of these are Albertine Rift endemics. With a good birding guide who knows the calls, you should be able to mark off many lifers here. You’ll easily spot the great blue and Ruwenzori turacos, and you’ll probably pick up some of the colorful sunbirds too. Also look out for the handsome francolin scurrying away in the forest undergrowth. The birding in Mukura Forest looks very promising, but there are currently no trails yet. The birding in Gishwati-Mukura National Park is good throughout the year. The best time is from January to June when birds are most vocal. Keep in mind though that April tends to be very wet, so birding activities are more likely to be interrupted by rain and trails tend to be very slippery.

    Where to go for your wildlife holiday

    Find your perfect wildlife holiday destination

    Akagera National Park

    Akagera National Park

    A true conservation success story, Akagera National Park in Rwanda is now home to a plethora of wildlife including the critically endangered Black Rhinos.
    Volcanoes National Park

    Volcanoes National Park

    One of only 2 places in the world that offers protection of the mountain gorilla and excellent gorilla safaris.
    Nyungwe Forest National Park

    Nyungwe Forest National Park

    Nyungwe Forest holds within it one of the sources of the longest river in Africa, the Nile.
    Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Gishwati Mukura National Park

    Rwanda's newest national park. A testament to Rwanda's impressive conservation success story.