Nyungwe Forest National Park

The park has amazing and breathtaking scenery and is a vantage point for picturesque views of the Virungas and the Congo. Nyungwe is nature at its very best. It is lush and beautifully green, often seen with cooling mists in the early mornings and late evening. A total of 86 mammal species have been recorded in Nyungwe National Park, though most are very secretive and rarely encountered. The primates, on the other hand, are Nyungwe’s main attraction, especially the charismatic chimpanzees. Another 12 primate species are present, including olive baboon, l'Hoest's monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, Ruwenzori colobus, silver monkey and owl-faced monkey.

Tracking Nyungwe’s habituated chimpanzees is the prime activity in the park. Another highlight are the unusually large troops of Ruwenzori colobus, counting up to 600 individuals. This unique race of Angola colobus is restricted to the Albertine Rift. Antelope species in the park include the secretive bushbuck and the black-fronted duiker, which is commonly seen on the trails and even along the main road.

Nyungwe Forest National Park is a top birding destination in Rwanda. Over 300 bird species are recorded in the park, of which 27 are the Albertine Rift Endemics. The forest trails make it an accessible birding destination. Some of the birds include dusky crimson wing, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Kivu ground thrush, Neumann’s warbler, Albertine owlet, Ruwenzori batis, purple-breasted sunbird, handsome francolin, Ruwenzori Turaco, Ruwenzori nightjar, Kungwe Apalis, Archer’s ground robin, stripped breasted tit, dwarf honey guide, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, mountain masked apalis, red -collared babbler among others.