An adrenaline-inducing canopy walk in the luxurious Nyungwe National Park (1,019 square kilometers) in southwestern Rwanda is a perfect way to spend your day in the country. The captivating canopy walk is a unique way of exploring the largest tract of forest in Rwanda. Nyungwe National Park in the Albertine Rift region is a biodiversity hotspot nestled on altitudes ranging from 1,600 to 2,950 meters above sea level. This tropical rainforest ecosystem is composed of Afromontane Forest, bamboo, savannahs, wetlands, and ferns among others.
The Nyungwe National Park ecosystem is endowed with plenty of wildlife species and these include at least 260 tree and shrub species. There are 13 species of primates including the renowned chimpanzees, owl-faced monkeys, L’hoest’s monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, grey cheeked mangabeys and black and white colobus monkeys. With over 85 mammal species recorded in Nyungwe National Park, the composition includes mongooses, bushpigs, serval cats, genets, otters, duikers and elephants.
Nyungwe National Park is an Important Bird Area which houses at least 260 species of birds and at least 25 of them are endemic to the Albertine Rift region. The birds include grey apalis, equatorial akalat, brown woodland warbler, grey parrot, northern double-collared sunbird, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Chinspot batis, blue-mantle chested flycatcher, African broadbill, bar-tailed trogon, brown-caped weaver and Diederik cuckoo. Other wildlife species to encounter at Nyungwe include numerus species of reptiles, butterflies and amphibians.
The canopy walk in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park
The canopy walk commences at the Uwinka Visitor Center with your registration either before 08:00, or 10:00 or 15:00. You will be led by the park ranger via forest trails towards the Igishigishigi trail. Along this trail, you will hike for over 2 kilometers including the canopy walkway which is a looping trail suspended at a height of 70 meters from the ground and full length of around 160 meters. The overall trip will take almost 2 hours, so you should be in good physical shape and at least 6 years of age to have a successful hiking adventure.
Other tour activities at Nyungwe National Park
Besides the captivating canopy walk, there are other equally exciting tour activities to enjoy in Nyungwe National Park. These include the sought-after chimpanzee trekking tour where you can track a group of habituated chimpanzees and spend an hour in their presence. Birdwatching excursions are also exciting for birding enthusiasts and ornithologists to spot a wide collection of colorful bird species in the dense forest. Other tour activities include hiking tours, photography, wildlife viewing, primate tours and Gisakura tea estate exploration.
Cost of the canopy walk in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park
The cost of a canopy walk in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park varies among different stakeholders as follows,
Foreign non-resident – US dollars 40
Foreign resident – US dollars 20
Rwandan citizen/East African Community citizen – US dollars 5
To have a seamless canopy walk tour, you must book in advance, which you can make through a registered tour operator like Monteero Safaris. With a strong network in the Rwanda tourism sector, including Nyungwe National Park, we can make reservations on your behalf even during peak seasons. Besides a canopy walk tour at Nyungwe National Park, we can design a tailored itinerary with you, taking into account your interests and travel date. The itinerary is also made to include meals, transportation, accommodation and plenty of other tour activities.
When to go for a canopy walk in Rwanda
You can delight in a canopy walk in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park throughout the year depending on your priorities. For a smooth and continuous canopy walk in the forest, you must visit in the dry season, that runs from December to February and from June to September. In these months, the weather is relatively warmer and drier thus providing suitable conditions for dry forest trails, less dense vegetation cover and clear atmosphere. These subsequently enhances navigation and visibility in the forest.
However, if you do not enjoy traveling during peak seasons, the wet season is the best time to go for the canopy walk in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park. This period occurs during March to May and October to November. The trails are relatively wet and slippery thus offering more challenging hiking adventures, full of intrigue. This time also offers more bird species to view due to the dense foliage in the forest. Also, accommodation during the wet season is usually offered at a discounted rate during the wet season for budget travelers.
How to travel to Nyungwe National Park
Traveling to Nyungwe National Park for a canopy walk can only be accomplished by road transport. The road distance of Uwinka Visitor Center in Nyungwe National Park from Kigali city is about 216 kilometers, and takes a duration of 5 to 6 hours. You can utilize the best car hire services of a registered tour operator like Monteero Safaris when it comes to private travel. We offer a wide range of vehicles and an experienced driver guided. The vehicles range from 4X4 safari vehicles, saloon cars and minibuses among others.
Packing for a canopy walk in Rwanda
A canopy walk in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park is enjoyable if you pack the following essential items,
- Lightweight outfits including trousers and full sleeved shirt
- Waterproof walking shoes
- Light rain jacket
- Warm sweater
- Insect repellent
- Camera and extra batteries
- Lightweight backpack
- First aid kit with personal medicine
- Sun protection items like UV suncream, UV sunglasses and hat or cap
- Refillable water bottle
- Binoculars