Undertaking a forest canopy walk in Rwanda Nyungwe National Park is the best way to explore Nyungwe Forest, the oldest and biggest mountain rain forest on the African continent. This rainforest is over 1600 and 2000 sq. meters.
Nyungwe Forest is a renowned Rwanda chimpanzee trekking safari destination. It’s also home to numerous primate species, many bird species, and East Africa’s only canopy walkway. Rwanda’s Nyungwe forest canopy walk is an amazing adventure, giving visitors aerial breathtaking views of the century-old treetops, wonderful landscapes, butterflies, and wildlife that inhabit Nyungwe Forest Park.
The canopy walk in Nyungwe is a lovely adventure done on a suspension bridge 70 m high above Nyungwe Forest and a 160m long walkway, taking approximately 2 hours to hike. During this expedition, expect to enjoy lush green views as well as the serene atmosphere of Nyungwe Forest as you explore the Nyungwe canopy walkway.
Nyungwe canopy walk is a guided venture led by an assigned guide in the park. You can’t have unguided canopy walks and the minimum age for this thrill is 6 years.
Being one of the best safari activities in Nyungwe Forest Park, the Nyungwe canopy walk can’t be missed on most Rwanda safari tours in Nyungwe Park.
The canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest Rwanda was opened in 2010 and it’s the only one of its kind in East Africa and the third on the African continent. This canopy walkway is about 160km in length and over 70m high from the Nyungwe forest floor; therefore, visitors on this Nyungwe canopy walk will enjoy amazing, vast views of this protected area.
The about two-hour canopy walkway consists of some sections. The first segment is 45 meters long; the second is 90 meters long; and the last is 25 meters long from the ground.
You will appreciate the cool fresh air as you stroll over the woodland and also encounter various colorful birds that cross this skywalk above Nyungwe treetops, for instance the Great Blue Turaco, Bar-tailed Trogon, Afep Pigeon, Green Woodhoopoe, Woodland Kingfisher, and Oriole Finch, among many others.
The last 25-meter-high section from the ground above treetops leads you back into the forest for a nature walk. As you discover stability on the path leading out of the jungle, the trek becomes an exciting journey. Be expectant to spot some beautiful monkey species, such as the red-tailed monkeys, vervets, and black and white colobus monkeys, among others.
The Rwanda Nyungwe Forest canopy walk requires a little hiking because you have to hike the 2.1-kilometer Igishigishigi track, which is a hiking trail in Nyungwe Forest Park, to reach the 160-meter suspension bridge from the ground above treetops that crosses the forest.
Although there are a few steep spots due to the mountainous landscape, this hiking trail is completely manageable and should not deter you from going for the Nyungwe forest canopy walkway. This track is also easy for first-time hikers.
The canopy walk in Nyungwe forest is scheduled for 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. The Uwinka Reception Centre, which serves as Nyungwe National Park’s headquarters, is where the climb begins.
Visitors receive a hiking guide and briefing about the canopy walkway in the Uwinka area. While still at the reception center, you can buy a walking stick, raincoat, and other items you might need as you explore the Nyungwe canopy walkway.
You proceed with a guide to the Igishigishigi trail after the briefing session at the Uwinka area. From there, you cross a 160-meter hanging bridge from the ground above treetops that is perched on huge trees on top of the ancient, biodiverse Nyungwe forest.
You should also be in excellent health to explore the Nyungwe canopy walkway; if you are sick or not feeling well, you should probably skip it and undertake other adventures in Nyungwe Forest Park for example, chimpanzee trekking expeditions or other forest walks.
Nevertheless, the canopy walk is the ideal experience for everyone who enjoys a nice rush of adrenaline and nature lovers on Rwanda tours.
Visitors exploring the Nyungwe forest canopy walk will watch numerous attractions and among these include;
The cost for the Nyungwe forest canopy walk is $60 for foreign residents and $50 for foreign nationals per person. Visitors should be at least 6 years of age and older to undertake the Nyungwe Park canopy walk. Although this walk is open to children, they must be accompanied by their parents.
Visitors who come to explore the Nyungwe canopy walkway pay that fee at the reception center.
These are the essential items visitors on Rwanda safaris should carry for the Nyungwe Forest canopy walk experience.
You can fly or drive to Nyungwe Forest Park. Nyungwe Park is about 220 km away, and this drive can take about 5 hours.
By road, visitors can access the Nyungwe forest canopy walk in Nyungwe Park using the Kigali-Huye Road or the Kigali-Karongi – Nyungwe Route. All the roads are in excellent shape, and tourists will enjoy the drive in our comfortable tour vehicles.
People who want to get to the park as quickly as possible can take the plane. We shall book your domestic flight book to Kamembe National Airport with Akagera Aviation. From there, you’ll be driven in a tour vehicle to Nyungwe Park.
Nyungwe Forest Park is in the southwest of Rwanda, 225 kilometers from Kigali city. It takes about 5 hours to drive to the park’s offices at the Uwinka visitor’s center.
Within Nyungwe Park, over 1000 species of plants, 32 species of amphibians, 38 species of snakes, 13 species of primates, more than 300 bird species and 85 species of mammals have been recorded. Visitors on Rwanda safaris in Nyungwe Park should expect to encounter many species, including the Albertine Rift endemic species.
Dry months—June to September and even mid-December to February—are the best months to visit Nyungwe Park for forest canopy walk expeditions, nature walks on the forest floor, bird watching, and even chimpanzee trekking adventures. Rainfall is normally little in Nyungwe forest in the dry months and temperatures are pleasant as well for visitors.
Trails within the Nyungwe forest floor are fairly dry in the dry season; therefore, tourists undertaking chimpanzee trekking and other activities will find them convenient.
Expect some showers during the wet months: March-June and even October-November. Being in a tropical region, temperatures remain high; therefore, it’s possible to visit Rwanda during this season as well.
Travelers coming for Rwanda safaris and tours should note that the dry season is also the best time for other expeditions in Rwanda, including gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Contact us for more details on the best time to visit Rwanda!
Not only can tourists on Rwanda safaris in Nyungwe do Nyungwe forest canopy walks, but there are also other things to enjoy!
Besides exploring the Nyungwe canopy walkway, below are other amazing things to do in Nyungwe Park:
Putting aside exploring Nyungwe canopy walkways on a skywalk, tracking chimpanzees in Nyungwe Park is another remarkable thrill to do. Travelers trekking chimps in Nyungwe will enjoy an encounter with chimpanzees—the most intelligent apes on earth known as cousins to man. Chimps share 98-99% of their DNA similar to that of humans.
For about an hour on this thrill, you’ll see chimpanzees (humanlike primates) in their natural habitat, feeding, grooming, roaming, and breastfeeding, if any! While coming for this memorable venture, a camera is vital, and mind to put on hiking shoes.
The best way to explore Nyungwe Forest is to go for a guided walk in the forest. This exhilarating experience gives you room to explore the wonderful biodiverse flora and fauna of this park. During the walk on the forest floor, be expectant to encounter wildlife such as blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and many wonderful birds in the upper canopy.
You’ll enjoy being under the beautiful thick canopies of Nyungwe forest trees—one of the largest forests in Africa.
For forest birding tours in Rwanda, Nyungwe Park is the best place to be for travelers on Rwanda holiday tours. Within Nyungwe, over 345 species of birds have been recorded, including about 30 Albertine rift endemic species, including the Great Blue Turaco, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Purple-breasted sunbird, Regal sunbird, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, etc.
There are numerous forest trails for birding safaris in Nyungwe, and among these are the Muzimu Forest Trail, Umuyove Trail, and Bigugu Trail, a beautiful track that takes you to the highest points of Nyungwe Park.
Be expectant to spot many bird species commonly found in the African forests.
Aside from exploring the Nyungwe forest canopy walkway, visitors in this park can also enjoy primate tracking expeditions. On your primate venture, expect to encounter many species of primates in Nyungwe, such as Rwenzori black and white colobus, Red-tailed monkeys, Olive baboons blue monkeys, etc.
This exhilarating adventure is also guided by a park ranger starting from the reception center in Uwinka.
Visitors can also explore the beautiful tea plantations around Nyungwe NP on top of their tour to enjoy the Nyungwe forest canopy walkway. On this expedition, travelers will get a chance to interact with the workers on the plantation and also participate in the picking of tea leaves.
Travelers exploring the Nyungwe forest canopy walkway have various options on where to stay while on their tour in Nyungwe Park. Most of these facilities offer a comfortable stay, and it’s up to you to choose whether you are to use budget, midrange, or luxury lodges.
Some of the best safari lodges in Nyungwe park are:
The purpose of the Nyungwe canopy walk is to boost domestic & international tourism and even widen the number of tourist activities in Rwanda Nyungwe Park. This breathtaking skywalk—the Nyungwe canopy walkway—offers visitors a chance to view the natural beauty of Nyungwe forest as well as the thick canopies of Nyungwe trees—one of the largest rain forests in Africa.
All tourists going for the Nyungwe canopy walkway tour first register at the reception center at Uwinka. It’s possible to access Nyungwe Park through either the Gisakura or Katabi gates. Travelers are required to pay 60 USD to participate in the canopy walk.
Nyungwe canopy walk is 160 m long and usually, this guided tour takes about 2 hours. This canopy walkway in Nyungwe Park offers splendid views of the thick canopies of the trees in the Nyungwe rainforest. Among the suspension bridges in Africa, the Nyungwe canopy walkway offers the best walking experience.
The canopy walk in Nyungwe Park costs 60 USD for foreign residents. This escapade costs 50 USD to foreign nationals. The minimum age for visitors exploring Nyungwe canopy walkways is 6 years and children must go together with their parents.
The longest canopy walk in the world is located in the remote areas of Malaysia, inside Taman Negara National Park. The hanging bridges, which were initially constructed for researchers, are now accessible to the general public. There are 10 distinct suspension bridges covering over 500 m.
Rwanda Nyungwe Forest Park features numerous attractions but primates, including chimpanzees, are the most popular. Other attractions to see in Nyungwe park include the Nyungwe canopy walkway, the Nyungwe forest itself, as well as wildlife species, etc.
In summary, visitors on Rwanda safari tours in Nyungwe Park can do numerous activities but they should never miss going for the Nyungwe canopy walk experience—a sky walk as you enjoy the wonderful aerial view of this stunning rainforest. For a lovely venture, tourists should do both Nyungwe canopy walks and Chimpanzee tracking expeditions on their visit.
Inquire anything about Rwanda wildlife safaris in Nyungwe Forest Park from our specialist about Rwanda tours.
Robert
To receive outstanding safari advice, you can either contact us via phone or arrange a video conference with our proficient specialists.
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