Nyungwe Forest National Park
Africa's oldest montane rainforest — 13 primates, canopy walkways, and 400-strong colobus troops.
Nyungwe Forest National Park covers 1,019 square kilometres in southwestern Rwanda, forming one of the oldest and most biodiverse montane rainforests in Africa — estimated at several million years old. Straddling the continental divide between the Congo and Nile river basins, Nyungwe protects 13 primate species (including approximately 500 chimpanzees and Angola colobus troops of up to 400 individuals — the largest arboreal primate groups in Africa), 310 bird species (including 27 Albertine Rift endemics), and 1,068 plant species.
Africa's oldest montane rainforest — 13 primates, canopy walkways, and 400-strong colobus troops.
Best Time to Visit
June to September dry season for the best trail conditions. December to February also good. Rain gear is essential year-round as the forest creates its own microclimate.
What You'll See
13 primate species: chimpanzee (500), Angola colobus (troops up to 400), L'Hoest's monkey, owl-faced monkey, red-tailed monkey, and more. 310 bird species, 120 butterfly species, 1, 068 plant species including 140 orchid species. The Uwinka canopy walkway provides access to the forest mid-canopy.
Getting There
5-hour drive from Kigali (225 km) through Rwanda's scenic southern highlands. Charter flight to Kamembe/Cyangugu airstrip (45 minutes), then 2-hour drive. Often combined with Lake Kivu for a 10-day Rwanda circuit.
Where to Go in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Uwinka Canopy Walkway
The Uwinka Canopy Walkway is a 200-metre-long, 50-metre-high suspended metal bridge through the forest mid-canopy — the first of its kind in East Africa when it opened in 2010. It provides eye-level access to the forest's bird-rich canopy layer, where Rwenzori turaco, great blue turaco, and Albertine Rift endemics forage. The adjacent Igishigishigi Trail loops through mixed montane forest, particularly productive for birders at dawn.
Cyamudongo Forest
Cyamudongo is a small, isolated 4-square-kilometre forest fragment 30 kilometres south of Nyungwe's main block, sheltering a habituated chimpanzee community of around 25 individuals. Because the group is small and the forest compact, tracking success rates approach 98% and treks are shorter (typically 1-2 hours). The intimate experience with this isolated community, surrounded by tea plantations, feels remarkably different from tracking in the main forest.
Colobus Monkey Tracking
Nyungwe hosts the world's largest documented troop of Rwenzori Angola colobus monkeys — up to 400 individuals moving through the canopy in a single, enormous group. This is the largest known arboreal primate aggregation on Earth. Tracking departs from Gisakura or Uwinka visitor centres and follows the troop along forested ridgelines. The sight of hundreds of black-and-white colobus cascading through the trees is one of Africa's most underrated wildlife spectacles.
Safaris in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Serengeti & Ngorongoro Private Safari
7 Days
A 7-day private luxury safari through Tanzania's Serengeti plains and Ngorongoro Crater with exclusive lodge stays and dedicated guide.
$4,500 per person
Uganda Primates & Wilderness
7 Days
A 7-day luxury Uganda safari combining mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, and Queen Elizabeth NP wildlife.
$4,800 per person
Rwanda Gorilla & Golden Monkey Trek
5 Days
A 5-day luxury Rwanda experience combining mountain gorilla trekking, golden monkey encounters, and Nyungwe Forest canopy walks.
$5,500 per person
Kenya Private Conservancy Safari
8 Days
An 8-day luxury Kenya safari through private conservancies — Ol Pejeta rhinos, Laikipia walking safaris, and Masai Mara's big cats.
$6,200 per person
Kruger to Indian Ocean
9 Days
A 9-day luxury journey from Big Five game drives in South Africa's Sabi Sands to the pristine Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique.
$7,500 per person
Great Migration Luxury Experience
10 Days
A 10-day luxury migration safari tracking two million wildebeest across Tanzania's Serengeti, with stays at Africa's finest tented camps.
$7,800 per person
Explore Other Destinations
Masai Mara National Reserve
Africa's most famous reserve — Great Migration river crossings, 850 lions, and the pioneering conservancy model.
Read Guide →Serengeti
Home to the only championship golf course inside a major national park — Par 72, 7,065m, wildlife on every hole
Read Guide →Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Trek to meet mountain gorilla families in 25,000-year-old UNESCO forest — Africa's ultimate wildlife encounter.
Read Guide →Volcanoes National Park
Africa's first national park — 604 mountain gorillas across the Virunga volcanoes where Dian Fossey made history.
Read Guide →Greater Kruger
25,000 km² of Big Five bushveld — world-class leopard sightings in the Sabi Sand and Africa's greatest wildlife reserve.
Read Guide →Okavango Delta
The world's largest inland delta — mokoro safaris, fly-in camps, and 22,000 km² of pristine Kalahari wetland.
Read Guide →Ready to Explore Nyungwe Forest National Park?
Browse our curated safaris — every journey is designed by Africa-based experts and secured through Inspiration Africa.
Find Your Perfect Safari