Hiking Trails In Nyungwe Forest National Park
The Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda has 130 kilometers of hiking routes. You might easily spend a week here while hiking through the ancient afro montane forest if you happen to be in the park.
The largest afro-montane forest in Africa, Nyungwe forest is also a paradise for outdoor adventurers. There are over 13 different primate species, as well as butterflies, birds, and orchids in season. Hikers will also encounter each other along the hiking trails that wind through and through Nyungwe forest national park. The hiking trails include;
Ngabwe trail
The Ngabwe Trail is 4.7 kilometres long, requires three hours to complete, and is fairly challenging. Even though the trail is brief, it passes through a lot of different vegetation zones. The Kitabi tea plantation would be included if it were made eight hours long. Additionally, you are allowed to bring a packed lunch and eat there at the picnic area, which has nice views of the forest. You can also see colobus monkeys, L’Hoest silver monkeys, chimpanzees, and mangabeys along the walk.
Trail of Bigugu
This takes take six hours to accomplish and is somewhat challenging. The trail is roughly 7 kilometers long and at times too slippery and steep. This trail ascends to Bigugu peak, which is the park’s highest point and is located at an elevation of around 2950 metres. This trek requires physical fitness, but it’s also worth the effort. For birdwatchers, this is a great track to see the red-collared mountain babbler. Additionally, you may view the magnificent wild flowers, such as orchids and enormous lobelias.
Igishigishigi trail
Since it also contains the canopy forest walkway, this path is also the most well-known one from the park’s Uwinka reception centre. This is a must-do activity for park visitors as it is a featured attraction in Nyungwe Forest National Park. With the canopy walk, the trail is around 2.4 km long and takes.5 hours to complete. You may watch primates, birds, and butterflies in their natural habitat while perched in the treetops. You shouldn’t skip this fantastic walk.
Trail Kamiranzovu Marsh
This trail is located underneath a hollow that resembles a caldera, and it is surrounded by a sizable marsh that serves as the park’s primary watershed. The track is 6 kilometres long, moderately challenging, and takes three hours to complete. The rainy season, which begins in October to November and lasts until April and May each year, is when you’ll locate the majority of the orchids along this walk. This trail is excellent for swamp-associated birds such the Grauer’s Rush warber and is also rich in floral diversity.
Isumo Waterfall trail
This popular track is 10.6 kilometres long, moderately challenging, and takes 4 hours to complete. You first pass through a tea plantation before moving on to areas of forest where you can see several monkey species. Additionally, you will pass through tree ferns on the route to the waterfall, which calls for powerful eyes, and you will frequently see the Ruwenzori Turaco bird. This is one of Nyungwe Forest’s thrilling pathways as well.
Karamba birding trail
This track, which is 4 kilometres long and connects to other walks and hikes in Nyungwe Forest, is primarily in a flat, open portion of the forest. This was a place where gold was also mined, and it later developed into an army camp and a quarry for making road construction materials. You will be able to see several orchids, enormous tree ferns, and the extremely uncommon Dent’s monkeys on this trail, which is also one of the least muddy in Nyungwe Forest. One of the simpler trails in Nyungwe Forest Park is this one.
Muzimu trail
This track is also 5.2 kilometres long, secluded, moderately challenging, and takes around 3.5 hours to complete. Additionally, the trail travels through flora resembling open heath. A 360-degree panorama of the park and Lake Kivu in the distance is also provided by the trail, which also includes a lot of wild flowers and non-forest birds along it. Additionally, on clear days, you can see Rwanda’s towering Virunga Volcanoes.
Trail Imbaraga.
This trail can only be reached by hiking from the Uwinka reception area, and it is also very challenging. It takes more than 6 hours to finish and is 10 kilometres long. Imbaraga also means “strength,” which illustrates how challenging the trek is. In addition, there are four distinct waterfalls along the walk, and you can see chimpanzees there. Though often enjoyable, the trek may also be challenging.
Trail of the Congo-Nile Divide
This is similarly 42 km long and takes three to four days to complete along the ridge that divides the river basins that pour into the Nile and the Congo, on the other side of the ridge. This is a 42-kilometer journey through the forest ridge that is only for experienced hikers and includes camping in the forest. This is not to be mistaken with the well-known Congo Nile Trail, which runs alongside Lake Kivu in western Uganda, but it is a good multi-day walk that will be unforgettable. In Nyungwe Forest, this is also the longest hiking track.
Trail of Umuyove
This is a well-known walk in the park that is very short and has stunning vistas of the waterfalls, orchids and a variety of other wild flowers for you to admire. The Umuyove also means mahogany, and this trail is lined with many of these trees, making it a more pleasant hike. This route is only 5.5 kilometres long and takes 3.5 hours to complete. You will see birds and primates there.
Rukuzi trail
The chimpanzees of Nyungwe Forest are also located along this pretty challenging walk, and they are frequently the main draw for tourists to Nyungwe Forest. Along with the chimpanzees, the trail offers hikers breathtaking panoramas to enjoy as they proceed. This 9 km track likewise takes 5 hours to complete in its entirety. Even though you don’t see any chimps, the hike’s scenery is quite stunning.
Trail Umugote.
The Syzygium tree, which is a common sight along this trail, inspired the name of the trail. This can be finished in just three hours despite being 3.6 kilometres long. The walk ascends the mountainside, giving you fantastic views of the forest’s pristine section as you pass through the valley and take in the forest’s diverse wildlife. You can see Burundi’s mountains on clear days.
Irebero Trail
The 3.4 kilometre long Irebero, which also means view point, offers excellent beautiful views. It takes just three hours to complete this trail, which is moderately challenging. The climb is worthwhile in addition to the vistas. Additionally, it was made so that you could see the stunning panoramas from a great height, as well as Lake Kivu and Rwanda’s borders. The two tallest peaks in Nyungwe forest are encircled by a loop created by this trail.
The Source of the Nile Trail
You can also go on a short walk to the River Nile’s source in Rwanda. It takes roughly 1 1/2 hours to finish this. Since this walk also requires little effort, you can include it in your three-day Nyungwe safari. The Nile’s source can be found in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, but in this case, we’re referring to the Rwanda Source of the Nile, which was found by the Rise to the Nile Adventure in 2006. They found that the head waters of the Rukarara River in Nyungwe Forest were the source of the Nile. There is disagreement over this Nile source among many Ugandans as well
Leave a Reply