Nyungwe National Park

Nyungwe National Park covers approximately 1,019 square kilometres of montane rainforest in the southwestern corner of Rwanda, making it one of the largest and most intact montane forests in Africa. The forest dates back at least 2 million years, surviving multiple ice ages and serving as a vital refuge for biodiversity. Its altitude ranges from 1,600 metres at the fringes to 2,950 metres at the summit of Mount Bigugu, creating a mosaic of habitat types including dense primary forest, bamboo zones, swampy valleys, and alpine heath. Nyungwe is home to an extraordinary 13 primate species — one of the highest concentrations in Africa — including chimpanzees, Angolan colobus, L'Hoest's monkey, and owl-faced monkey. More than 300 bird species have been recorded, of which 30 are Albertine Rift endemics found nowhere else on Earth. The park is the source of one of the headwater streams of the Nile River, adding a mythological significance to its ecological importance. A network of over 130 km of well-maintained hiking trails includes the famous Igishigishigi canopy walk — a 90-metre suspended bridge offering thrilling perspectives over the forest canopy. Cyamudongo Forest, a satellite forest annexed to Nyungwe, holds an important chimpanzee community. Nyungwe is also a critical watershed, supplying water to Lake Kivu and fuelling the tea and coffee plantations that cloak the surrounding hillsides.