Hiking trails in Nyungwe National Park.
Hiking trails in Nyungwe National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park is Rwanda’s biggest national park that has greatly boosted the tourism industry. This historical forest park is located in the southwest of Rwanda, bordering Burundi, south of Lake Kivu, and west of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is found in the Rusizi district and is home to the park and the great African river the Nile.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is popularly known to offer different activities as it is a good habitat for several primates, plants, and bird species. The park is known for holding 13 primate species including the famous chimpanzees and black and white colobus monkeys. Nyungwe offers unique activities like chimpanzee tracking, canopy walk (an activity that is not found anywhere in East Africa), colobus monkey trekking, as well as guided nature walks. All activities start at any of the three reception centres that is Uwinka, Kitabi or Gisakura.
Hiking trails in Nyungwe are often used when carrying out a particular activity as almost all the activities here involve hiking. Whether on the search for endangered chimpanzees or any other guided nature walks, the trails are designed to give a traveler the best safaris. Some of the nature and hiking trails in Nyungwe include,
Ngabwe trail:
This is an ideal trail for hikers who wish to camp in the middle of nature. The trail covers 4.6 kilometers and hiking along it takes 3-4 hours. It offers a moderate hike with the lowest elevation point at 2320 meters and the highest elevation point at 2730 meters.
Hiking using this trail starts at Kitabi reception area and its so perfect for bird watching, provides great picnic sites with amazing views of the forest canopy.
Bigugu trail:
This trail starts at Uwinka reception center at 9 am and leads to the summit of Mount Bigugu at 2950 meters above sea level. It is a 6.6-kilometer trail that takes 6 hours to reach the peak of the mountain. The path is quite steep [p and slippery in most areas thus the need for endurance and determination. However, it provides scenic views of Lake Kivu and several bird species.
Igishigishigi trail
This is one of the shortest and easiest trails . it covers 2.4 kilometers that can be covered within 2 hours. It has the lowest elevation at 2295m and the highest elevation at 2450m.
This trail is highly recommended for first-time hikers. It starts at Uwinka visitor center and provides the greatest views of the canopy walkway in Nyungwe national park. it is considered one of the most interesting trails in the park as it can be combined with the Imbaraga and Umuyove hiking trails.
Muzimu trail
It is a quite remote trail that starts at the Gisovu ranger post. This trail has its lowest elevation at 2516m and the highest elevation at 2816 m. It covers 5.2 kilometers which can be covered in 3.5 hours. This trail is moderately difficult as hikers traverse through open heath vegetation and shrubs. It gives distant vies of lake Kivu and on bright day, you will see the Virunga volcanoes.
Imbaraga trail
This one of the longest and toughest trails that require reasonable physical fitness. This trail has the highest elevation at 2470m and the lowest elevation at 1950m. It covers 9.8 kilometers that are hiked for 6 hours. This hike is a bit challenging but greatly rewarding as it provides views of four water falls and you can easily spot some chimpanzees as you hike.
Umugote trail
This is an amazing trail that was named after the unique Syzygium tree that is found along the trail. It is a moderate trail covering 3.6 kilometers that can be hiked in 3 hours. The highest elevation point is 2460 meters, and the lowest elevation is 2460 meters. This nature hiking trail offers breathtaking views of mountains, forests and many beautiful flowers. On a clear day, hikers may be able to see Kibira National Park in Burundi.
Umuyove trail
This is a popular trail whose hiking starts at the Uwinka reception. Umuyove means mahogany and because of the canopy formed by mahogany trees along the trail, it was named so. It covers 5.6 kilometers and can be hiked in 3-4 hours. The highest elevation of this trail stands at 2450 meters and the lowest is at 2120 meters. Many hikers enjoy this trail as it is relatively short and provides good views of waterfalls and a variety of bird species.
Karamba trail
This is an easy but long trail in Nyungwe National Park. Most parts of the trail are flat with relatively open forest areas thus making it one of the best option trails for bird watching experience. It is situated on a former gold mine site, market, and barracks. Hiking along this trail starts at the Gisakura visitor center in two sessions a day at 8 am in the morning and 1 pm in the afternoon.
Uwinka trail
This is a long trail that covers 10.5 kilometers and hikers take over 8 hours to complete it. It is a full day activity that provides views of different wildlife. hiking starts at Uwinka visitor center at 9am. The highest elevation of this trail is 2500meters and the lowest is 1982 meters.
Congo- Nile divide trail
The Congo-Nile divide trail is the longest trail in Nyungwe National Park. it is the greatest riding track in East Africa. It covers 227 kilometers and begins on the north shores of Lake Kivu in Gisenyi. It is trail where you can take a bicycle ride, vehicle ride, moto bike ride, or even a walk on foot. It takes 5 days and 4 nights to complete it but you can hike the distance you can manage according to the level of your fitness. When you decide to hike the part of the trail inside the park, you are exposed to clear sights of Lake Kivu and the surrounding villages.
Along the trail, you are exposed to several stopovers for the nights where you get to interact with the Rwandan community, enjoy the countryside, visit tea and coffee plantations and the beauty of the undulating hills in Rwanda. This trail is highly recommended for expert hikers and those with a thirst for adventure. Treks along the trail often start of 8 am.
Isumo trail
This trail was named after the tropical waterfall in the park. it a popular hiking trail covering 10.6 kilometers and a circular hike takes 4 hours. The hike sets off at Gisakura visitor center and leads you to the Isumo water falls after passing through forest patches where on a lucky day , you can spot chimpanzees and monkeys. Through the tree ferns, you can catch sights of the Rwenzori Turaco and other bird species.
Kamiranzovu trail.
It is a popular hiking nature trail through a swamp. The trail is 5.9 kilometers and takes approximately 3-4 hours to be hiked depending on your pace and the stopovers you make as you admire the surroundings. It was named after this swamp where the last elephant in this park is said to have died. Hikes along this trail start from the Uwinka Visitor Center through swampy areas, grasslands, and forested sections. While hiking, expect to see endemic and migratory birds especially in the wetland section, and some primates, plants, and butterflies in the forested part of the trail. This hike is so conducive for birding excursions.
Ndambarare waterfalls trail
This is a captivating hiking route that leads you to the amazing Ndambarare waterfalls. This trail is a round trip that covers 9.6 kilometers and takes 3.5 hours to complete. The trail has a difficult terrain that takes through the dense rain forest and hikers are therefore advised to be physically fit and strong to reach the final point. Along the route, hikers may encounter various primates like colobus monkeys, and l’hoest monkeys as well as numerous bird species. The trail overlooks the Gisakura tea plantation and later leads you to the scenic Ndambarare waterfalls that provide excellent opportunities for photography and relaxation.
Rukuzi trail
Rukuzi trail starts at Uwinka visitor center and is mainly used by trekkers going for chimpanzee trekking. It covers 9.1 kilometers and takes about 5 hours to complete. It is a fair and manageable trail that gives breathtaking distant views of Lake Kivu. The highest elevation of this trail is 2395 meters and the lowest is 2175meters.
Irebero trail
This is a 3.5-kilometer trail that start at Uwinka reception center and is completed in 3 hours. It is an outstanding trail for birders and provides best views of Nyungwe national Park and Lake Kivu.
Mwumbwa trail
This trail is 4 kilometers long and can be covered in 4 hours. Hiking starts at the Kitabi visitor center and mainly leads you to tea factories close to the park. Hikes always start at 9 am daily.
Rukungu trail
This is a 3-kilometer trail that can be hiked in 2.5 hours starting at Kitabi visitor center. This trail is one of the best connections to tea plantations. If you wish to have a full-day experience at the tea plantation interacting with the locals to take you through the whole tea processing experience, this route is the shortest.
Rutovu trail spans approximately 7 kilometers and takes 6 hours to be completed. It is almost a full-day hike depending on the time you set off and the stop overs you make for wildlife views. Hiking starts at Kitabi visitor center and as you hike enjoy panoramic vistas of the surrounding forest and landscape. You will luckily spot different primates and birds.
Best time to go hiking in Nyungwe National Park
Nature lovers who wish to engage in hiking in Nyungwe National Park can do it at any time of the year depending on interest. The most appropriate time is considered to be the dry season in late May to early September and December to February. However, the wet season in March to early May is best for those interested in birding experiences.
Cost of hiking and nature walks in Nyungwe National Park
The cost of hiking varies according to the type of hike and the route. The park provides half-day hikes at $15 per person and a full-day hike at $25- $30 depending on the length of the trail. The hiking fee excludes the park entrance fee. Park entrance fees to Nyungwe National Park is $100 per person per day.
All hiking nature trails in Nyungwe National Park offer unforgettable experiences that expose you to the diverse biodiversity and natural beauty of Rwanda