Gishwati national park is Rwanda’s newest national park that was established in 2015 after putting together Gishwati national park and mukura forest. It’s the smallest with 34 square kilometers and is located on the ridge that separates Congo and the Nile waters along the Albertine rift.
Gishwati national park is a home to over 20 groups of chimpanzees that live along with the golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s as well as the blue monkeys. The park has various bird species, over 232 that inhabit the park and 163 species in Mukura forest which amongst them there Albertine rift endemic species and forest specialists. The national park has a lot of attractions and activities that tourists can engage them selves while on a Rwanda safari.
ATTRACTIONS IN GISHWATI NATIONAL PARK
PRIMATES
Gishwati national park has a lot of primates which makes it to be among the best safari destination in Rwanda. These include black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, golden monkeys and chimpanzees. This is due to the thick forest that makes it favorable for primates to live. Besides the primates there are other wildlife and also the wildlife cats.
BIRD SPECIES
The national park has over 232 bird species and 83 that are native to the Albertine rift valley. Birds that can be viewed while on a safari include martial eagle, regal sunbird, Ruwenzori batis, crested cranes, strange weave, dusky crimson wing, red-throated alethe, mountain yellow warblers, purple-breasted sunbird, wood hoopoe, grauers swamp warbler among others. This makes tourists especially the bird lovers to have an amazing experience.
WATER FALLS
While on a visit in Gishwati national park, there’s a visit to the waterfall and it’s one of the amazing hiking trails that tourists use. The visit to the waterfalls takes them to the kazeneza waterfall which is located in the center of Gishwati national park. This grants the tourist an amazing and breathtaking scenic view of the national park.
THE NATURAL FOREST GREEN COVER
The national park has 2 forests as earlier said which are known to be Gishwati mukura forest reserves. Therefore, with the existence of the reserves makes it a better home for the various species that are found within the park such as wildlife, birds, mammals and primates. The reserve has over 58 tree species that include bamboos, eucalyptus, mahogany, macaranga which can be used for research among others.
ACTIVITIES IN GISHWATI NATIONAL PARK
NATURE WALKS
Gishwati national park has established a number of various trail where tourists can traverse within the forest. The tourists while on their nature walk will be able to view butterflies, chameleons, bird species as well as primates. There also over 60 tree species to be seen such as macaranga, mahogany, orchids, bamboos among others. Other new species such as hagenia, dombeya torrida, abyssinica among others.
PRIMATE TRAKKING
This is known to be the major activity within the national park. The trekking gives the tourists an opportunity to view a number of primates such as golden monkeys, blue monkeys, chimpanzees as well as baboons. Just like any trekking, the activity starts in the morning with a small briefing and later guided by a park ranger to walk through the forest in search of the primates. the tourists also get a chance to see other wildlife species, bird species and mammals.
BIRD WATCHING
Gishwati national park is known to be the best place for a birding safari in Rwanda. The national park has over 232 bird species that inhabit within the national park where 15 are native to the Albertine rift such as mountain yellow warblers, purple-breasted sunbird, red-throated alethe, regal sunbird , Ruwenzori batis, wood hoopoes, strange weavers and stripe-breasted tit among others. The bird-watching activity can be accompanied by other activities such as nature walks, primate trekking among others.
BIKING AND CYCLING
The biking or cycling is done on the Congo Nile trail in gishwati national park. The trail covers over 227 kilometers between south and north of lake kivu at the coast of rwanda. With such, the trail gives the best biking experience.
A VISIT TO THE WATERFALL
This is also one of the best hiking trails in the national park because it takes the tourists to the kazeneza waterfall that is found in the center of the gishwati national park. This gives the tourists a marvelous and a remarkable view of the park.
