Hiking Safari In Nyungwe Forest National Park : Nyungwe Forest National Park is a great place to go on a forest hiking safari in Rwanda since it is home to the largest remaining patch of montane rainforest in East Africa, the dense Nyungwe forest, which dominates the park. The 1,015 square km Nyungwe Forest national park is located in the country of Rwanda’s south-west.
The Nyungwe forest National Park’s forest hiking safari is an exhilarating and unforgettable safari experience. It is conducted along one of the park’s many hiking paths, which wind through different topography and dense forests. Each hiking track in the Nyungwe Forest national park offers a unique perspective and beauty of the park while allowing hikers to see a variety of forest wildlife. Trails used in the park during a forest hiking safari include;
Congo – Nile divide trail.
The 42.2-kilometer Congo-Nile Divide Trail is regarded as the longest hiking route in Nyungwe Forest National Park. Its lowest point is at 2366 meters above sea level, while its highest point is at 2878 meters. The Congo-Nile Divide Trail passes through the confluence of the two largest river basins in the world, the Congo and the Nile, and it includes a spur that is said to be the source of the Nile.
Hiking on Congo – Nile divide trail is rated difficult and hiking on this trail takes approximately 3 days of completion.
Igishigishigi trail.
The two-kilometer Igishigishigi route in Nyungwe Forest National Park provides breathtaking views of the forest canopy, stunning wild flowers, and numerous kinds of monkeys and birds. The track also includes a road component. The lowest point of the Igishigishigi route is 2295 meters above sea level, and the highest point is 2450 meters above sea level.
The Igishigishigi path is a hiking route that begins at the Uwinka reception and takes between one and two hours to complete. The trail is named after the enormous tree ferns that are known in the area as Igishigishigi.
Note: all hikers on this trail must be of 6 years and above and children must be accompanied by adults.
Karamba trail.
One of the most beautiful and picturesque hiking routes in Nyungwe Forest National Park is the Karamba Trail, which is 4 kilometers long and has an elevation range of 2030 meters at its highest point to 1935 meters at its lowest point. The Karamba route is a great walk for birders since it gives hikers an opportunity to see a variety of birds that are found in the Nyungwe forest.
Hiking Karamba trail takes approximately 3 hours of completion and the hike on this trail is considered easy.
Umugote trail.
The 3.6-kilometer Umugote trail is one of the most wonderful hiking routes in Nyungwe Forest National Park for viewing birds and primates. Its lowest point is at 2350 metres, and its highest point is 2460 metres.
The hike on this path is classed as moderate and takes around 3 hours. The Umugote track gives views of numerous Nyungwe forest birds, including the Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Red-Faced Woodland Warbler, Collared Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, and many others. On this walk, you might encounter chimpanzees, grey-checked Mangabeys, and other primates. On clear days, hiking along the Umugote trail also provides views of Burundi’s Kibira National Park.
Umoyove trail.
Together with the Imbaraga trail offshoot, the Umoyove trail in Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the park’s longest trails at 5.5 kilometers. The trail’s lowest point is at 2120 metres, while its highest point is 2450 metres above sea level.
The Nyungwe Forest National Park’s Umoyove Trail is a particularly rewarding hiking route that offers breathtaking vistas of waterfalls, lovely tree and flower species, including enormous Mahogany trees. The stunning mahogany trees provide the path for the Umoyove Trail. Local slang for the name “Umoyove” that means mahogany.
Hiking on Umoyove trail takes approximately 3.5 hours of completion and hiking on this trail is considered moderate.
Uwinka trail.
The 17.8-kilometer Uwinka track, which may be hiked on a Rwandan nature and hiking treks safari in Nyungwe National Park, is a spectacular track. It takes around 8 hours to complete. The Uwinka Trail starts at the Irebero trailhead and travels to the Kamiranzovu Marsh trailhead, reaching an elevation of 2500 metres at its highest point and 1982 metres at its lowest point.
Although the Uwinka track is considered as a challenging hike, it is a very rewarding trail since it provides good possibilities for birdwatching. The White Headed Wood Hoopoe, Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Red-Faced Woodland Warbler, Collared Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Ruwenzori Batis, Stripe-Breasted Tit, and many other birds can be seen by hikers along the route.
Irebero trail.
Irebero Trail is a lovely trail in Nyungwe Forest National Park that offers stunning views of Lake Kivu, the park’s two highest peaks, and Rwanda’s border. The trail’s lowest point is 2470 metres above sea level, and its highest point is 2517 metres above sea level.
Irebero Trail takes approximately 3 hours of completion and the hike is rated 3 moderate.
Imbaraga trail.
The Imbaraga Trail is a lengthy path of about 10 km that is located at an elevation of 2470 metres above sea level at its highest point and 1950 metres above sea level at its lowest point. The Imbaraga path, which provides picturesque vistas of waterfalls, takes its name from a local slang term that describes the trail’s topography.
Imbaraga trail hiking is classed as challenging, taking about 6 hours to complete, and requiring hikers to be in excellent physical condition.
Bigugu Trail.
Large trail the highest point in the Nyungwe Forest National Park is a stunning path called Mount Bigugu, which is located at a height of 2950 metres at its highest point and 2367 metres at its lowest point.
Bigugu Trail is the tallest summit in Nyungwe Forest National Park and is described as a challenging hike that takes about 6 hours to complete. Along the way, there are beautiful views of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lake Kivu, and Islands.
Isumo waterfall Trail.
The 10.6 kilometers long Isumo waterfall Trail in Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the most amazing hiking routes in the world. Its lowest point is 1770 metres above sea level and its highest point is 1940 metres above sea level.
The Gisakura receiving Centre serves as the starting point for the Isumo waterfall Trail, which leads to the waterfalls that give the trail its name (the word “Isumo” is a local slang for “waterfall”). While hiking along this trail, you can view the stunning Isumo waterfall.
Hiking on this Isumo water Trail is rated moderate, and while on this hike you get an opportunity to get involved in picking tea and witness the tea making process.
Kamiranzovu Marsh Trail.
The Kamiranzovu Marsh track in Nyungwe Forest National Park is a particularly thrilling hiking route that brings you steadily closer to some of the park’s stunning waterfalls, marshes, and swamps. Together with the road component, the Kamiranzovu Marsh Trail is 5.9 kilometres long. Its lowest and highest points are located at an altitude of 1940 and 2140 metres, respectively, above sea level.
The largest wetland in the park, Kamiranzovu Marsh, gives the Nyungwe Forest National Park’s Kamiranzovu Marsh route its name. The trail’s name is a combination of two words, “kamira,” which means swallowing, and “Nzovu,” which means elephant. The Kamiranzovu Marsh route has a moderate difficulty rating and takes about 3 hours to complete.
Muzimu Trail.
The 5.2-kilometer Muzimu Trail in Nyungwe Forest National Park starts at the forested buffer zone and travels through Eucalyptus and pine forests, measuring 2516 metres above sea level at its lowest point and 2816 metres above sea level at its highest point.
On a clear day, the Muzimu trail in Nyungwe Forest National Park offers breathtaking views of Lake Kivu and the Virunga volcanoes. The hike on this route is classed as moderate and takes 3-4 hours to complete.
Ngabwe Trail.
Ngabwe Trail is a lovely 4.7-kilometer trail in Nyungwe Forest National Park that is well-known for providing the park’s best scenic views and being excellent for bird watching. It starts 200 metres down the short side of the main route, which is a 3-kilometer distance from Kitabi Reception, which is located at the park’s entrance.
The Ngabwe Trail is great for picnics and overnight camping trips because it is classed as a moderate hike that takes 3 hours to complete.
Rukuzi Trail.
One of the longer hiking routes in Nyungwe Forest National Park is the 9.1-kilometer Rukuzi Trail, which has a maximum elevation of 2395 metres and a minimum elevation of 2176 metres.
Rukuzi Trail hiking is classed as challenging and takes around 5 hours to complete. While hiking on this trail, you enjoy stunning views of Lake Kivu. When tracking chimpanzees, this trail is employed.
Best time for forest hiking in Nyungwe Forest national park.
Though it may be done throughout the year, the best time to explore Nyungwe Forest national park is during the dry season, which lasts from June to September. As that’s the period when the hiking trails cannot be muddy and slippery that makes hiking safari difficult.
