The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Trip to Nyungwe Forest NP.

How to plan your trip to Nyungwe Forest National Park

Planning a trip can be one of the most exciting and thrilling things to do, but it can also feel overwhelming when you have no clue about the destination! Planning your trip to Nyungwe Forest National Park involves a few steps, as it is one of Rwanda’s top 4 destinations. Nyungwe is tucked along Rwanda’s southern border, surrounded by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Lake Kivu. The ancient montane forest is home to vibrant wildlife species, including 13 types of primates, the most notable being the chimpanzee and the black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, Mona monkey, and over 300 species of birds.

Decide on when to go to Nyungwe Forest National Park, the conservation area can be visited all year round but aiming at the best time can enhance your experience, it is better during the dry season when the weather is dry and sunny it is incredible for safari activities such as tracking chimpanzee, the canopy walk guided nature walks and the colobus monkey tracking, the season happens in June, July, August September, December, January and February. As mentioned, the park can also be visited in the wet season; during this time, trips tend to be cheaper due to discounted rates.

Ensure to have proper entry travel requirements, all East African country require valid travel documents to be granted access to the country while in Rwanda a tourist visa is a must have, a valid passport of at least 6 months to the date of delivery, an updated yellow fever vaccination card and any other important documents, when accessing the country through Uganda, guests can go ahead and purchase a East African Tourist Visa goes for about $100 per person that will grant access to both countries.

Plan how to get to Nyungwe Forest National Park, the conservation area is located in the southwestern part of Rwanda, it can be accessed by road or by Air, by road it takes approximately 5-6 hours drive through the countryside. The lush green and back drop if the mountains is phenomenal; alternatively, guests can decide to fly to the destination from the Kigali International Airport, the Akagera aviation arranges domestic charter or scheduled flights, which last for an hour into the Kamembe international airport, closest to the National Park or to the Lodge helipad, in case they have any. After landing at Kamembe, a ground transfer of 1-2 hours is arranged either by the lodge or tour operator.

Understanding how much funding you need for your trip will enhance your experience to match what you prefer. This will help you to decide on a clear cost breakdown of each item, most importantly, how much it will cost for park entry fees, conservation fees, accommodation prices, and guide fees. It helps to select the perfect activities to participate in. Prices tend to range between $200-$2000 and above, depending on your choice of activities.

Select top activities to do; the conservation area is famous for its biodiverse ecosystem, home to 13 primate species, notable for the chimpanzees. Popular things to do here include chimpanzee tracking, guests have the chance to interact with man’s closest relatives, the chimpanzee is scientifically proven to share up to 98% of the human DNA, they live within tree canopies and are omnivores in nature, besides chimp tracking other must do activities to do include the canopy walk, colobus monkey tracking, and guided walks to the waterfalls and birds.

Plan where to stay during your trip, there is available accommodation within and the surrounding communities, these range from the best budget to luxury facilities, for example, One and Only Nyungwe house, Nyungwe top view hotel, to mention a few.

What to pack is essential for your visit to the park, for example, waterproof hiking boots, rain jackets, long-sleeved shirts and trousers, binoculars, cameras, insect repellents, sunscreen, and any other important items of a personal nature