Getting to Nyungwe Forest National Park is made easy with this article. Nyungwe, home to the oldest surviving montane rainforest has been part of the country’s National Park psyche since 2005. This Park’s name conjures pictures of a jungle experience, canopy walks, and chimpanzees rattling tree branches and hooting, several monkey species jumping from one tree branch to the other, forest birding with the hope of seeing Albertine Rift endemics. For nature lovers, Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the best Safari destinations in Africa.
Chimpanzee in Nyungwe Forest.
The stunning Nyungwe Forest National Park hugs the southwestern border of Rwanda with Burundi’s Kibira National Park, extending over 1000 square kilometers. Within its borders are over 80 mammal species and about 320 bird species that include 27 Albertine Rift endemics. This Safari destination has so much to provide that even first-time travelers can instantly fall in love with it. Here’s every traveler’s guide on how to get to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
There are two ways of getting to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Safaris/Trips normally start (and end) in Kigali City. Nonetheless, the easiest and most convenient option typically is taking a 45-minute Helicopter flight to the Protected Area (with an option of landing directly at the Safari Lodge). These Helicopter flights in Rwanda are provided by Akagera Aviation to several of the Private Lodges around the Park. Our representative will meet you at the landing point- preferably at the nearest helipad and continue to your accommodation facility booked.
Another option for getting there is a self-driving trip or chauffeur-driven Safari Vehicle to Nyungwe Forest National Park, and this is the feasible option for travelers on a budget. This beautiful Safari destination is only about a 226-kilometer/ 6-7-hour scenic drive from Kigali through a tarred and well-maintained road with magnificent views and sights along the way until southwestern Rwanda, close to Cyangugu Town. This road trip usually comes with stopovers along the way (especially Royal Palace Museum in Nyanza, Ethnographic Museum in Butare)
Alternatively, you can take a bus/taxi from Nyabugogo Park (in Kigali) to Rusizi. However, public transport means involve several stopovers along the way to pick up and drop off passengers hence expect the journey to take 7-8 hours.
When to get to Nyungwe Forest National Park
For the incredible and unforgettable Nyungwe Forest National Park experiences, the best time to visit Nyungwe forest is in the dry season- June to September and December to February. Temperatures are warmer and rainfall levels lower during these months hence making it less challenging to maneuver through the jungles while on chimpanzee treks, canopy walks, forest birding, hiking/guided forest walks, and the Black and white colobus monkey tracking. However, crowds increase during these months but if you are looking for smaller crowds, visit the Park in the months of March to May and October to November. However, expect increased precipitation levels and lower temperatures.