Waterfall Trail in Nyungwe forest takes tourists through an off-beaten track to encounter some of the precious attractions found within the mountainous rainforest of Nyungwe Forest National Park. Hiking with the waterfall trail brings the feeling of the Tarzan movie-the primates, verdant vegetation, streams, and rivers flowing through the forest floor and the birds.
The waterfall trail in Nyungwe forest is also referred to as the Isumo trail and involves a 10.6-
The Isumo Water Fall Hike in Nyungwe Forest Rwanda.hike lasting about 4-5 hours. The hike through the waterfall trail rewards tourists with the sights and sounds of numerous bird species, wildlife and other residents of the forest, not forgetting the jaw-dropping Isumo waterfall.
The Isumo Waterfall in Nyungwe Forest.
Hiking through the waterfall trail in Nyungwe forest begins with a briefing from Gisakura Guesthouse or Nyungwe Forest Lodge (in the morning or afternoon) with views of the lush tea plantations of Gisakura as well as the sun-loving wildflowers and butterflies.
One of the most exciting things about the waterfall trail is that you can choose to walk through the tea plantation to the trailhead being driven to the trailhead (to start the hike one hour earlier) but the former is the best because you will enjoy the breathtaking tea fields can encounter some primates in the fields (at the edge of the forest) and also, this is the easiest part of the hike.
The next part of the trail is going downhill (tea plantation is the first) and once at the bottom, you will see a beautiful small stream flowing through. The trail descends into a thickly vegetated and steep rainforest ravines. While here, expect to enjoy the cool moist air and sound of the river falling below as well as the calls of birds. For reptile lovers, the waterfall trail is the best for sighting several snake species.
The third part is hiking uphill to a higher altitude, although this high elevation doesn’t favor vegetation growth hence no primates can be spotted except wildflowers.
The Trail culminates into seeing the magnificent Isumo, a massive waterfall of about 25 meters in height where you can take pictures but the different attractions especially primates (such as the black and white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys at the patch of the forest), birds, tree species and the Caves in the overhanging cliffs encountered along the way spice up the experience of hiking along the waterfall trail. The hike requires tourists to be physically fit and once complete; trekkers descend to Nyungwe Forest Lodge or Gisakura Guesthouse.
Best Time to the waterfall trail in Nyungwe forest.
The waterfall trail hike is conducted at any time of the year but the dry season is in the months of January, February, June, July, August, September, and December is the most perfect because during this time the hiking trails are less muddy and slippery. However, numerous bird species in Nyungwe can be spotted during the wet season.
What to carry for the waterfall trail in Nyungwe forest.
Important requirements for the waterfall trail hike are rain jacket, backpack, at least 2 liters of water, camera, binoculars, snacks, and a walking stick. Also, make sure to have worn along sleeved shirt, long trousers, good hiking boots, high cotton socks, and a hat.
Where to stay during the waterfall trail hike
Comfortable places of stay during the Waterfall trail hike is Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, One &Only Nyungwe House, Kitabi Eco-Center, Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge, and Gisakura Guesthouse.
How to get to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest National Park is found in the south-west of Rwanda bordering Burundi in the South and DRC/Lake Kivu in the west approximately 5 hours’ drive from Kigali. By flight from Kigali International airport to Kamembe by Rwanda-air every morning which takes only 4o minutes departing at 0830am arriving at 0910am.
Think and plan to visit Volcanoes National Park for your Rwanda gorilla safari and a change to track the golden monkeys. This is a life changing experience to many tourists that have visited Rwanda.