Gishwati Mukura National Park
Gishwati Mukura National Park is Rwanda’s newest National Park and was established in 2015 by combining Gishwati and Mukura forests. It is Rwanda’s smallest (34 square kilometers) and least visited national park. It is located along the Albertine Rift on the ridge that separates the Congo and Nile water catchment regions.
The park is home to a variety of primates, birds, reptiles, and tree species, including the endangered Eastern Chimpanzees. Chimpanzees coexist with golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and Blue Monkeys. The park is home to over 232 bird species, including Albertine endemics, making it one of the top spots in Rwanda for birdwatching. Due to displacement, livestock farming, and illicit mining operations, the national park area was nearly depleted prior to its gazettement in 2015. Its gazettement in 2015 has subsequently encouraged conservation and helped rebalance the ecology.
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Gishwati-Mukura National Park Attractions
Wildlife Gishwati-Mukura National Park
Chimpanzees, Blue Monkeys, Golden Monkeys, Olive Baboons, L’hoest Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, and Black and White Colobus monkeys are among the primates found in the park.
Birds in Gishwati Mukura National Park
The park is home to 232 bird species, including the Regal Sunbird, Ruwenzori Batis, Ruwenzori Turaco, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Woodhoopoe, Martial Eagle, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Grey Crowned Crane, Dusky Crimsonwing, Strange weave, Mountain Yellow Warblers, and Red-throated Alethe.
Activities in Gishwati-Mukura National Park
Gishwati-Mukura National Park provides tourists with a variety of tourism activities such as bird watching, observing primates such as Chimpanzees, guided nature hikes, camping, and picnics.
Guided Nature Walks
The park offers a number of established trails for you to explore the forest. On this guided nature walk, you will get the opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the forest up close with its inhabitants such as butterflies, chameleons, insects, birds, and primates. Over 60 different tree species can be found here, including bamboo, ferns, Macaranga kilimand, mahogany, and orchids. New species such as Dombeya torrida, eucalyptus, hagenia abyssinica, macaranga, and Polyscias fulva have been introduced to the park.
Tracking primates
The main activity at Gishwati-Mukura National Park is primate tracking. During this activity, you will have the opportunity to witness primates such as Golden monkeys, Chimpanzees, Blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, and baboons. Primate tracking here, like in other parks, begins in the morning with a briefing about rules and regulations, followed by a guided walk into the forest to search for the primates. During your walk, you will also have the opportunity to see other mammals such as duikers and birds.
Bird Watching
Gishwati-Mukura National Park is one of Rwanda’s top spots for bird viewing. There are over 232 bird species recorded in the park, including 15 species found only in the Albertine Rift, such as the Grey Crowned Crane, Ruwenzori Turaco, Red-throated Alethe, Mountain Yellow Warblers, Martial Eagle, Ruwenzori Batis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Weaver birds, Wood hoopoes, Strange weavers, and the Stripe-breasted Tit.
Visiting the Waterfall
The hike to the waterfall is one of the greatest hiking trails in Gishwati-Mukura National Park. This visit will take you to Kazeneza waterfall, which is located in the midst of the park. This trail offers amazing sightseeing and spectacular views of the park.
Cycling along the Congo Nile Trail.
This path offers one of the most enjoyable bike experiences in East Africa. The route follows the shorelines of Lake Kivu before passing through Nyungwe forest.
Community tours
Community-based activities include a live cultural dance, handicraft making, farm stay, beekeeping, a tea plantation tour, and the opportunity to learn from traditional healers who use natural plants to supplement modern medicine and processed drugs. These activities will provide an opportunity to meet and learn about local communities and how they coexist with wildlife.
Other Safari destinations in Rwanda
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest National Park is located in western Rwanda and is one of the most magnificent and pristine rainforests on the planet. It is dominated by a chain of mountains that runs south from northern Uganda and Congo, via the Rwenzori highlands, western Rwanda, and Burundi, to the beaches of Lake Tanganyika. On a clear day, Nyungwe Forest National Park provides spectacular views of Lake Kivu and, in certain cases, the Virunga mountains. The forest includes a large network of well-kept walking and hiking paths that lead to numerous waterfalls and viewing sites. Chimp trekking, bird viewing, colobus monkey trekking, and the canopy walk are the most popular activities in the Nyungwe forest.
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is most renowned for mountain gorilla trekking. However, the park also offers a variety of other exciting activities. This park is part of the Virunga volcanoes, which are shared by Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Volcanoes national park has an evergreen bamboo forest as well as grassland, wetland, and heath habitats. Mountain gorillas are the main attraction at Volcanoes National Park, and gorilla trekking is available all year. Because of the high altitude, it is often chilly, especially in the early mornings and nights; bring a light sweater for these times. The park is just two hours from Kigali in Rwanda’s northwestern region making it accessible on your Rwanda safaris.
Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park, located in eastern Rwanda, has 2500 square kilometers of mostly Savannah terrain. The park takes its name from the Kagera River, which flows along Rwanda’s eastern border with Tanzania. Lake Ihema and several smaller water bodies in and around the park are fed by the river.
The park preserves an acacia and shrub environment with sections of open savanna grassland and a dozen marshy lakes typical of the African Savannah. The park has a high degree of biodiversity and is part of a huge protected wetland. Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s sole Savannah national park and the only area to see the majority of the large species when on safari.
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