Nyungwe Forest National Park offers an unforgettable Rwanda primate safari. The park received reserve status in 1933 to save it from the increased threat of agricultural cleaning. Nyungwe enjoys an increasing amount of visitors since obtaining its national park status in 2004, . Indeed, those who embark on a Nyungwe Forest Primate Safari find themselves in the magnetic grips of its stellar biodiversity. It features more than 370 square miles of mountainous rainforest, lush grassland, and swamp. Additionally, it boast elevations ranging from 5,600 feet to 9,700 feet. In this corner of the Albertine Rift, the mix of geography creates a vast range of habitats for multiple creatures to thrive.

Nyungwe Forest Primate Safari

Nwungwe Forest National Park shelters more than 25-percent of Africa’s primate species. As such, a trek through the park promises to be an essential experience on any Rwanda primate safari. As such, it offers the adventurous traveler the chance to spot 14 different species of primates. These include the L’Hoest’s monkey, owl-faced monkey, black and white colobus, and the ever-popular chimpanzee, with many troops numbering in the hundreds.

In addition to its famous primates, Nyungwe Forest National Park also boasts a dense butterfly population and a number of endemic plants and animals not found anywhere else in Africa. Hiking and trekking expeditions in the park bring visitors incredibly close to the vast array of wildlife within its boundaries. A particularly rewarding experience awaits along the canopy walk, a 295-foot long bridge suspended 130 feet above the ground. From here, guests become eye level with the different primate species and various bird life hidden within the tree canopy.

Nyungwe Forest National Park borders the turquoise Lake Kivu. It is surrounded by mountains and split by the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Shifting rifts in the volcanic area contribute to the significant depth of the lake, one of the deepest in the world at 1,575 feet. Indeed, locals regularly harvest Nile tilapia, Tanganyika sardine, catfish, and barbel from the lake.

Contact your Ker & Downey representative to include the primates of Nyungwe Forest National Park in your next unforgettable Rwanda primate safari.