Nyungwe Forest & Lake Kivu
chimps, canopy walks and slow lakeside days in rwanda's far west
About Nyungwe Forest & Lake Kivu
In Rwanda's south-west, Nyungwe National Park protects one of the oldest and largest stretches of mountain rainforest in Africa, a rolling sea of hardwoods, tree ferns and orchids along the ridge dividing the Nile and Congo basins. Just west of the forest, Lake Kivu stretches north towards the Virunga volcanoes, a long, deep lake shared with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Track chimpanzees at dawn, follow troops of Angolan colobus that can number in the hundreds, and look for L'Hoest's monkeys on the forest edge. A suspension walkway carries you high above a forested valley, and trails lead to waterfalls and through tea estates on the park boundary. On Lake Kivu, life slows down: kayak to small islands, swim in cool, clear water, cycle or hike the Congo Nile Trail along the shore, and at dusk listen to fishermen singing as they row their three-hulled boats out to set their nets.
Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe is open to visitors aged 15 and over. June to September and December to February bring easier trails, though rain is always possible in a rainforest. Nyungwe is a long, scenic drive from Kigali, and the lakeside towns of Rusizi, Karongi and Rubavu link it with Volcanoes National Park, so one week can cover gorillas, chimps and the lake.