Night walking safaris in Nyungwe national park

Night walking safaris in Nyungwe national park are among the exciting activities to do during visits to the destination which is located in the south western part of Rwanda.

Tourists visiting Nyungwe national park engage in night walking tours to see the different nocturnal wildlife species found at the destination which involves exploring the Nyungwe forests in the night with ranger guides.

The activity takes place daily during tours around Nyungwe national park and starts as early as 05:30 pm and goes on for about 3 hours. The national park is known for being home to various primate species and different bird species can also be seen around Nyungwe forest.

Depending on the location of the nocturnal animals found in Nyungwe national park, the night walking tour can take about 1 to 2 hours. This activity also allows tourists to watch the sunset in the forest as they begin their night time adventure in the forests.

During the night walks in Nyungwe national park the experienced ranger guides move with the tourists to search for the nocturnal wildlife species and also provide information about the forest and its inhabitants and also about the ecosystem of the forest.

The night walking safaris give tourists a chance to get a different view of Nyungwe national park and see wildlife species which maybe rarely spotted during tours in the day time at the destination. Some of the nocturnal wildlife species in the forest include bush babies, tree hyrax, chameleons, owls among others.

Different guidelines are provided to the tourists during a briefing done prior to taking part in the night walking safaris around the Nyungwe forest. These guidelines and safety measures communicated help to keep tourists safe as they explore the forest at night.

Some of the guidelines to follow during the walking safari in Nyungwe national park which is also a wildlife encounter in Rwanda include avoiding noise, not shining light into the eyes of the nocturnal animals, no littering among others. It is important to follow instructions of the guides to keep safe while in the forest.

The thrilling night walking safaris in Nyungwe national park allow tourists to experience the sounds of the forest at night and search for the different wildlife species in the dark.

Tourists are also provided with flashlights and headlamps to assist with viewing of the nocturnal animals in Nyungwe national park which can be seen during the night tours at the destination.  Other items to bring along for the night walking tour include comfortable hiking shoes, warm clothing, insect repellant, camera, binoculars among others.

Best time to visit Nyungwe national park

When visiting Nyungwe national park, the best time to engage in various activities at the destination including the night walking safaris is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September and also around January, February and December.

Other activities to do in Nyungwe national park

Apart from night walking safaris, tourists can engage in many other activities as they visit Nyungwe national park and they include the following;

• Chimpanzee trekking

Tourists visiting Nyungwe national park engage in chimpanzee trekking experiences which are popular during safaris in Rwanda.

The chimpanzee trekking experience which takes place in the morning and afternoon starts with a briefing at the park headquarters in Nyungwe national park before tourists move into the forest to search for the chimpanzees.

During the chimpanzee trekking experience in Nyungwe national park, tourists get to spend time with the chimpanzees and watch them closely and enjoy recording videos and taking pictures of them.

• Canopy walk

Another exciting activity which is done during a tour around Nyungwe national park is the canopy walk experience.

The canopy walk in Nyungwe national park is done along a bridge suspended about 60 meters off the ground. During this activity, tourists enjoy views of the forest canopy and also see different primates and bird species.

This activity can take about 2 hours during tours in Nyungwe national park and can also be done in the morning or in the afternoon.

• Bird watching

Around the Nyungwe forest, tourists can also see various bird species when engaging in bird watching experiences in the national park.

There are over 300 bird species found at the destination and some of the bird species in Nyungwe national park include Long-tailed Cormorant, Yellow Billed Stork, Malahcite Kingfisher, Black winged kite, Rwenzori Turaco, Grey Heron, Grey crowned crane, Handsome Spurfowl among others.

• Day nature walks

When visiting Nyungwe national park, tourists can also enjoy walking safaris during the day time and enjoy seeing different bird species and primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys among others.

Different trails are followed during these nature walks which can also be combined with hikes around the destination. Tourists move with ranger guides during the nature walks around Nyungwe national park.

• Hiking

Hiking is another activity which is done during tours around Nyungwe national park and there are different hiking trails found in the forest.

Some of the trails in Nyungwe forest national park used during hikes at the destination include the Igishigishigi trail, Imbaraga trail, Gisakura trail among others.

• Tea plantation tours

Tourists visiting Nyungwe forest national park can also visit the tea plantations around Gisakura and learn about how tea is picked the local way, packed, and processed. They can also try out the tea during this experience.

Where to stay during safaris in Nyungwe national park

Nyungwe national park has budget, midrange and luxury accommodation where tourists can spend their nights during their safaris in Rwanda.

Some of the lodges in Nyungwe national park include Uwinka campsite, Gisakura guest house, Nyungwe top view hotel, Nziza eco lodge, One and only Nyungwe house among others.

How to get to Nyungwe national park

Tourists can access Nyungwe national park by driving from Kigali which takes about 5 to 6 hours and another way to get to the national park is by flying to the Kamembe airport.