Hiking trails in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Hiking trails in Nyungwe Forest National Park: Hiking is one of the exciting and memorable safari experiences offered in Nyungwe forest national park, the park is prominent home for primates in Rwanda such as chimpanzee, olive baboons, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and many more. In the park’s forests, there is many beautiful species of plants and birds which are seen while walking in the forest, hiking in the forests of Nyungwe forest national park is done on many hiking trails which run through different regions of the park.

These trails are categorized into three depending on their geographical location that is between Kitabi and Uwinka center, at Uwinka reception and between Uwinka and Gisakura reception. These trails lead you many beautiful aspects of the park and they include

Trail beginning between Kitabi and Uwinka reception center include:

Ngabwe trail: Ngabwe trail is a trail of 4.7 kilometers beginning in 200 meters down the short side from the main 3 kilometers from kitabi reception side at the park entrance, this trail is famous for the best scenic views and good for bird watching. Ngabwe trail lies at the elevation of 2320 as the low point and 2730 as the high point, this trail is rated moderate to hike and it takes 3 hours to complete the hiking on this trail.

Bigugu trail: Bigugu trail is a trail of 13.2 kilometers lying on the elevation levels of 2367 meters as the low point and 2950 meters as the high point, Bigugu trail is named after Bigugu Mountain the highest mountain in Nyungwe forest national park standing at the altitude of 2950 meters above the sea level. This trail is rated difficult to hike and it takes approximately 6 hours to hike.

Muzimu trail: Muzimu trail is a trail of 5.2 kilometers round trip to the second summit running through the thick forests of Nyungwe forest national park, the trail lies on the elevation levels of 2516 meters as the low point and 2816 meters as the high point. This trail begins at the forested buffer zone and exits into the open area and hiking on this trail offers magnificent views of Lake Kivu and volcanoes as it is seen from a distance on clear days. this trail is rated moderate to hike and it takes approximately 3 – 4 hours of completion.

Rukuzi trail: Rukuzi trail is one of the longest hiking trails of 9.1 kilometers one way running through the forests of Nyungwe forest national park, this trail famous for its breathtaking views of Lake Kivu from a far and it is used for chimpanzee tracking experience. Rukuzi trail lies at the elevation levels of 2175 meters above the sea level as the low point and 2395 meters as the high point, this trail is rated difficult to trek and it takes approximately 5hours of completion of hiking experience on this trail.
Congo Nile divide trail: Congo Nile divide trail is a trail of 42.2 kilometers considerably the longest hiking trail in Nyungwe forest national park lying at elevation levels of 2366 meters as the low point and 2878 meters as the high point, the trail includes a spur to the source of Nile. Congo Nile divide trail is multiple days of hiking within the park leading you where Nile and Congo River separates at the world’s greatest river basins, this trail is rated difficult to hike and it takes approximately 3 days to completion of hiking on this trail.

Trails running in Nyungwe forest national park beginning at Uwinka reception include

Igishigishigi trail: Igishigishigi trail is a short hiking trail running a distance of 2.1 kilometers including road segment through the forests of Nyungwe forest national park, this trail begins at Uwinka reception and it lies at the elevations levels of 2295 meters above the sea level as the low point and 2450 meters above the sea level as the highest point. Igishigishigi trail is one of the most interesting a trailhead in Nyungwe leading to the canopy walk, the trail named after giant tree ferns locally called Igishigishigi in the local Kinyarwanda slag. This trail is rated as easy to hike and it takes 1.5 hours for completion.

Buhoro trail: Buhoro trail is a short hiking trail of 1.8 kilometers running through the forests of Nyungwe forest national park and beginning at Uwinka reception, this trail lies on elevation levels of 2386 meters above the sea level as the low point and 2450 meters as the high point. Buhoro trail’s name is a local slag meaning slow as the trail is one of the two shortest hiking trails in Nyungwe forest national park, this trail is rated as an easy trail to hike and it takes approximately 1.5 hours to finish the whole hiking experience on this trail.

Imbaraga trail: Imbaraga trail is a long trail of 9.8 kilometers lying on the elevation levels of 1950 meters as the lowest point and 2470 meters above the sea level as the highest point, this trail is named from a Rwandese slag meaning strength which describes the terrain of the trail requiring hiker’s strong physical fitness. Imbaraga trail rated difficult to hike and takes approximately 6 hours of completion

Irebero trail: Irebero trail is a trail of 3.6 kilometers round trip lying on the elevation levels of 2407 meters as the low elevation point and 2517 meters as the highest elevation point, Irebero trail is famous offering beautiful views of Rwanda’s borders and the magnificent lake kivu which makes it worth hiking, the trail’s name is a local slug meaning view’s point. This trail is rated as moderate to hike and takes approximately 3 hours of completion.

Umugote trail: Umugote trail is relatively a short hiking trail running through the forests of Nyungwe forest national park of 3.6 kilometers, hiking on this trail offers you scenic views of the mountain of Burundi and it lies at the altitude levels of 2350 meters above the sea level as the lowest point and 2460 meters as the highest level. Umugote trail is an amazing trail named after a unique Syzygium tree which is encountered along the trail, this trail is rated as a moderate trail to hike and it takes approximately 3 hours to complete the hike.

Umuyove trail: Umuyove trail is quite a long hiking trail of 5.5 kilometers together with Imbaraga trail spur, this trail lies on the altitude levels of 2120 meters as the lowest pint and 2450 meters as its highest level. Umuyove trail offers fantastic views of waterfalls and many beautiful species of plants and flowers, the trail consists of many giant mahogany trees and it’s these trees where the trail derives its name as they are referred to as Umuyove meaning mahogany. Umuyove trail is rated as a moderate trail to hike taking approximately 3.5 hours of completion.

Trails beginning between Uwinka and Gisakura reception centre

Kamiranzovu marsh trail: Kamiranzovu marsh trail is an exciting hiking trail to use while on hiking safari in Nyungwe forest national park, the trail is of 5.9 kilometers including road segment and lies on the altitude levels of 1940 meters above the sea level as its lowest point and 2140 meters above the sea level as its highest point. Kamiranzovu marsh trail is named after Kamiranzovu marsh which is the largest wetland in Nyungwe forest national park and it runs through this swamp, the trail is name is a combination of two local slugs such as kamira meaning Swallowing Nzovu locally meaning Elephant. Kamiranzovu swamp hosts a beautiful folk story behind it, local believes that Kamiranzovu swamp is where the last in the region disappeared from. Kamiranzovu marsh trail is rated a moderate trail to hike and it takes approximately 3 hours for completion.

Isumo waterfall trail: Isumo waterfall is an incredible trail in Nyungwe forest national park running covering a distance of 10.6 kilometers together with the road segment, Isumo waterfall trail is named after the magnificent tropical waterfall situated in the park in the names of Isumo waterfall and the name Isumo is a local slag meaning waterfall. This trail lies at the altitude of 1770 meters as the lowest point and 1940 meters as the highest trail, the trail starts from the Gisakura reception centre leading to Isumo waterfall where tourists get to enjoy magnificent views of the falls. Isumo waterfall is rated as a moderate trail to hike

Karamba trail: Karamba trail is a scenic hiking trail of 4 kilometers round trip, this trail is the pioneer trail in Nyungwe forest national park for bird watching experience in the forests. Karamba trail lies at the altitude of 1935 meters as its lowest point and 2030 as its highest point, the trail is an easy trail to hike and takes approximately 3 hours to finish the hiking this trail.

Uwinka trail: Uwinka trail is a hiking trail of 17.8 kilometers lying in the altitude of 1982 meters as the low point and 2500 meters as a high point, the trail is an incredible trail to hike while in Nyungwe forest national park starting from Irebero trailhead heading to Kamiranzovu marsh trailhead. Uwinka trail is ranked as a difficult trail to hike taking approximately 8 hours of hiking.