Nyungwe National Park Inscribed as a World Heritage Site

Rwanda's Best Preserved Natural Forest!

The 19th of September is a historical day for Rwanda as Nyungwe National Park was inscribed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The news was widely celebrated as one of Rwanda’s iconic safari destinations got recognition for its diversity and natural value.

Nyungwe National Park is located in southwestern Rwanda about 6 hours drive from Kigali Rwanda’s capital. It covers a land area of 1,019 square kilometers and is Rwanda’s most important birding area. This forested National Park even though popularly known for chimpanzees has 12 other primate species. These include colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and L’hoest monkeys among others.

Nyungwe National Park making it to the list of World Heritage Sites is not surprising at all as the park is truly diverse. The forest is among the oldest and well maintained tropical rainforests in East and Central Africa. The plant species here are underrated and not yet fully explored.

What is a World Heritage Site?

A world heritage site is an unspoiled area of Natural, Historical, and Cultural Significance. Nyungwe National Park is one of the well-maintained natural habitats in Rwanda and it is the primary reason for its inscription as a world heritage site.

For any country’s attraction to be considered for a World Heritage list nomination, they must have signed a World Heritage Convention. Here they pledge to protect their heritage. This can be natural in terms of wildlife or man-made relating to culture. After this, it is when proposals for the properties they hope to be listed are submitted.

After the submission, the next steps include a tentative list of the property by the country where it is situated. The nomination file is then prepared with guidance and advice from the World Heritage Centre. This covers important documents and maps of the property to be listed. Once fully exhausted, the files are submitted to the advisory bodies for evaluation. The next step is the evaluation by the World Heritage Committee which meets once a year to decide on the sites to be inscribed in the World Heritage Site.

Nyungwe National Park is not the only World Heritage Site in Rwanda. The Rwanda genocide memorial sites of Gisozi, Nyamata, Murambi, and Bisesero are also listed.

Activities to Do in The Park

Chimpanzee trekking is the major activity done in Nyungwe Forest. There are two major chimpanzee trekking sectors one at Uwinka and the other at Cyamudongo. Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe is enjoyable as you get to meet man’s closest primates.

Birding is another Must-do activity when visiting the park. The park has many species including 3 species that do not occur in any other place in the western arm the Albertine Rift Valley. March throughout May are the best times for birding safaris in Nyungwe.

There are a number of guided nature walks you can be part of. These include the canopy walk along East Africa’s only canopy walkway, a walk to the waterfalls, and others following the different trails in the forest.

Nyungwe Safari Packages

Nyungwe Forest National Parks’ diversity makes it a prime destination for safari adventures. Chimpanzee trekking tours top the list as people seek to meet one of man’s closest primates in the wild. The park recently introduced the chimpanzee habituation experience at Kiyovu. Chimpanzee habituation is experiential and allows you more time studying chimps.

We have a number of safari adventures to Nyungwe Forest that you can be part of. Our top seller safaris include chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe and Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. The 5-day Rwanda Primates safari covers that with a canopy walk and golden monkey trekking safari. You can opt for a 4 to 5-day customized Nyungwe Safari tour if you only interested in visiting the forested park.

The 10-day Rwanda safari is extensive to features Nyungwe forest, Akagera and Volcanoes National Park. Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only savanna wildlife destination. It is East and Central Africa’s largest protected wetland and home to several bird species. Akagera is Rwanda’s second most Important Birding Area after Nyungwe forest. A combined safari to Nyungwe forest and Akagera is therefore ideal for birding Discovery Journeys.

Other World Heritage Sites

East Africa has several other destinations that are World Heritage Sites. These are diverse and offer exclusive safari experiences just like Nyungwe Forest National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda tops the list. The park is home to mountain gorillas with over 20 habituated gorilla families. Bwindi is not just home to mountain gorillas but also chimpanzees, forest elephants, buffaloes, birds and several plant species.

Our Discovery Journeys to Bwindi focus on mountain gorilla trekking and the habituation experience. The park can be explored in a 3-day gorilla tour or the the 3-day gorilla habituation tour. Mountain gorilla habituation only takes place in the southern sector of the park called Rushaga. 4 gorilla habituation permits are available per day and it is recommended to book in advance to avoid missing out.

For more extensive savanna wildlife safari experiences, you can join our Kenya family safaris and Visit Northern Tanzania. Kenya has several World Heritage Sites including Lake Turkana National Parks and Fort Jesus.

World Heritage Sites in Tanzania include the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro among others. The Ngorongoro Crater is World’s largest unfilled caldera. It is located in northern Tanzania and is home to several wildlife species including the Big Five Mammals. Tanzania safari adventures here are exclusive and remarkable.