Bird watching in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Bird watching in Nyungwe Forest National Park: Â Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the oldest rain forests in Africa. It lies in the southwestern part of Rwanda, close to Lake Kivu, and borders Burundi in the south. The national park was first established as a forest reserve in the 19th century and later upgraded to a national park in 2004. It covers an area equal to 970 square kilometers and Nyungwe is home to different wildlife species, including 75 mammals like duikers, bush pigs, and giant forest hogs and 13 primate species like chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, dwarf galagos, butterflies, and many others that are not mentioned.
The Park is one of Rwanda’s most popular birding destinations, with over 310 recorded species, including 25 Albertine Rift endemics, 11 of the 23 Guinea-Congo Forest Biomes, Montana Birds, migratory birds, and many others. Bird watching in Nyungwe Forest National Park is typically done in the early morning or late evening, and you will be accompanied by a professional bird guide and well-constructed birding trails such as the karambi trail, bigugu trail, gisakuru trail, and many others, allowing you to spot various bird species such as the blue turaco, white-tailed flycatcher, Chapin’s chested bee-eater, red-throated alether, Ruwenzori among other species of birds
Watching birds In Nyungwe Forest as the tourist activity takes place both inside the forest and along the paved high road that cuts through the forest (Butare-Cyangugu). Bird The high standing forest canopy that makes it difficult to not only see but also identify high flying birds makes watching in Nyungwe Forest (inside forest) challenging. This necessitates that you travel with reasonably good zoom equipment to support your bird watching excursions. The activity of bird watching in Nyungwe forest bird watching is incredibly rewarding, you must realize that the activity is still in its infancy in Rwanda, and the guides are only moderately knowledgeable but developing. When attempting to accurately identify some bird species, you may need to rely on a pocket field guide from Africa adventure vacations who will lead you to this great experience in the forest of Nyungwe.
Best time to visit Nyungwe Forest National Park for bird watching: Bird watching is possible throughout the year in Nyungwe Forest National Park, but the Best time to visit Nyungwe for bird sightings is during the wet season, which runs from March to May and September to November. There is plenty of food for the birds during these months, so you will be able to see a variety of species.
Other activities in Nyungwe Forest National Park
In Nyungwe Forest National Park, there are many activities done there apart from bird watching. Many activities have been engaged in this area, like chimpanzee trekking, where you will be able to spend time with chimpanzees. Nature walks, canopy walks, tropical waterfall hikes, and Colobus monkey trekking are all activities that allow you to see various primate monkeys such as the tailed monkey, grey monkey, cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, Angola Colobus monkey, and others. You need to rely on the services of a well reputable tour company like Africa adventure vacations to enjoy the best safari experience of bird watching.