The forests sit on the ridge which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the incredibly biodiverse Albertine Rift in the west of the country. It is made up of 60 species of tree, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo. Gishwati is home to a group of 20 chimpanzees which live alongside golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s and Blue Monkeys. Birds are well represented too, 232 species have been seen at Gishwati and 163 at Mukura, among them Albertine Rift Endemic species and forest specialists. Activities in the park started in 2019 and include a guided nature hike, guided chimp and monkey tracking, bird watching and a visit to the waterfalls.
Famously known for its diverse plant species; over 60 species of trees like the bamboo and wood and a big number of Rwanda safari wildlife species; around 84 bird species. It is located in Ngororero and Rutsiro districts in the country’s Western province; covering an area of about 3,558 hectares. This park would have run extinct since during the 1994 genocide whereby most people left the country others went to the borders of the country; hence some ended up occupying the Gishwati and Mukura areas; they carried out farming, deforestation and illegal mining. Gishwati and Mukura are forests. In September 2015 a law was passed to have a joint National Park, hence the Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
Visits to Gishwati-Mukura can be done all-year-round, considering its favorable weather and climatic conditions. The most ideal time is during the dry season; June to September noted to be the long dry spell and short dry months run from December to February.
Gishwati-Mukura National Park experiences a wet and cool climate. Due to the close proximity to the equator, temperatures are very uniform throughout the year. Daytime temperatures are around 19°C/66°F and it cools off at night to about 11°C/52°F. Bring warm, waterproof clothing and good hiking shoes whenever you visit.
The largest animal or wildlife population in Gishwati-Mukura comprise of primates and other primates. The popular primates to explore while at this park include l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, the vervet monkeys, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, golden monkeys and chimpanzees. There are also many small mammals and they include the black fronted duikers, hyrax, mongoose, and many others. The chimpanzees of Gishwati forests are without a doubt the main draw of the national park, but there are many other interesting activities in the park. Gishwati and Mukura Forests are a very unique places and it’s wonderful to just go for a hike and experience the rainforest, catch your breath and regain energy from the nature. There are great hikes in the park some of which pass by one of the many beautiful waterfalls in the park. There are also several other interesting animal species in the forests apart from the chimpanzees.
By road travel; getting to Gishwati-Mukura is possible within 2 to 3 hours’ drive from Kigali. For a smooth road travel, we recommend a 4×4 drive vehicle.
232 bird species live in Gishwati Mukura and these include about 10 Albertine rift species and about 163 of them exist at Mukura Forest. The bird species to expect to see include the mountain yellow warblers, Rwenzori batis, grauer’s swamp, regal sunbird, Rwenzori turacos, martial eagle, purple breasted sunbird, dusky crimson wing, strange weavers, and many others.
