There are lots of things to do in Gishwati-Mukura National Park. At Gishwati-Mukura, tourists have an abundance of exciting safari activities or experiences to indulge in. From primate trekking to cultural or community walks, travelers visiting Gishwati-Mukura for Rwanda safari holiday are never left out of choice.
Established in 2015 after merging of the Gishwati and Mukura Forest Reserves, Gishwati-Mukura National Park features as the newly founded National Park in Rwanda. Visiting Gishwati-Mukura for a holiday guarantees tourists refreshing experiences. The park occupies only 34sq.kms of land area, but naturally rich, hosting plentiful of primates such as the endangered Eastern chimpanzees, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, 232 bird species and more.
The popular activities or things to do in Gishwati-Mukura National Park: primate tracking, chimpanzee tracking, guided nature walks or hiking, birding, and more.
Chimpanzee tracking or trekking/primate tracking
Chimpanzee tracking is the major draw of Gishwati-Mukura National Park. It is a newly introduced experience awaiting tourists on Rwanda safaris in Gishwati-Mukura. A typical chimpanzee tracking experience in Gishwati-Mukura guarantees trekkers not only magical encounters with chimpanzees but also other diverse primate species including blue monkeys, baboons, l’hoest monkeys.
Chimpanzee treks are conducted on only habituated chimpanzees and Gishwati-Mukura comes second after Nyungwe Forest National Park as the only places in Rwanda to enjoy chimpanzee trekking adventure. Treks to see chimpanzees start early after briefing at the park offices and you will be expected to maintain a distance of 8m away from these apes. Chimpanzees are closest to humans, making them our relatives and this is the fact that they share up to about 98% of their DNA with human beings.
Nature walks/hiking
A guided nature walk is what allows you enjoy a close interaction with nature. Expect to encounter diverse creatures mostly forest dwellers like colorful butterflies, birds (such as martial eagle, wood hoopoes, crowned cranes, Rwenzori turacos, strange weavers, Rwenzori batis), primates like baboons, blue monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, and others.
Birding
Birding in Gishwati-Mukura N/Park allows you to look for some of the park’s 232 bird species. These include forest and Albertine rift endemic bird species. The available birds you should expect identifying here include the purple-breasted sunbird, mountain yellow warblers, grey crowned cranes, weaver birds, strip-breasted tit, red-throated alethe, regal sunbird, martial eagle, Ruwenzori batis, strange weavers, etc.
Biking/cycling
Different trails such as the Congo Nile trail offers the best of cycling or biking experience to enthusiastic cyclists or bikers at Gishwati-Mukura. The Congo Nile trail takes you through the scenic side of the park connecting to Lake Kivu and Nyungwe Forest National Park. Adjacent to Gishwati Mukura is the Congo Nile basin and in addition, the cycling or biking adventure lets you experience the rural life in the Rwanda countryside.
Community tours
Tourism in Rwanda is done with observance of eco-tourism principles. These focus on empowering and engaging local communities in the tourism income-generating initiatives. To support the different community initiatives, visitors are encouraged to be of the community or cultural tours in the local communities adjacent to Gishwati-Mukura National Park.
Birds of Gishwati-Mukura
232 bird species are all housed within Gishwati-Mukura making it an ideal birding spot for birders to explore on Rwanda safari. The park’s notable birds include the dusky crimson wing, wood hoopoe, Rwenzori batis, regal sunbird, Rwenzori turacos, martial eagle, purple-breasted sunbird, mountain yellow warblers, grey crowned cranes, red-throated alethe, grauer’s swamp warblers and more.
Wildlife/primates
Diversity of primates call Gishwati-Mukura a home, and these include blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, baboons, chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, etc.