Gishwati Mukura National Park.

The newest and most recent national park in Rwanda, Gishwati-Mukura is renowned for its wide variety of plant life, including over 60 varieties of bamboo and timber trees as well as 84 bird species that are part of the country’s safari biodiversity.
Situated in the Western province of the country, it spans around 3,558 hectares and is situated in the districts of Ngororero and Rutsiro.
This park would have become extinct because, during the genocide of 1994, the majority of people fled the nation and others fled to its borders.

As a result, some of these individuals ended up occupying the Gishwati and Mukura areas, where they engaged in farming, deforestation, and illicit mining.
Mukura and Gishwati are woods.

The Gishwati-Mukura was created after a bill was approved in September 2015 creating a joint national park.

The main attraction of Gishwati-Mukura National Park is chimpanzee tracking.

The park’s history

One of Africa’s newest national parks is Gishwati Mukura National Park. Gishwati-Mukura National Park formally opened to the public on December 1st, 2020.

Prior to the official inauguration of Gishwati Mukura National Park, there was a protracted and difficult journey to preserve one of the last remaining montane rain forests in central Africa.

At last, the forest can now be experienced by visitors in the same manner as it has been for thousands of years.
The Kivu Belt region of Rwanda is home to the broken-up montane rainforest known as Gishwati Mukura National Park.

It is a portion of the forest known as the Congo-Nile Divide, which formerly covered the whole mountain range that separates the Nile Water Basin from the Congo Water Basin, extending from the Congo to Burundi.

The Gishwati Forest, Mukura Forest, Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda, and Kibira National Park in Burundi are among the modern remnants of these forest complexes.
Despite being a component of the same national park, the Gishwati and Mukura woods are separated by about 50 kilometers.

There are plans to reforest the entire area between them into a single forest, which would span an area that is nearly as vast as Nyungwe Forest. The entire area has been set aside for conservation as a National Park.

A rainforest corridor connecting Nyungwe Forest to Gishwati and Mukura Woods is another topic of discussion.

Attractions to see in Gishwati-Mukura National Park.

 Wildlife

In Gishwati-Mukura National Park, primates, various animals, and reptiles make up the majority of the biodiversity.
These include side-striped jackals, chameleons, pottos, galagos, Rwenzori sun squirrels, Eastern chimpanzees, golden monkeys, hoest monkeys, and serval genets.

Plant species

Gishwati-Mukura National Park is a magnificent park that is home to over sixty different plant species.

These consist of numerous tree species, carapa grandiflora, huge tree ferns, and prunus Africana.

Water falls

Gishwati-Mukura National Park is blessed with beautiful waterfalls.
This is because of its proximity to several rivers, including the Sebeya, Rucanzogera, Pfunda, Satinyisi, and Secoko rivers.

Avian

Bird-watching tours and primate trekking safaris can both be done in the park.
In this park alone, over 232 bird species have been identified, with Albertine Rift and Forest bird species having the biggest populations.
These consist of the Rwenzori turacos, Kivu ground thrush, Rwenzori apalis, weird weavers, Archer’s ground robin, mountain sooty boubou, large blue turacos, dusky crimson wing, and grey-crowned cranes.

The people and customs

Going beyond tracking primates, the park is worth exploring.

The exciting cultural events that take place in the nearby local communities are also open to visitors.
There are local initiatives to visit and discover more about African cultures, encompassing customs, cattle rearing, beekeeping, crafting, and much more.

You can also enjoy traditional music performances and dances.

Activities to do at Gishwati Mukura National Park.

Trekking or tracking chimpanzees or primates

Interactions with chimpanzees, a standard chimpanzee tracking trip in Gishwati-Mukura ensures trekkers will also see a variety of other primates, such as blue monkeys, baboons, and hoest monkeys.

The only locations in Rwanda where one may experience chimpanzee trekking are Gishwati-Mukura and Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Chimpanzee treks are exclusively done on habituated chimps.
After receiving training at the park headquarters, chimpanzee treks begin early.

You are expected to keep an 8-meter space between you and the apes.

After receiving training session at the park headquarters, chimpanzee treks begin early.

You are expected to keep an 8-meter space between you and the apes.
Due to the fact that they and humans share up to 98% of the same DNA, chimpanzees are the closest living relatives of humans.

Hiking and walking in the natural environment.

The way to experience a close-up encounter with nature is through a guided nature walk.
Expect to see a variety of animals, most of which are forest residents.

These include vibrant butterflies, primates like baboons, blue monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, and birds (including martial eagles, wood hoopoes, crowned cranes, Rwenzori turacos, weird weavers, and Rwenzori batis), and others.

Observing birds

One can go birdwatching and search for a few of the 232 bird species found there.
Among these are indigenous bird species found in forests and the Albertine Rift.

The purple-breasted sunbird, mountain yellow warblers, grey-crowned cranes, weaver birds, strip-breasted tit, red-throated alethe, regal sunbird, martial eagle, Ruwenzori batis, unusual weavers, and other species are among those you can expect to identify here.

Cycling and biking

Enthusiastic cyclists and bikers at Gishwati-Mukura can enjoy the finest cycling and biking experiences on many tracks, like the Congo Nile trail.

The Congo Nile trail connects to Nyungwe Forest National Park and Lake Kivu, passing through the park’s picturesque side.
The Congo Nile basin is next to Gishwati Mukura, and the biking or cycling excursion also allows you to experience the countryside lifestyle in Rwanda.

Local excursions

Eco-tourism standards are adhered to when conducting tourism in Rwanda.
These are centered on involving and empowering the local community in the projects that generate revenue from tourism.

Visitors are urged to participate in cultural tours or community service in the nearby settlements in order to support the various community activities.

Gishwati-Mukura Birds

With 232 different bird species housed there, Gishwati-Mukura is a great place for birders to visit when on safari in Rwanda.

The purple-breasted sunbird, mountain yellow warblers, grey-crowned cranes, red-throated alethe, grauer’s swamp warblers, dusky crimson wing, wood hoopoe, Rwenzori batis, regal sunbird, Rwenzori turacos, martial eagle, and more are among the park’s noteworthy avian inhabitants.

Primates and wildlife

Gishwati-Mukura is home to a wide variety of primates, including chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, hoest monkeys, baboons, and blue monkeys.

Plan and book your safari to Africa’s newest park.

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