Gishwati mukura national park
Gishwati Mukura National Park is another national park in the land of a thousand hill Rwanda found in the northwest of Rwanda in close proximity with Lake Kivu, volcanoes national park and democratic republic of Congo. Gishwati Mukura National Park stretches through the Ruhango, muhonyi, kigeyo and Nyabirisi sectors of the Rutsiro district, covering an area of 992.48 hectares.
Gishwati Mukura Park came into existence after a law for a joint national park passed in 2015, due to illegal activities that were taking place in the forests of Gishwati and Mukura, such as deforestation, farming, mining and poaching of primates in the forest, there was a need to put a stop to these activities. In February 2016 the two forests were finally gazetted as a national park, thus Gishwati Mukura Park
What to see in Gishwati Mukura National Park
Gishwati Mukura National Park is an excellent breathing tourist destination hosting many attractions which are easily seen while in the park for a safari and these include
Primates
Primates are the greatest attraction in Gishwati Mukura Park, the huge population of primates in the forests makes it one of the great habitats of primates in Rwanda. In the thick forests there live a variety of animals, such as chimpanzees, golden monkeys, blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and baboons. These exciting primates, most especially chimpanzees, are easily seen in the park. Apart from primates, the park also hosts other animals such as wild cats and duikers.
Birds
Gishwati Mukura Park is home to many bird species, which are one of the things you enjoy seeing when you visit the park, the park is greatly dominated by forest trees, which are a perfect habitat for birds, which are estimated to be over 83 species, including Albertine rift endemics. These birds include the Red-throated Alethe, the Ruwenzori Turaco, the Strange Weaver, the Ruwenzori Batis, the Regal Sunbird, the Purple-breasted Sunbird, the Grey Crowned Crane, the Stripe-breasted Tit, the Martial Eagle, and many more.
Forest cover
Gishwati Mukura National Park encompasses around two forests, which are Gishwati forest and Mukura forest, these forest make the greatest habitat for animals in the park and also create an abundance of nature for nature lovers. The forests of Gishwati cover an area of 1439.72 hectares and Mukura covers an area of 1987. 74 are made of over 58 tree species, such as bamboos, ferns, Macaranga Kilimand, mahogany, orchids, dombeya torrida, eucalyptus, hagenia abyssinica, Macaranga, Polyscias fulva and many more, which are used for research and exciting to encounter.
What to do in Gishwati Mukura National Park
As a tourist thinking of visiting Gishwati Mukura Park for a safari, the first question that runs through your mind is what to do in the park. Well, Focus East Africa tours is glad to explain to you and also list activities to do while on your safari in Gishwati Mukura National Park.
Primate watching
Gishwati Mukura National Park is a great primate habitat in Rwanda and primate watching is the main highlight of the park, as it is loved by many tourists visiting the park. The park hosts a variety of primates living in the thick forests dominating the park, these primates include golden monkeys, blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, baboons and chimpanzees, which are in a larger population than all other primates. On a primate-watching expedition, you also get to see other forest wildlife like wild cats, duikers and birds. primate watch begins from the park’s headquarters with a briefing and then proceeds to the forest, where you encounter numerous forest creatures.
Birdwatching
Gishwati Mukura National Park is a wonderful tourist destination when it comes to bird-watching safaris. the park is a fairytale garden for bird enthusiasts, as it is home to over 83 colorful bird species and ranked as one of the best birding areas in Rwanda. Gishwati Mukura Park is dominated by forest trees, which habit bird species such as the Red-throated Alethe, Ruwenzori Turaco, Strange Weaver, Ruwenzori Batis, Regal Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Grey Crowned Crane, Stripe-breasted Tit, Martial Eagle and many more. Among the bird species, there is the Albertine rift species which only endemic to the Albertine rift.
Cultural encounters
Rwanda as a country promotes eco-tourism and in the same vein, Gishwati Mukura Park offers cultural visits to local communities living adjacent to the park, on cultural encounter safaris in the local communities, you can visit local farms in their gardens and witness cultural performances, including local dance, drama, songs and storytelling. You also get to learn how to make local crafts and prepare traditional foods, visiting local communities is a way of supporting the development of local communities, supporting cultural dances and drama, and also promoting local art. The initiative of supporting and promoting the local communities is spearheaded by Rwanda Development Board in partnership with The Great Ape Trust
Hiking and guided nature walks
Hiking and guided nature walks in Gishwati Mukura National Park are very amazing experiences; the park consists of well-established trails that run through the thick forests of the park, where amazing hiking and guided nature walks take place. One of the most remarkable trails for nature walks and hiking in Gishwati Mukura National Park leads to the magnificent Kazeneza waterfall. These activities provide amazing and thrilling experiences as you encounter the park’s beauty, which includes various plant species such as bamboo, ferns, Macaranga Kilimand, mahogany, orchids, dombeya torrida, eucalyptus, hagenia abyssinica, Macaranga, and Polyscias fulva.
In the same activity you get to encounter wildlife in the park such as chameleons, insects, birds like Grey Crowned Crane, Martial Eagle, Mountain Yellow Warblers, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Red-throated Alethe, Regal Sunbird, Ruwenzori Batis, Ruwenzori Turaco, Weaver birds, and Wood hoopoes, Strange weavers and primates like chimpanzees, blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, baboons, which live in the park.
Biking safaris on Congo Nile trail
Biking safaris in Gishwati Mukura National Park take place on the Congo Nile trail, the Congo Nile trail offers one of the most thrilling and best biking experiences in East Africa. This trail passes through the shorelines of Lake Kivu to Nyungwe Forest, and it is situated close to Gishwati Mukura National Park, allowing tourists to experience the amazing attractions of Rwanda.
When to visit Gishwati Mukura National Park
Gishwati Mukura National Park is open to receive visitors throughout the year for a safari; the park experiences a temperate type of climate with two wet seasons and two dry seasons. Gishwati Mukura National Park experiences a long and short wet season; the long wet season is received from mid-February to May and the short rainfall season is received from October to mid-December. The dry season in Gishwati Mukura National Park consists of a long dry season from June to September and a shorter dry season from mid-December to mid-February; as a travel expert, I recommend visiting the park during the long dry season, specifically in June, July, August, or September for the best safari experience.
The long, dry period is best for activities like chimpanzee tracking, birding, hiking, and nature walks; in this period, the park is apparently dry, with fewer muddy tracks and fewer mosquitoes and bugs. This season also corresponds with the summer months in the United Kingdom, North America, and Europe, which are the best traveling times.
How to get to Gishwati Mukura National Park
Gishwati Mukura National Park is situated in the northwest region of Rwanda, about a 2-3 hour drive from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, to the Rutsiro district. the park is accessed by road and by road you can use public or private means of transport to get to the park for an amazing safari.
Where to sleep in Gishwati Mukura National Park
Gishwati Mukura National Park is surrounded by many accommodation facilities, which offer a comfortable place to stay for tourists while visiting the park for a safari; these accommodation facilities include Gishwati lodge.
