Gishwati Mukula National Park
Gishwati Mukula National Park: The newest National Park in Rwanda, Gishwati Mukura, was created in 2015 as a result of the merger of Gishwati and Mukura forests. Although Gishwati Mukura National Park is the smallest of Rwanda‘s national parks, covering a total of 34 square kilometers, there is much to discover, including various primate species, breathtaking views, and bird species, when visiting. The primary goal of the park’s establishment was to conserve a number of wildlife features that were found in both forests.
Over the years, Rwanda has gained notoriety for its national parks with towering volcanoes, hiking trails through the Virunga highlands, gorilla trekking routes, and golden monkey trekking. With the creation of Gishwati Mukura National Park and the wildlife populations that can be seen when visiting the park, it is evident that the park will be among the most popular destinations for tourists interested in viewing a number of primate species in relatively undisturbed eco-systems in Rwanda. Akagera National Park is known for the big five animals in Rwanda and is the only park in Rwanda where you can participate in the boat cruise, which is the boat cruise on Lake Ihema. Nyungwe National Park is known for the canopy walk in Rwanda and chimpanzee trekking.
Activities At The National Park Of Gishwati Mukura
Participating in a variety of activities during your park visit will provide you with an incredible experience and make your Rwanda safari truly unforgettable. These activities include;
Trekking with chimpanzees
The Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda is the well-known location for chimpanzee trekking. There are two chimpanzee troop locations in Cyamudongo and Nyungwe forests, where you can visit and spend an hour with the troop. The main activity offered at Gishwati Mukura is chimpanzee trekking. Interested tourists should be aware that the activity begins early in the morning when they are met at the reception area and given a briefing on the rules and regulations that must be followed while chimpanzee trekking in the park.
Following the lesson, you will travel to the park to spend an hour examining the many features of the habituated chimpanzee troops in the wild. You will learn about a number of fascinating facts about chimpanzees, such as the fact that females develop red swellings on their lower bodies and that you can witness the adult females in the chimpanzee troops caring for and nursing their young. Although you can go chimpanzee trekking in Gishwati Mukura National Park year-round, it is recommended to go during the dry months when it is easier to navigate the park than during the rainy months, which run from October to May. The latter tend to make the park quite slippery, which can make your experience there uncomfortable.
Monkey trekking
During your Rwandan safari, you can witness a variety of monkey species at Gishwati Mukura National Park, which will provide you with an unforgettable experience. Some of the monkey species you will track include L’hoest’s monkey, golden monkey, Mona monkey, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, silver monkeys, and baboons, among other fascinating primate species that you will get to observe in the wild and take pictures of for an unforgettable and fulfilling experience.
Observing birds
To ensure that your Rwandan birding experience is one to remember, Gishwati Mukura National Park need to be on your list of places to visit. For this reason, you should always remember to have your birding checklist when going birding, as the park is home to 232 different bird species, 15 of which are indigenous to the libertine rift. Among the various bird species that can be observed are the gorgeous Francolin, the long-crested eagle, and the Rwenzori Batis. A few bird species that can add some uniqueness to your activity are the dusky turtle love, paradise flycatcher, red-faced woodland warbler, African Rwenzori, double-collared sunbird, marsh harrier, Ruwenzori turaco, common moorhen, and Ruwenzori night jar.
Visiting waterfalls
When you visit the Kazaneza waterfalls in the center of Gishwati Mukura National Park, you’ll find that there’s more to explore. In addition to providing satisfying vistas that are good for taking pictures of, the waterfalls in the park allow you to enjoy picnics and the company of several primates who come to drink from the bottom of the falls to relieve their thirst.