Birding Tours in Nyungwe Forest National Park | Bird Species

Birding tours in Nyungwe Forest National Park: Embark on a birding tour and get a chance to explore your favorite bird species in their natural environment.

Nyungwe is home to about over 345 bird species and includes endemic and forest species. Nyungwe Forest National Park is birders’ favorite birding destination in Rwanda, offering abundant bird watching opportunities each travel calendar.

Established in 2004, Nyungwe is largely a montane forest and is Rwanda’s 2nd biggest Park. This birding safari park sits on an area of 970 sq. km and supports not only birds but also primates/other mammals.

Nyungwe Forest & Its Bird Species

The bird species that have been recorded in Nyungwe National Park include the Shelley’s crimson-wing, Kungwe apalis, Eastern mountain greenbul, purple-breasted sunbirds, Archer’s robin chat, and mountain masked apalis.

Nyungwe also boasts of birds such as the dwarf honey guide, strange weaver birds, red-faced woodland, Rockefeller’s sunbirds, & bar-tailed trogons. Albertine owlets, yellow-eyed black flycatchers, red-throated alethe, red-collared babblers, dusky crimson wing, and stripe-breasted tit.

Additional birds in Nyungwe include Rwenzori batis, Congo-bay owlets, Kivu ground thrush, Neumann’s warblers, blue headed sunbirds, to mention but a few.

Nyungwe Forest Birding Trails To Explore by Bird Watchers

The Nyungwe Birding Trails

The popular birding paths/trails to conquer include Kamiranzovu, Karamba, Gisakura, and Bigugu. Each of these birding trails guarantees astonishing bird sightings.

Kamiranzovu Birding Trail

Explore Kamiranzovu trail, a popular birding spot which covers 6 km. A guided birding excursion on this trail comes with possible bird sightings such as the Grey crested Kakamega, Grauer’s swamp, and more.

Karamba birding trail

Explore the 4-km Karamba trail and get a chance to spot birds such as Archer’s robin chat, yellow-eyed black flycatchers, blue-headed sunbirds, and others.

Gisakura

Birds to spot along the Gisakura trail include the short-tailed warblers, Kivu ground thrush, regal sunbirds, & mountain masked apalis.

Bigugu birding trail

Enjoy a 13-km birding excursion on the Bigugu trail. Bird sightings on this trail include, among others, the red-collared mountain warblers.

Birding Identification Basics

During the guided birding tour, key areas are always a focus for any birder. The key features to identify include patterns, colors, habitats, sounds, feeding, and singing.

An experienced guide can easily identify birds using the different features. Birds also love concentrating in certain topography landscapes and take their names based on the geographical locations.

Seasonality is essential when it comes to bird identification. Some birds converge in particular areas during a specific season. It can be due to breeding and food, a reason we also migrate.

More About Bird Watching in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Primates to see Nyungwe National Park

The primates that survive in Nyungwe Forest National Park include the blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, Angolan colobus monkeys, olive baboons, golden monkeys, silver monkeys, vervet monkeys, and Dent’s Mona monkeys.

Additional primates to explore on a Rwanda safari in Nyungwe National Park include owl-faced monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, and a chimpanzee population estimate of 500.

Birding Fees for Nyungwe National Park

Visitors on a birding tour in Nyungwe pay US Dollar 50 (for international tourists). The foreign residents in Rwanda are charged US Dollars 40 per day to embark on birding. The East African citizens (inclusive of the Rwandan people) pay RWF 5000.

What to pack for Birding Tours in Nyungwe

Items to pack for your Nyungwe Forest birding tour include field clothes, a pair of binoculars, a daypack, a sweater, a rain jacket, a camera plus extra batteries, gardening gloves, and a safari hat. Toiletries, a first aid kit, walking boots, trousers, and long-sleeved shirts.

Best Time to Visit Nyungwe for Birding Tours

Birding tours in Nyungwe Forest National Park can be organized and enjoyed at any time of the year. Off-peak months like April and November offer a rare opportunity for birders to explore not only resident birds, but also migratory species.

The peak months (June to September or December to February) offer excellent birding experiences characterized by minimal inconveniences from the heavy rainfalls. The paths remain drier for a longer period of time, with birders having a chance to navigate through the jungle with ease.

Accommodation Options for Birding Tours in Nyungwe Forest

Top places to stay during the Rwanda birding safaris in Nyungwe National Park include Nyungwe Nziza Eco-Lodge, & Nyungwe Top View Lodge. Or book overnight at Gisakura Guesthouse, One&Only Nyungwe House.

Getting to Nyungwe Forest for Birding Tours

Nyungwe Forest National Park is found in the Southern Province, and can be reached in just 6-7 hours’ drive. Journeys to Nyungwe start from Kigali, or you can also connect from Volcanoes National Park in a 4-5-hour drive.

A 4×4 tourist car is the ideal rental to consider for hire for your connectivity to Nyungwe National Park. By air travel, you can also cut down the long hours by booking and taking a flight from Kigali to Nyungwe.