Nyungwe National Park located in the western Great Rift Valley, stretching from Lake Albert to the Lake Tanganyika in southwest Rwanda, partly abutting the Burundi border, one of the oldest rainforest in Africa and the largest expanse of the country, covering 1.019 square kilometres of dense Afromontane forests, bamboo - covered slopes, grasslands and wetlands stands out as a model of sustainable tourism and environmental preservation that serves as example to the rest of the global industry.
A testament to resilience to extreme climate change since the ice age, Nyungwe National Park was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the same time as the international community praises it for its success in combining community integration with environmental sustainability.
The current National Park was initially declared a reserve in 1933 and upgraded to a national park in 2005 overcoming significant challenges such as logging, illegal mining and poaching.
The adaptation of tea plantations as community cooperative proved fundamental to balance human development with environmental preservation and today Nyungwe National Park thrives and also contributes significantly to the local economy while still protecting its rich biodiversity.
Nowadays the park is home to 13 species of primates, including a growing population of chimpanzees and the largest megatrope of black and white colobus in Africa made up of more tham 400 individuals and is also a crucial destination for ornithology, hosting in its vast territory composed by forests, mountains and valleys 317 species of birds, some which are endemic to the Albertine Rift region.
Nyungwe's tourism infrastructure alternates accessibility with sustainability, highlighted by its canopy walkway, which rises more than 75 metres above the forest floor, allowing visitors immersive experiences with spectacular panoramic views of one of the most stunning landscapes in Africa.
The offer is expanded with new accommodation options and activities such as zip lines and expeditions that allow visitors to explore this ancient environment in a deeper way, discovering and enjoying the beauty of this national park, unique in its kind.
The efforts of individuals like Claver Ntoyinkima, an inspiring ranger leader and role model for his more than two decades dedicated work in Nyungwe National Park, has been crucial to these brilliant achievements.
Claver Ntoyinkima, who won the 2024 Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award for his exceptional dedication to primate and bird conservation in Rwanda, has inspired the local community to value and protect its rich natural heritage, ensuring that it continues to be a relevant example of African success in conservation and a testament to the balance between environmental preservation and community development.
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