Gishwati Mukura National Park 

Rwanda’s fourth national park, Gishwati Mukura is made up of two separate forests – the larger Gishwati and small Mukura, forming a total of 34 square kilometres plus a buffer zone.

Introducing Gishwati Mukura National Park

The forests sit on the ridge which divides the Congo and Nile water catchment areas, along the incredibly biodiverse Albertine Rift in the west of the country. It is made up of 60 species of tree, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo. Gishwati is home to a group of 20 chimpanzees which live alongside golden monkeys, L’Hoest’s and Blue Monkeys. Birds are well represented too, 232 species have been seen at Gishwati and 163 at Mukura, among them Albertine Rift Endemic species and forest specialists. Activities in the park started in 2019 and include a guided nature hike, guided chimp and monkey tracking, bird watching and a visit to the waterfalls.

Experience the Gishwati Mukura National Park

  • Wildlife
  • Birdlife

Wildlife at the Gishwati Mukura National Park

The largest animal or wildlife population in Gishwati-Mukura comprise of primates and other primates. The popular primates to explore while at this park include l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, the vervet monkeys, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, golden monkeys and chimpanzees. There are also many small mammals and they include the black fronted duikers, hyrax, mongoose, and many others.

The chimpanzees of Gishwati forests are without a doubt the main draw of the national park, but there are many other interesting activities in the park. Gishwati and Mukura Forests are a very unique places and it’s wonderful to just go for a hike and experience the rainforest, catch your breath and regain energy from the nature. There are great hikes in the park some of which pass by one of the many beautiful waterfalls in the park. There are also several other interesting animal species in the forests apart from the chimpanzees.

Gishwati Forest have several hiking trails of varied difficulty and with the chance of seeing different animals, insects and plants. As of now, there are no hiking trails in Mukura Forest and it remains relatively inaccessible to visitors. As Gishwati Forest is a national park, all park activities are done together with a qualified guide. The guide is included in the price of entrance fee to the park.

Birdlife at the Gishwati Mukura National Park

Gishwati Forest is a truly unique birding habitat with several endemic birds and more than 200 recorded species. For bird watching in Gishwati you need to go with a professional guide. The park office can supply you with a birding list and a map with recommended trails through the park. If you want a bird walk with a professional bird guide this needs to be prearranged with the park office. Contact the park office to arrange this.

232 bird species live in Gishwati Mukura and these include about 10 Albertine rift species and about 163 of them exist at Mukura Forest. The bird species to expect to see include the mountain yellow warblers, Rwenzori batis, grauer’s swamp, regal sunbird, Rwenzori turacos, martial eagle, purple breasted sunbird, dusky crimson wing, strange weavers, and many others.

Best time to visit Gishwati Mukura National Park

Visits to Gishwati-Mukura can be done all-year-round, considering its favorable weather and climatic conditions. The most ideal time is during the dry season; June to September noted to be the long dry spell and short dry months run from December to February. By road travel; getting to Gishwati-Mukura is possible within 2 to 3 hours’ drive from Kigali. For a smooth road travel, we recommend a 4×4 drive vehicle.

Gishwati Mukura National Park enjoys favorable weather & climatic conditions throughout the year. It experiences largely the tropical-equatorial kind of climate with temperatures often kept moderate all year-round. Average temperature rise is about 77 degrees Fahrenheit and this is during day and at night, it falls to 64 degrees F. The Kivu belt or region remains as one of the wettest areas in Rwanda. Rains can be experienced at any time of the year and preferably, the dry season is the best to go Rwanda safaris in Gishwati-Mukura National Park. There is long dry season which runs from June to September and the short dry spell that is experienced from December to February.



Related Top Destinations Rwanda

Akagera National Park

Volcanoes National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park

Gishwati Mukura National Park