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.
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.
A population of around 35 chimpanzees remain in Gishwati Forest. Since Gishwati Forest was only recently made into a national park and has been closed to visitors for many years, this group of chimpanzees have not been habituated. This means that they are not used to humans and will be scared if approached. Chimpanzee trekking is still possible in Gishwati Forest, but not in the same way as to one of the habituated groups in Nyungwe Forest. There is no guarantee to see chimpanzees during a chimpanzee trek in Gishwati and if chimpanzees are spotted getting close is very difficult.
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.
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.
Gishwati Forest is a truly unique birding habitat with several endemic birds and more than 200 recorded species.
There are several species of primates found in Gishwati Forest apart from the eastern chimpanzee. Golden monkey is the most famous of these species and can be found in large groups throughout the forest. Trekking these primates can be an interesting experience and you are sure to see many interesting animals during your trek. Golden monkey trekking starts early in the morning with a professional guide from the park. You will spend several hours trekking through the forest in search of one or several groups of primates.
