Gishwati Mukura National Park is one of the newest conserved areas in Rwanda. The national park is made up of 2 forests Mukura and Gishwati, it is the smallest national park of Rwanda’ that was created in 2005 as a way of protecting the animal species that call this home more so the primate species of the chimpanzee, it covers an area space of approximately 34square Kilometers and is the less visited of the conservation areas of Rwanda. The national park straddles along borders of the Congo Nile basin which gives you an opportunity to witness some of the great Albertine region endemics and unique species.
The hilly landscape of the national park gives it a wonderful view of the surrounding greenly environment the forests have for long faced degradation from humans in search of land for farms and settlement, which greatly reduced to their size, thanks to the Rwandan government for the continued conservation policies there has been a great difference in the animal count of the park, the montane forest gives colorful mix of vegetation of montane forest, bamboo forest, an marshy swampy areas one of the most popular tree species of the national park is the carapa grandifolia, the giant tree fans, these toppled with the many primates, birds, butter flies is magical to visit and witness, the many waterfalls and trails of the forest give chance to view through the many forest features.
Chimpanzee an golden monkeys are the major primates of the Gishwati Mukura National Park, over 25 eastern chimpanzee species have been recorded to date in the national park, they live in families of up to 10 members led through by a male alpha chimpanzee love to feed through the forest and can mean to be messy when eating it is possible to sight where they have been by search for their eating points, they are loud and have been scientifically proven to share 98%of the human DNA, they are social, intelligent species there are many species of the mountain monkey also known as the L’hoest monkeys living with the ecosystem other forest creatures include the side stripped jackal, African civet, serval, and reptiles like forest frogs, Chameleon, snakes to mention a few. There are over 126 bird species in the national park, example types to spot include sunbirds, greater blue Turaco, Rwenzori Turaco to mention a few. Popular species in the national park include the bird watching, guided Nature walks, experience the bee keeping project.
Gishwati Mukura National Park can be visited all throughout the year, it is best during the dry season between the months of December-February mad June-early September it is less crowd compared to other parks, tracking chimpanzee in the conservation area requires you to have the chimpanzee permit, the park is situated a few kilometers for Kigali City, tours to the national the national park can be combined together with those of Volcanoes National Park to adventure mountain gorilla together with the Chimpanzee of the Nyungwe Forest National Park and the famous Akagera National Park. One might be wondering on what to pack on a visit to the park, possibly bring long sleeved shirts and trousers, gaiters, warm clothes, and any other items of personal nature.