The History: Becoming a Reserve
Nyungwe Forest National Park is located in the south-western part of Rwanda. With the Rwanda-Burundi border to the south, Lake Kivu and the Democratic Republic of Congo lie on the west side of the park. It covers an area of about 1020 sqkm and has an elevation of 1600-2950m above sea level.

In 1903, during the colonial era, Nyungwe Forest was declared a reserve by the Germancolonial government. However, between 1958 and 1973, the area was tragically reduced by 150 sqkm due to fires, woodcutting and the poaching of animals. Elephants remained, but buffaloes and other animal groups were lost. In 1984, biodiversity studies revealed a vast population of Colobus Monkeys living in groups of up to 400 members.

Restoration work on the forest began in 1995, and in 2005, Nyungwe Forest was officially declared a National Park. It holds the highest protection level in Rwanda in terms of nature conservation. The conservation area consists of approximately 1015 sqkm and is East Africa’s largest protected high-altitude rainforest.

The Location: One of the Largest Mountain Rainforests in Africa
One of the largest mountain rainforests remaining in Africa, the forest is located in the Albertine Rift, a series of mountain ranges beginning in the Rwenzori mountains in western Uganda. This mountain range extends into eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and northern Zambia.

Nyungwe Forest is an important water catchment for Rwanda and contains many natural resources that are essential to the Rwandan people. This vast rainforest receives 2,000mm of rain per year and is integral to two of Africa’s great rivers. Rain that falls on the east side feeds the River Nile, and on the west runs to the Congo.

The Biodiversity: A Haven for Wildlife
Nyungwe’s biodiversity is astonishing and is one of the most species-rich areas in Africa. Due to its position between biogeographical zones, it provides an important habitat for a hugely diverse range of plants and animals. Many of its animals are only found in this area.

The park contains 13 primate species, 25% of Africa’s total. It’s also home to 1,068 plant species, 275 bird species, 85 mammal species, 32 amphibian and 38 reptile species. Due to its altitude above sea level, the forest is home to large colonies of chimpanzees and Angola Colobus monkeys. The park has an estimated 500 chimpanzees, and thirteen types of primates, including the Angola Monkey, the L’Hoests Monkey, the Red-tailed Monkey, and the Olive Baboon.

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