The park is located in the North-western part of Rwanda near Lake Kivu dividing Congo and Nile water catchment areas along the Albertine Rift Valley. The park was formalized in 2015 to a national park standard with primary purpose of increasing the number of trees aiming at soil fertility improvement, stabilizing slopes and regulating water flow. Currently the forest is made up of sixty tree species inclusive of the indigenous hardwoods and bamboo.
The park is also aimed at benefiting people in its neighborhood by facilitating activities like; handcraft making, cultural dances, bee keeping and an opportunity to learn from traditional healers who depend much on forests to support modern medicine.
Background of the park.
Back in the days (1978-1986), Gishwati-Mukura National Park’s reserve forests were to a larger extent intact and thick until when the 1994 Rwanda genocide gave birth to refuges that sought refuge in the forest and cut down almost all the trees in search of areas for settlement and agriculture.
This massive deforestation resulted into soil erosion, landslides and floods that worsened the situation. This was a wake-up call to world conservationists and Rwandan government who made effort to save the park from complete destruction. Luckily, all the efforts made were a success and thus resulted into the re-birth of Gishwati-Mukura National park.
Flora and animals.
The two natural forests i.e. Gishwati and Mukura makeup the mighty Gishwati-Mukura national park, covering over 35.58 square kilometers across the districts of Ngororero and Rutsiro.
Animals evident in the park include, but not limited to mountain monkeys, golden monkeys, genets, serval civets and chimpanzees. Birders have an opportunity of watching birds that go for more than 120 species e.g. woodland hoppers, water-headed wood hoppers, the iduna similis and old water warblers.
ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE PARK.
Guided nature walks and forest hiking.
The park has multiple trails that enable tourists to explore the inner parts of the park. The walk offers you an opportunity to experience hidden treasures with in the park. Explore butterflies, chameleons, birds, primates and insects. One must be accompanied by a professional park guide to engage in this rewarding venture.
Bamboos, ferns, macaranga kilimand, mahogany, orchids, dombeya torrida, eucalyptus, hagenia abyssinica, macaranga and polyscias fulva, etc are some of the 600 tree species available in the park.
The trail that leads to Kazeneza waterfalls amidst the park is one of the best hiking trails the park has ever had.
Bird watching.
As of today, the park has more than 83 birds on record; 15 of which are only found in the Albertine Rift. These among others include martial eagle, grey crowned crane, regal sunbird, Rwenzori turaco, wood hoppers and stripe-breasted tit.
The activity can be possible on foot since the park is small and it is vital to hire an experienced guide for a perfect experience of the birding activities since he or she can tell you the mysteries of some of these birds.
Cultural experience.
The park has made continuous effort to establish an eco-tourism site by working hand-in-hand with the community. Cultural visits involve individual homestead visits where you will watch these people dine, dance and garden. You can even stay for a night and turn your moments into memories.
On the other hand, you can choose to attend to local cultural performances like drama, songs and storytelling. You can also visit traditional healers and see how mysterious traditional medicine works.
Biking and Cycling along the Congo-Nile trail.
The Congo-Nile trail gives you one of the best biking and cycling encounters in the entire region. The trail passes along Lake Kivu shores and Nyungwe forest offering tourists with an opportunity of excellent sightseeing and photography opportunities.
