Kitabi Ecocenter & Nyungwe Forest National Park

This week I visited Nyungwe Forest National Park.  I camped at the Kitabi Ecocenter, which supplied a tent, sleeping bag, blanket and a particularly comfortable pillow.  The staff at the Ecocenter arranged for a car to take my group to Nyungwe Forest for a hike on its famous canopy walk trail, the highlight of which is a swinging bridge built by Canadians that is atop the canopy.  The bridge is 150 feet high and about 270 feet long in 3 sections, towering over the rainforest.  My acrophobia kept me from walking on the narrow, swaying bridge, despite my guide’s best efforts to convince me that I’d be fine if I just stayed with him.  Instead, I chose to hike on the ground and meet my group at the end of the canopy walk.  My hike included a beautiful, but muddy path, and a stable metal bridge over a ravine.  The hike from the beginning of the trail to the canopy walk is a steep, slippery downhill and, of course, after the canopy walk, a steep uphill hike.  Fortunately, the Park supplies wooden walking sticks to help with stability on the climb down and back up to the top.  

Trail to canopy bridge

Beginning of first section of canopy bridge

Side view of first section of canopy bridge

The Congo-Nile Divide is in Nyungwe Forest.  That means that the water on the west side drains into the Congo River and the water on the east side drains into the Nile River.  Nyungwe Forest is home to 13 species of primates and hundreds of bird species.  Because of the rain, I saw no birds, but did see 2 primate species: Blue monkeys and colobus monkeys.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t fast enough or near enough to photograph them.  The forest is incredibly beautiful.  The last elephant there was killed in 1994, and its enormous skull is on display at the visitor’s center (built by the U.S).  However, there is a plan to reintroduce elephants into the park, as elephants are needed to eat a particular parasite plant that strangles the trees in Nyungwe Forest.  

Nyungwe is a rain forest, which did not disappoint, as it rained in varying amounts the entire time I was there.  As a result, the best time to visit is probably during the dry season (July and August).  Despite the constant rain, I was overwhelmed by the splendor of the park and surrounding land.  

The Kitabi Ecocenter is located just outside the park amidst tea plantations.  The staff there could not have been more accommodating.  The meals were filling and tasty.  One night, we made vegetarian pizzas, using African chapatis as the base.  Another night, we had burritos made with African chapatis and an African version of guacamole.  Breakfasts were omelettes, fruit (bananas, pineapples, passion fruit), white bread, banana bread and coffee and tea.  Lunches were delicious and filling vegetable stews.  A photo of the oven is below.  There is a choice of accommodations:  tents with sleeping bags (which I chose) or more roomy traditional Rwandan thatched roof huts with a luxurious double bed.  The ecocenter is located atop a hill and the views of the surrounding countryside are spectacular.  The elevation is almost 6,000 feet, so the temperature is quite cool, even cold at night and, happily, no mosquitoes.  

Within an easy but very steep downhill hike from the ecocenter are 2 touristy shops:  first, the women’s handicraft cooperative, which unfortunately was not open when I visited, and second, the honey store that sells Rwandan honey and honey products.  I purchased a small candle in the shape of a gorilla (just in case the electricity goes out at my house) and honey lip gloss.  

I’ve included the link to the Kitabi Ecocenter if you’d like to learn more about it.

http://kitabiecocenter.com