TPG Adventures: Teeter Along a Canopy Walk 165 Feet Above the Nyungwe Jungle
How would you like to walk across a suspension bridge 165 feet high above the lush, green jungles of Nyungwe National Park? Those fearless enough can do so via the Canopy Walk, a special bridge about 300 feet in length. That may not seem far, but 300 feet is long distance to walk at such a dizzying height. The bridge will sway and move as you walk, so hang on tight and don't look down!
Instead, keep your eyes peeled for 13 different kinds of primates, including golden and red-tailed monkeys. It won't be difficult to spot a group of colobus monkeys — they typically move in packs of 300 or more. Besides being on high monkey alert, you should also be ready to spot 300 different bird species, 120 butterfly species and 35 different reptile species.
Spanning almost 400 square miles, Nyungwe offers plenty to do after you've conquered the Canopy Walk. The park has 13 different hiking trails, some of which are specific for chimpanzee trekking. You'll spot waterfalls, tree ferns, orchids and many of the aforementioned animals. In the distance, you'll spot lakes, mountains and volcanoes from many of the hikes' higher points.
Although Nyungwe was established as a national park in 2004, it's believed to be one of Africa's largest and oldest rainforests, maintaining it's greenery through the Ice Age.
Where to Stay
There are campsites in the park and lodges and hotels nearby, like the Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, which, as its name suggests, has spectacular views of the forest, the low-cost Gisakura Guest House and the stunning Nyungwe House. You can combine a visit to the Canopy Walk at Nyungwe with a safari or gorilla trekking, both of which you can do in the country of Rwanda.
Getting There
The park is located in the southwest region of Rwanda. You can either drive about five hours from Kigali to the park, or fly on RwandAir from Kigali (KGL) to Kamembe (KME). If you end up flying, don't forget to sign up for RwandAir's Dream Miles loyalty program.
