4 National Parks in Rwanda
Pay a virtual visit to the National Parks in Rwanda and get to know how the biodiversity is protected.
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Parks in Rwanda
Under the management of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the National parks protect Rwanda's ecosystems and wildlife reserves. Discover four of the National parks below:
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1. Volcanoes National Park
Located in northern part of Rwanda, the park is made up of a chain of dormant volcanoes known as the Virunga Massif including the highest Karisimbi at 4,507m, Bisoke at(3,696m) with its impressive crater lake, Sabyinyo at 3,669 m, Gahinga at 3,473 m and Muhabura at 4,127 m. The park is a home to mountain endangered gorillas, golden monkeys and several species of birds.
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Kwita Izina, naming Baby Gorillas
Kwita Izina as a result of Rwanda's conservation efforts, started in 2005. The ceremony of naming baby gorillas became one of the world’s most important celebrations of nature. Kwita Izina is modelled off a centuries old tradition in which Rwandans name their children in the presence of family and friends.
The ceremony is an opportunity to thank the communities that live around Volcanoes National Park, research partners, vets and the dedicated conservationists, rangers and trackers who protect the gorillas.
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2. Nyungwe National Park
The very first Rwandan natural heritage site inscribed on the World Heritage List, Nyungwe National Park is located in Southwest of Rwanda within the Albertine Rift Area.
It is one of the oldest protected rain forests in Africa. The park covers 1,019 km2, and is a home to 310 species of birds among which 29 are endemic to Albertine rift, as well as 13 species of primates including chimpanzee, and over 1068 species of plants. Nyungwe is the furthest source of the world's longest river, Nile.
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Must do Activities in Nyungwe
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Canopy walkway: Established in 2010, this walkway is made up of a high suspension bridge with views overlooking the valley and surrounding forests.
- Bird watching:
- Water falls
- Hiking trails including source of Nile
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Nyungwe National park and tea plantation
Nyungwe is the only park in Rwanda that is surrounded by tea plantations as a buffer zone in the South, North, East and West.
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3. Akagera National Park
This park was established in 1934 and is located in Eastern part of Rwanda on the border with Tanzania. The Akagera National Park is named after Akagera river which runs throughout the park.
It sits on 1,122 km2 and contains a multitude of habitats including lakes, marshes, savannah, mountains and woodlands that together makes for spectacular scenery.
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Apart from sheltering the big five; lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos; the park and its lakes is also home to African zebra, giraffes and a variety of antelopes as well as hyppopotamuses and crocodiles.
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4. Gishwati – Mukura National Park
This new park called Gishwati – Mukura National Park, situated on the edge of the Congo Nile basin is over 34km2. Despite its size, Its landscape was named by UNESCO in 2020 among the world nertwork Biosphere reserves. The park contains over sixty species of trees including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo. The park is also home to chimpanzees, golden monkeys, L' Hoest's monkeys, blue monkeys, as well as over 395 species of birds.
Content development & Curatorial layout: Chantal Umuhoza
