Nyungwe Forest National park
Where to stay…….
So you have decided to go on
safari to Rwanda
, and on your agenda is a visit to Nyungwe forest. Question is where do you stay for the night, or if your spending more than one day, then for the duration of your safari.
There are a number of accommodation options; lodges, hotels, guest houses, and camps. Some of these include:
Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Nyungwe forest lodge was set up in 2010 and has fast become a favorite with tourists in the area. It is situated in a tea plantation close to the Nyungwe forest. This lodge was the first ever 5 star accommodation establishment in the region. It has some of the best facilities in Rwanda and very good service.
Nyungwe forest lodge has luxury facilities such as a gym and a swimming pool, and over looks the forest canopy so you are guaranteed some good views of the scenery in the area.
It has comfortable luxury rooms, one of them even has a jacuzzi.
Board basis is full board and it includes meals. You can either dine outdoors, or in the restaurant, or in your room.
There is access to WIFI, and telephone services, so you can communicate to people back home. There are also sate-lite TVs in the rooms to keep you in touch with the rest of the world.
Security at the Lodge is quite good, with very minimal threat of wild animals, and there are security guards day and night.
Guests at the lodge have the opportunity to go chimpanzee tracking, go on guided walking through Nyungwe forest, enjoy the canopy walk and
birdwatching in Nyungwe forest national Park
.
Transport to the park is provided and there is even a provision for helicopter rides to the airport.
Payment for hotel facilities can be made in US dollars, Pounds or Rwandese Francs.
Gisakura Guest House
Gisakura is comfortable accommodation for people working within smaller budgets.
This guest house is found about 2 km from the park. It is located close to the Gisakura tea estate along the road to Rusizi.
Gisakura offers opportunities to visit chimpanzees, the canopy walkway, bird watching, and hikes along different trails.
For meals the guest house offers breakfast, lunch dinner, and carry away snacks can be arranged if you are planning to spend the day out in the national park. Food and drinks are included in Full board.
Cost of rooms ranges from about $43 to $85. which makes this affordable accommodation.
The guest house is secure and there is very minimal risk of encounters with wild animals.
Gisakura guest house: Comfortable and affordable
Nyungwe Top View Hotel
Nyungwe Top view hotel might not be a five star hotel but it offers pretty good accommodation close to the park. This hotel which opened in 2011, is only a five minutes drive
Nyungwe forest national park
and a 4-5 hour drive from Kigali and has some very amazing views of Nyungwe forest.
Accommodation here is in red brick cottages furnished with only necessary furniture. There is a dining area and a lounge.
Meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) are covered in full board costs. You can either dine inside or outside.
The hotel is connected to electric power grid. The power is always, on so you do not have to worry about spending nights in the dark
Health and security: there is a medical care center about 10km from the hotel. However it is best that you get your malaria shots before travelling.
Security is good. there is no danger of wild animals, and there are security guards around the hotel every time of the day.
Currency and foreign exchanges: Nyungwe top view hotel accepts and can exchange US dollars, British pounds and Euros.
Nyungwe top view hotel offers activities mainly centered around the park. So look forward to
tracking chimpanzees,
seeing he Ruwenzori Colobus monkey,
birdwatching
, forest walk, and going on the
Nyungwe canopy walk
.
The hotel provides a driver to take you around the park and the various places you might want to visit.
All in all the hotel is a comfortable, convenient and safe place to stay during your safari.
If you are travelling to Rwanda for a safari in Nyungwe, the best thing to do would be to consult your tour operator on what place of accommodation would best suit your needs.
