Southern Rwanda
Gisakura Guest House
Gisakura is a National Park-run guesthouse adjacent to a lush tea plantation just outside the Nyungwe Forest National Park boundary. Accommodation is quite basic and the bathrooms are shared but do have hot water and are kept very clean. Meals are fairly simple but plentiful and the staff are always friendly and hospitable. There is usually a campfire at night offering the perfect opportunity to meet other guests and swap wildlife encounters.
Gisakura Guesthouse is located 2km away from Nyungwe Forest National Park, the largest area of intact montane rainforest in East and Central Africa. The lodge also sits on the edge of the Gisakura Tea Estate and has numerous trails that guests can explore.
The highlight of a visit to Nyungwe Forest is to track and watch the habituated troops of chimpanzees that inhabit the park as well as the 13 other species of rare primates and much other wildlife.
Facilities
Restaurant, lounge, bar, camp fire and private bathrooms with hot water showers.
Local Wildlife
13 species of primate and great ape including habituated chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, Angolan black-and-white colobus, owl-faced monkey and mona monkey. The park is home to a total of 86 mammal and 120 butterfly species as well as 5 species of chameleons and 280 birds including 26 central highland endemics.
Optional Activities
Chimpanzee and primate tracking in the park. Treks to waterfalls and scenic viewpoints and a canopy walkway are also available.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
The walking here is along very steep and slippery trails: the chimps and other primates may be many hours’ walk from the park headquarters and are often fast moving. Thus, a good level of physical fitness is essential.
If you have any questions regarding our Rwanda tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
Everyone we ran into in Rwanda was so friendly, kind and proud of their country. The service they provided was excellent. We had a wonderful time getting to know them better.
Our guide was AMAZING. We got to know more about Rwanda and its people because we spent so much time with him. He stopped frequently to point out all the different birds to us or show us a particular view. He helped us get on the gorilla hikes that suited our fitness and interests. He let us know exactly how each day was going to play out so we could be ready with the right clothing and water / snacks.
All the guides for the tours were very knowledgeable and quite entertaining. They were concerned with our enjoyment and our safety. The porters were invaluable – they not only carried your pack (filled w. camera equipment & water) but also helped us up the steep grades and along ledges.
The landscape was as spectacular as the wildlife in Rwanda. Pictures do not do it justice. Seeing three different gorillas families was the highlight but there was so much more to see. The Golden monkeys were gorgeous. Nyungwe was a beautiful park filled with primates and birds. We saw chimps, mona, vervet , blue, mangabeys, mountain and colobus monkeys.
We changed one of the tours (the waterfall one) and went birding for an entire day instead. We saw tonnes of birds including a Great Blue Turaco and many different kinds of sunbirds and hawks.
One day we will get to the UK and actually the meet the wonderful people who plan these incredible vacations for us. Thank you for all the help you give us.
