Kitabi
The first park office you reach coming from Huye, with a booking office and trails nearby. Tea plantations run right up to the forest edge here.
The main road from Huye to Lake Kivu runs straight through the rainforest, so a regular bus can drop you at the park.
← Part of our Rwanda travel guide
Nyungwe is one of the easiest Rwandan parks to reach without a tour. Buses from Kigali to Rusizi via Huye cross the forest on the main road, and drivers will drop you at the park's reception points. The catch is chimpanzee tracking, which starts before dawn and needs a vehicle to reach the trail.
| Route | Fare | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Kigali to Huye | RWF 5,068RURA, April 2026 | Change at Huye for buses heading west through the forest. |
| Kigali to Rusizi (Kamembe), via Huye | RWF 11,445RURA, April 2026 | Passes through Nyungwe. Ask to be dropped at the park. |
| Kigali to Rusizi (Kamembe), via Karongi | RWF 10,296RURA, April 2026 | The lakeside route; doesn't cross the forest. |
| Kigali to Kamembe by air | Return from about $99RwandAir, March 2026 | A short flight instead of a full day on the road. |
The first park office you reach coming from Huye, with a booking office and trails nearby. Tea plantations run right up to the forest edge here.
The main reception centre, deep in the forest. Most nature walks start here, and so does the canopy walkway.
The western booking office, close to guesthouses and tea estates. A group of habituated colobus monkeys lives within walking distance.
The bus's final stop, on the southern tip of Lake Kivu, with more hotels and the airport. It's a short drive back into the forest.
Chimpanzee tracking starts at around 5:00, before any bus passes, and the trailheads are off the main road. There's no public transport to them, so arrange a car with driver through your lodge the evening before. Staying at Gisakura or near Uwinka keeps that drive short.
Nature walks and the canopy walk are easier: they start from the reception centres, which the bus reaches. Every trail requires a park guide.
Permits, park entry and what a tracking morning involves: tracking chimpanzees in Nyungwe.
Buses passing through the forest are often full, so flagging one down can mean a long wait.
Rangers at the booking offices can usually phone a bus company and reserve you a seat. You pay the fare when they book it.
Ride out to Kamembe, then buy your Kigali ticket at the company counter there.
RwandAir's flight to Kigali saves most of a day on the road.
Accommodation near the park is limited. Confirm your booking before you set off.
Nyungwe is high and wet. Mornings are cold, and rain can arrive in any month.
On the last Saturday morning of each month, community work pauses buses until around midday.
Sources: RURA's April 2026 intercity fares as reported by Umunota; ATC News on RwandAir's Kamembe flights (March 2026); Lonely Planet on drop-off points and getting back. Checked 31 October 2026. Confirm fares before you pay.
Chimpanzees at dawn, the canopy walkway and Nyungwe's park fees.
Tracking chimpanzees in Nyungwe