Adventure
A narrow bridge of steel and mesh strung across a rainforest valley, with the canopy at eye level and the forest floor far below your boots.
The Nyungwe canopy walk is the signature experience of Rwanda’s great rainforest. From the Uwinka Visitor Centre, an easy guided walk of about 2 km on the Igishigishigi trail brings you to a suspended walkway, commonly described as about 160 m long in three spans, that crosses a steep valley at a height often quoted at 50–70 m above the ground. From it you look straight into the crowns of the trees, where monkeys feed, birds move through the foliage and orchids and mosses cling to the branches.
The park classes it as a ‘special activity’, priced at US$40 per person on top of park entry at the time of writing (September 2026), for groups of two to eight with a park guide throughout. It is the one Nyungwe highlight that works for most ages and fitness levels, and it pairs well with the colobus troop or a chimpanzee morning during the same stay. Nyungwe National Park covers the rest of the forest, and the walkway is included in the 12-Day Complete Rwanda Private Safari.
Nyungwe Canopy Walkway
We book the walkway with your Nyungwe park entry, on whichever half day fits best around chimp tracking or longer trails.
You meet your park guide at the Uwinka Visitor Centre for a short briefing.
The Igishigishigi trail winds through the forest for about 2 km, with your guide pointing out plants, birds and any primates nearby.
You cross the walkway span by span, pausing where the spans meet to look out and down; it moves slightly underfoot, which is normal.
The trail loops back to Uwinka, leaving the rest of the day for the colobus, the zipline or another trail.
Nyungwe Canopy Walkway
Safaris
Kigali · Huye · Nyungwe National Park · Karongi (Kibuye) · Volcanoes National Park · Akagera National Park · Kigali International Airport
Primate enthusiasts, photographers and returning safari-goers who want the whole country rather than one park
Good to know
Its highest point is commonly quoted at about 50–70 m above the valley floor, and it runs for about 160 m across three spans. Figures vary between sources, but the drop is real and the views into the canopy are the reward.
At the time of writing (September 2026), the park charges US$40 per person for the canopy walkway as one of its ‘special activities’, plus park entry, which is US$100 for one night on the international rate. Groups need at least two paying people.
For most people it is exhilarating rather than frightening, and the sense of height fades once you are absorbed in the canopy. If you have a serious fear of heights, try the first short span with your guide beside you; turning back is always fine.
Yes, it is one of the few Nyungwe activities suitable for children, since chimpanzee tracking is limited to ages 15 and over. The minimum age is usually given as six; we confirm it at booking, and children aged 6–12 pay reduced park entry.
Experiences
Adventure
Climb 3,711 m Mount Bisoke through bamboo and giant lobelias to a lake in the summit crater, right on the DRC border.
Share your dates, who is traveling and what you hope to see. We check permit availability first, then design a private Rwanda journey around it, and nothing is booked until you approve it.
Plan My Rwanda Safari