The rope course, which spans 280 meters and includes 21 segments, is suspended up to 15 meters above ground. It allows visitors to experience the forest from the perspective of wildlife by imitating the movements of species like colobus monkeys, civets, and forest cats.
The course is located at Gisakura, one of the main reception areas of the park, and is designed to be both educational and thrilling.
Designed as a suspended obstacle course, it challenges participants to move carefully across swaying elements.
Completing the course gives participants a strong sense of accomplishment and helps build personal confidence.
Tourists are equipped with professional safety harnesses, which keep them securely connected to an overhead line throughout the course.
'Even if you slip or get tired, there's no risk of falling. The system is built for maximum safety and comfort,' says David Nduwe, a tour guide at the park.
Each visitor is accompanied by a trained guide who provides safety instructions and explains the ecological significance of each section. For example, segments simulate how primates move through trees or how forest predators navigate the terrain, offering an interactive and immersive learning experience.
'This is a teaching journey above all. It's physically engaging, emotionally rewarding, and everyone finishes with a greater appreciation for nature,' says Nduwe.
Other adventure features you can explore in Nyungwe besides the rope course include the Canopy Walkway, an exhilarating suspension bridge offering treetop views; the expanded Zipline, spanning up to 1.9 kilometers and now one of East Africa's longest for a thrilling flight; and extensive hiking trails that lead to waterfalls and offer opportunities for chimpanzee and other primate tracking, as well as incredible bird watching.
The rope course and other attractions are part of Rwanda's broader strategy to leverage natural heritage for sustainable tourism growth. In the past year, Nyungwe National Park welcomed over 26,000 visitors, a 20% increase from 2023, generating more than $2 million in revenue.
Nationwide, Rwanda's tourism sector earned over $647 million in 2024, a 4.3% rise compared to the previous year. That figure stood at just $7 million in 2005. The country now targets $1 billion in annual tourism revenue by 2030, according to Rwanda Development Board (RDB) CEO Jean-Guy Afrika.
Located in Rwanda's southwest, Nyungwe is one of Africa's most biodiverse rainforests. It is home to 98 mammal species, including 13 species of primates, representing 12% of all primates in Africa. The park also shelters over 1,000 species of flowering plants, 240 species of trees, and 320 species of birds, some of which are endemic.
This richness led to Nyungwe's inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, further reinforcing its role as a cornerstone of Rwanda's conservation and eco-tourism strategy.
IGIHE
