............Nyungwe national park shows Rwanda’s tourism potential   By George Kalisa PRESIDENT Paul Kagame has invested in discovering the country’s economic potential and its comparative advantage over other countries in the region and on the continent. One of the landmark discoveries in the tourism sector was the existence of a rich assortment of animal and bird species in Nyungwe Montane Forest, the largest montane rain forest in Africa. The discovery led to the launch of Nyungwe National Park in December 2008. The attractions in the park include diverse vegetation types, rich assortment of animal and bird species. Thirteen types of primates inhabit the park, representing 20% of all African primate species. The fauna of Nyungwe reflects the floral diversity, varied topography and differences in soils. There are 1,068 species of plants. There are also colobus monkeys, orchids, chimpanzees and hot springs. Other attractions are reptiles, squirrels, forest pigs, hyrax, duikers, insects, snakes, a 40-metre high water fall and hot springs. Located in south-western Rwanda, near the borders of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the park is a three-and-a-half hour drive away from Kigali city. Sitting on 1,012 square kilometres of rugged terrain, the park is ideal for hikers and trekkers. More so, the ambience, hospitality of the staff and the good accommodation facilities make the park a home away from home.   Black and white monkeys The park is home to the largest group of black and white monkeys in the world. At Uwinka, the village with the highest concentration of tourist attractions, there are over 400 colobus monkeys. This is almost 10 times larger than the biggest group that ever existed elsewhere. Oreste Ndayisaba, a tourism warden, explains that usually, when the monkey population reaches 50, the group divides itself into small groups.   An elephant in National Park in Rwanda. The range of flaura and fauna is key to the growth of tourism in Rwanda   One of the most exciting things a tourist notices is the croaking chorus of a colobus troop that reverberates through the forest. Smaller groups of the monkey species, about 50 and less, are found in Gisakura towards the exit of the park. The park is also inhabited by the cheeked mangabey, mountain monkey, owl-faced monkey and the mona monkey. There are also the blue monkey, golden monkey, the red-tailed monkey and the green monkey.   Birds The 278 species of birds, 25 of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift Valley, have made bird watching a popular activity at Nyungwe. High concentrations of birds are found along the Butare/Cyangugu road and the road towards Rangiro. Huge numbers of birds can also be found along the trails of Kamiranzovu and Waterfall. Though the turacos are the most impressive birds in Nyungwe, the park is home to the hornbills, crowned eagle, forest buzzard, handsome francolin and olive pigeons. The white-headed wood hoopoes, the cinnamon-breasted bee-eater and the blue-headed sunbird are also some of the most visually striking birds the forest hosts. Furthermore, the view of the turaco birds, gliding across the road in groups of six to 20 was breathtaking. There is also the blue turaco.   Chimpanzee Chimpanzees, the only apes found in Nyungwe, still maintain the basic social unit of a female, her infant and its older sibling, Ndayisaba explains. The chimpanzee population in the forest is estimated at between 400 and 1,000. At Cyamudongo, there are about 25 of them. They are usually seen eating fruits or clustered on fruit-laden trees in groups of 30.   Orchids There are over 148 flower types in the park.   Caution to tourists Morning fog and heavy rains are the two major natural hazards that cause accidents due to poor visibility. Tourists need rain coats and warm clothing, especially during the rainy season between September and May. Tourists are cautioned to drive carefully because sliding off the road will throw them into deep valleys.