Our People
  • Amy Waters snow biking Our Team

    Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.

  • William Dalrymple Our Tour Experts

    We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.

  • Liz Bonnin Heroes and Heroines

    The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.

Tea plantation, Nyungwe, Rwanda

Nyungwe Forest National Park

The largest single tract of montane forest remaining anywhere in East or Central Africa, Nyungwe is considered to be one of the most beautiful parks in the region.

With over 13 different species of primates found here, including the Rwenzori colobus monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey and vervet monkey, it is still the chimpanzees who take the starring role. The birding here is also superb, with over 300 species and 26 endemics, and also 120 species of butterfly and the occasional, ever-changing chameleon hiding in the bushes.

Nyungwe’s biodiversity is astonishing by African standards and is one of the most endemic species-rich areas in all of Africa. Whilst the terrain and undergrowth make chimpanzee tracking a challenge, the forest is also home to Rwenzori colobus monkeys including a four hundred-strong semi-habituated group thought to be the largest troop of arboreal primates in Africa.

The Ndali Crater Lakes and the Rwenzori Mountains at Sunset, The Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda
The Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda
Blue monkey, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda
Blue monkey in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Why visit Nyungwe Forest

  • Walk through forests full of colour, home to orchids, butterflies and chameleons
  • Keep your feet on the ground but your head in the trees following elusive chimps
  • Spot blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys and colourful birdlife from the 70-metre-high canopy walkway
  • One of the country’s best birding spots, with painted turacos and numerous sunbirds
  • Chameleons are considered bad luck; believed to be the incarnation of evil spirits and wizards, changing colour to deceive people

Experiences

Tell us what you love doing and we’ll curate a journey that’s perfect for you.

L'Hoest Monkeys, Rwanda

Tea Experience

Learn how tea is grown and processed in Rwanda amidst the tea plantations of Nyungwe National Park – try your hand at the art of tea picking and sample some of the locally grown tea. Look out for the cheeky resident monkeys!

Suggested Hotel

Blue monkey, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda

Forest Walks

Walk through forests full of colour in Nyungwe National Park, home to orchids, butterflies, monkeys and chameleons.

Suggested property

Canopy walkway, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda

Canopy Walkway

Spot blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys and colourful birdlife from the 70-metre-high canopy walkway in Nyungwe National Park.

Suggested stay

Chimpanzee in tree, Nyungwe Forest, Rwanda

Track Chimps

Keep your feet on the ground but your head in the trees, as you track Nyungwe National Parks habituated troop of chimpanzees.

Suggested read: blog

Variable Sunbird, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Bird Watching

Nyungwe National Park is one of the country’s best birding spots with species including painted turacos and numerous sunbirds.

Suggested property

Meet our experts

A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.

Illona Cross

Born in a small South African town, I have always followed my passion for nature and discovery. After studying Nature Conservation in Pretoria, I was one of the first women to complete a very tough cadetship in the Natal Parks Board. It was here where I cut my teeth in African wildlife management.

Talk with our experts
  • 01285 880 980

Chris Johnston

25 years ago, my first trip to Africa took on a life of its own. I planned for three months, I stayed for two years. Whilst there, I was mistaken for a priest, attacked by sharks and arrested. Yet the countless, clattering journeys opened my eyes to the beauty of the landscapes and the grace of the people. My recent trips are undoubtedly more comfortable, but the welcome is as warm as ever and the best experiences are still those I never see coming.

Talk with our experts
  • 01285 880 980

Why Choose Steppes?

Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.

Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?


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