Experience
Canopy Walk
A suspension bridge level with the crowns of the trees
01What it is
A guided walk on the Igishigishigi trail to Nyungwe's suspended canopy walkway, high above the rainforest floor.
The walkway hangs between forest giants above a steep ravine near Uwinka. You reach it on the Igishigishigi trail, walking down through tree ferns until the ground drops away and the bridge begins.
From the deck you are level with the canopy rather than under it, which changes what you can see: birds and monkeys move at eye height, and the forest stops being a wall of green and becomes a structure with layers.
It moves underfoot. It is railed and safe, and it is still not the place to discover you dislike heights.
- Where
- Nyungwe National Park
- Trail
- Igishigishigi
- Duration
- 2 to 3 hours
- Difficulty
- Moderate
02What to expect
- 01
A short but steep approach
The trail descends through tree ferns and forest before reaching the first tower. The climb back is the harder half.
- 02
Canopy-level views
Birds and primates at eye height, and a clear view of how the forest is layered.
- 03
Movement underfoot
The bridge flexes as you walk. It is entirely safe and genuinely unnerving for some people.
- 04
Guided throughout
Walks go with a park guide, who will also stop for birds you would have walked past.
03Best time
Open year-round; mornings are clearer and the forest is more active.
- JanJan: best
- FebFeb: best
- MarMar: shoulder season
- AprApr: shoulder season
- MayMay: shoulder season
- JunJun: best
- JulJul: best
- AugAug: best
- SepSep: best
- OctOct: shoulder season
- NovNov: shoulder season
- DecDec: best
- The approach trail is slippery after rain.
04What to bring
- Shoes with grip
- A light waterproof
- A camera with a strap, not loose in your hand
- Water
05Requirements
- Walks are guided and booked through the park.
- Not suitable for anyone with a serious fear of heights.
- Current walkway fees are confirmed at the time of booking.
Permit costs, age limits and park regulations are set by the Rwanda Development Board and its partners and change from time to time. We confirm the current position with you in writing before anything is booked.
07Journeys that include it
Tours
7 days · 6 nights
7-Day Rwanda Discovery
Gorillas, rainforest and the lake in between
Kigali, the Virungas for gorillas, down the shore of Lake Kivu, and into Nyungwe for chimpanzees and the canopy walk.
ClassicModeratePrice on request
10 days · 9 nights
10-Day Rwanda Complete Experience
The whole country, at a pace that lets you enjoy it
Kigali, Akagera's savannah, the Virunga gorillas, Lake Kivu and Nyungwe's rainforest — every landscape Rwanda has, without a forced march.
ClassicModeratePrice on request
It depends entirely on you. The structure is railed, maintained and safe, but it is high and it moves. People who dislike heights often find the approach fine and the bridge itself hard.
Add it to your trip
Plan canopy walk
Tell us roughly when you want to travel and what you want to see. We will come back with an itinerary built around it, not a package pulled off a shelf.