Mount Bigugu trail in Nyungwe Forest

The breathtakingly thrilling Mount. The Bigugu trail in Nyungwe Forest is a favorite route for visitors who combine adventure and nature. Hiking along the Mount. Bigugu trail offers adrenaline-filled fun since it has one of the steepest terrains in the forest. This implies that a visitor should ensure that they are physically fit to complete the trail safely.

Distance to Mount. Bigugu trail

Mount. Bigugu trail is 7 kilometers in length. This makes the round trip around 13.2 kilometers. A hike on Mount. The Bigugu trail can be done in only one day. The duration of the hike is around 6 hours on average. This is thanks to the rugged terrain in a high-altitude ecosystem.

Elevation of Mount. Bigugu trail

This is a high-altitude trail that offers guided hikes to the Bigugu peak (2,950 meters), the highest spot in Nyungwe Forest. The starting point is at 3,716 meters above sea level. This implies that a visitor will make a 666-meter gain after reaching the summit. The elevation low point is approximately 2,367 meters above sea level.

What to see?

While on a hike on the mountain. On the Bigugu trail in Nyungwe Forest, you will soak in the forest air. Besides this, you will have plenty of nice things to see. The following are the highlights,

Nyungwe Forest is a tropical rainforest renowned for a healthy population of chimpanzees. Besides the chimpanzees, there are 12 other primate species. These comprise red-tailed monkeys, L’hoest’s monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and olive baboons etc.

The primate species are part of the 85 mammal species that reside in Nyungwe National Park. These include servals, mongooses, porcupines, genets, and bush pigs, among others. You can also spot birds, since Nyungwe National Park is home to over 345 bird species. Among them are the Kungwe apalis, red collared mountain babbler, strange weaver, and regal sunbird, etc.

If you are a botany enthusiast, you might encounter plenty of higher and lower plants while hiking, and even probably discover more. Vascular plant species you might spot include false figs, bear’s breech, tassel berry, and Disa robusta, among others. There are also plenty of emerald ferns and mosses to see and photograph along the route.

Views of Lake Kivu and the highland scenery in the Democratic Republic of Congo can be obtained while at the Bigugu summit. Glimpses of the lush Kibira National Park in Burundi are also possible on a clear day. Ensure to travel with your pair of binoculars to get the clearest views, thus making the hike unforgettable.

How to travel to Mount. Bigugu trail?

Mount. The Bigugu hiking trail in Nyungwe Forest can be reached by either road or air transportation. If you are in Kigali City, the distance on a road trip is around 208.8 kilometers. This scenic trip takes between 4-5 hours on Standard Safaris’ 4X4 safari Land Cruiser. Our fleet also includes a variety of vehicles, including SUVs, sedans, saloon cars, and safari vans etc.

For air transportation, chartered flights are offered from Kigali Airport to the nearest airports, including One & Only Nyungwe House. The flight takes 45 minutes. To reach the Bigugu trail, you will have to go by road. This takes around 41 minutes. We shall organise the ground transportation to the trailhead for you with Standard Safaris.

The best time to go there.

Hiking on the steep Mount. The Bigugu trail is best done in the dry season when the weather conditions are favorable. With reduced rains during this time of the year, visitors get to walk on a less muddy/slippery trail. Also, with lower chances of rain, the hike might not be interrupted. The dry season occurs from June to August and from December to February.

However, for a more intense hike on the Bigugu trail, visitors can go to Mount. Bigugu trail hike in the wet season. This occurs from March to May and also from October to November. Wet seasons lead to heavier and more frequent rainfall in Nyungwe Forest. This causes the route to become muddier and more slippery, increasing the difficulty and intensity of the hike.

Other hiking trails in Nyungwe Forest

Nyungwe Forest has many trails that offer unforgettable hikes. These include Igishigishigi trail, Uwinka trail, Umugote trail, Muzimu, Rukuzi, Irebero trail, and Kamiranzovu, etc. For detailed information about the trails, feel free to reach out to us. We are happy to offer guidance on how and when to hike on each of them for the best possible experiences.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.

Mount Bigugu trail in Nyungwe Forest

10 Days Best of Uganda Safari – Primates, Wildlife & Leisure Tour

7 DAYS UGANDA WILDLIFE SAFARI ADVENTURE

6 Days Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari in Uganda

5 Days Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Tour In Uganda

3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour in Uganda

2 Days Bwindi gorilla trek from Kigali