Helicopter flying tours in Nyungwe Forest National Park

The scenic aerial beauty of Nyungwe Forest National Park can be brought out perfectly and experienced on a helicopter flying tour. A helicopter flying tour to Nyungwe starts from the moment you come on board the helicopter, setting off from Kigali International Airport. This flying tour involves traveling in a helicopter to Nyungwe Forest National Park while enjoying the scenic beauty of the area.

The Akagera Aviation is the only aviation company that operates all the domestic flights in Rwanda, and all helicopter flights usually begin from Kigali International Airport. However, visitors can arrange a helicopter flying tour from a different airport across the country at a cost. The Akagera Aviation operates a modern fleet of helicopters that range in size and passenger capacity. Experienced professional local pilots fly these incredible helicopters with precision for visitors to capture the best views. Helicopter flying tours in Nyungwe Forest National Park are a common venture, especially for visitors who seek to enjoy aerial views of the endless tropical forest of Nyungwe.

The different helicopter types with their total passenger capacities used on these flying tours to Nyungwe Forest National Park include the Robinson 44, which is a 3-seater helicopter, the Agusta Westland 139 helicopter, a 5-seater, the Agusta 109S, and the Agusta Westland 119 helicopters, which are both 6-seaters. With variations in passenger capacities, the prices for each of these helicopters also differ.

What are the costs for helicopter flying tours to Nyungwe Forest National Park?

Each helicopter type used on these helicopter flying tours to Nyungwe Forest National Park has different costs or fares because of the capacity variations. Flying to Nyungwe Forest National Park in a 3-seater Robinson 44 helicopter from Kigali International Airport costs USD 2,200, a 5-seater Agusta Westland 139 costs USD 11,688, USD 4,675 in a 6-seater Agusta Westland 119, and USD 6,078 for a 6-seater Agusta. It is important to note that these prices may change in accordance with where they depart when flying to Nyungwe.

When is the best time for helicopter flying tours to Nyungwe Forest National Park?

The dry season is always the best time for helicopter flying tours to Nyungwe Forest National Park. The dry season in Rwanda is characterized by dry and humid weather conditions, which present visitors on these flying tours with clear and beautiful views, unlike the wet season, which is often misty in the evening and early morning. The dry season also has little wind blowing because of the little rainfall received in this season, thus ensuring that the helicopters fly seamlessly to Nyungwe Forest National Park with no turbulence. The dry season in Rwanda is experienced twice a year since the country has an equatorial type of climate. The dry season starts from June to August and from December to February.

What tourist activities are available in Nyungwe Forest National Park?

Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the top tourist destinations not just in Rwanda but in the region also. The park’s ranking in the top charts as an incredible tourist destination is due to some of the following tourist activities.

Chimpanzee trekking

Trekking with a chimpanzee is undoubtedly the major tourist activity in the park. Nyungwe Forest National Park is popular for hosting a relatively large number of chimpanzee primates. Chimpanzee trekking is the only way of encountering these primate species in their natural environments after traversing the thickets looking for them. This experience rewards the endurance of the visitors with an hour with the chimpanzees, where they get to watch them play, feed, and rest.

Birding

The ecological nature of Nyungwe Forest National Park as a tropical forest serves as the best habitat for a large percentage of Rwanda’s birdlife. A birding experience in the park seeks to present the birding enthusiasts with incredible bird encounters. Approximately 300 bird species are known to be residents of this incredible Nyungwe Forest National Park. A professional birding guide with ample knowledge about these species can help the visitors spot and identify the different species in the park. Some of the bird species to keep on the lookout for include African snipe, brown snake eagle, double-collared sunbird, African cuckoo hawk, African olive pigeon, black-winged kite, and brown woodland warbler, among others.

Canopy walk

Nyungwe Forest National Park has a 70-meter-high suspended bridge that is 160 meters long, where canopy walks take place. First of its kind in Africa, this canopy trail in Nyungwe Forest National Park captures the beautiful scenery of the park right before your eyes. This 2-hour canopy walk is like therapy, given the scenic view of the endless forest, coupled with natural sounds from the primates and birds below. This canopy walk has attracted visitors from far and wide to enjoy this incredible experience.

Colobus monkey tracking

Nyungwe Forest National Park has a significant habituated colobus monkey community available for trekking. Colobus monkeys, like most other primates, are social beings that hang around in groups known as communities. Visitors can encounter these monkeys busy with their chores in their community on a trekking adventure. Like any other trek, colobus monkey trekking gives visitors an hour in the presence of these colobus monkeys.

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.
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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.