NYUNGWE - Rwanda Development Board, Friday, launched the Nyungwe Canopy Walk, a walkway above the ground meant to allow tourists experience a view above the animals and the upper storey of the forest.

The canopy walk was officially launched by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Monique Nsazabaganwa and Claire Akamanzi, the Chief Operating Officer at RDB.

In her address to over one hundred guests, Akamanzi said that Nyungwe National Park was deliberately chosen as the venue to celebrate World Tourism Day, under the theme "Tourism and Biodiversity” due to its wealth of fauna and flora which make it an important tourism destination.

"The launch of the canopy walk means several things, among which are the celebration of Rwanda’s tourism achievements and the positive effects of the country’s growing tourism,” she said.

"On top of being dedicated to protecting the biodiversity, Rwanda wants to diversify its tourism products by giving visitors to Nyungwe National Park the opportunity to experience the park in a new and exciting way.”

In his address, the Chief Warden of Nyungwe Park, Louis Rugerinyange, said that the 150 metre walkway is the first of its kind in East Africa, the third in Africa after Ghana and South Africa and will surely change the way tourists view the park and its wild life.

"The canopy walk is very safe; it can carry a total of four tones at a time and there are several guides who have been trained to assist people who will be using it for the first time,” Rugerinyange said.

"Alongside the canopy, we have a new modern interpretation centre called Uwinka, which gives tourists a chance to experience the forest before stepping into it.”

Nyungwe National Park is one of the largest and still intact forests in Africa and was gazetted in 2005 to protect its global and national significance.

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