Wilderness Safaris Rwanda Announces Pioneering Conservation Initiative for Gishwati-Mukura National Park
Wilderness Safaris Rwanda has signed a 25-year concession agreement with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) for the development of a multi-phased conservation and tourism management programme in Gishwati-Mukura National Park, situated on the highest ridges of the Congo-Nile Divide along the phenomenally biodiverse Albertine Rift in the west of the country.
The concession agreement will see Wilderness Safaris Rwanda develop and operate an exclusive chimpanzee and primate trekking experience at Gishwati, while the RDB will oversee ecology and conservation initiatives, including ranger presence, law enforcement, science, engagement of community cooperatives, human-wildlife conflict resolution, research and monitoring.
According to Wilderness Holdings CEO, Keith Vincent, “The signing of this agreement is an exciting development in our overall strategy to help drive Rwanda’s high-end ecotourism experience, and its positive impact on conservation and rural communities reaches far beyond the gorilla experience. We envisage extended stays in the country, with tourists exposed to the wealth of Rwanda’s unique attractions”.
“Wilderness Safaris’ investment in Gishwati-Mukura National Park reinforces Rwanda’s pole position as a high-end sustainable tourism destination, and benefits the residents living around the Park”, commented RDB Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Emmanuel Hategeka. “The unique Gishwati-Mukura National Park chimpanzee and primate trekking experience is one more great reason to visit Rwanda”, he added.
Gishwati-Mukura National Park is Rwanda’s fourth national park, offering visitors the opportunity to experience not only chimpanzee and primate trekking, pristine montane forests and some of Rwanda’s most exciting birding, but also cultural exchanges with the local neighbouring communities who are intricately involved in its protection.
“The potential of Rwanda is undeniable and we feel privileged to partner with the RDB to make a positive contribution to the habituation of the chimpanzees, and to unlock the tourism potential of Gishwati-Mukura and elsewhere. This forms part of our commitment to growing sustainable ecotourism in Rwanda, offering our guests life-changing journeys with purpose”, Keith concluded.