In the far southwest corner of Rwanda, the land drops toward Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi river, and the green hills here are mostly tea, banana and small farms. Cyamudongo is the exception: a patch of natural forest, a few hundred hectares at most, standing as an island of tall trees in the middle of cultivation. It is separated from the great Nyungwe forest by a belt of farmland, yet it still shelters a small population of chimpanzees, along with other primates and a remarkable range of birds and butterflies.
The forest is a reminder of how much of Africa's highland rainforest has been cut back, and how much can be saved in small pieces. Researchers and conservation groups have worked with the local people here on planting corridors and protecting what remains, and the benefit is visible in the dense green of the canopy against bare, ploughed slopes. The nearest town, Cyangugu, now usually called Rusizi, lies on the shore of the Ruzizi river, with Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo visible across the border. That proximity matters: carry your passport, avoid wandering toward the border posts, and check current conditions before you go.
Riding in Rwanda is a pleasure by African standards. Main roads are well paved, speed limits are enforced, and helmets are the rule rather than the exception, since motorbike taxis carry passengers everywhere. The roads to Cyamudongo wind along steep hillsides with hairpins, small bridges and long views over terraced fields, and the last stretch is likely to be a rough, red-earth track that turns slippery in the rains. The best months are June to September, in the dry season, though mornings can be misty and cool at altitude.
Food on the road is simple, with grilled brochettes, beans, plantain and sweet milky tea, and the local coffee deserves a cup if you find a place that serves it. Entering the forest itself usually requires a guide and a permit, so arrange that in advance. Go early, when the birds are loudest and the air is cool and sweet with the smell of wet leaves.