Exploring Umusambi Conservancy Village : Umusambi Conservancy village is a popular visit destination for many tourists visiting Rwanda particularly during the city tours. It’s located closely to Kigali international airport making it a perfect stopover for travelers arriving in the Rwanda city. Umusambi village is also known for “its Grey crowned Cranes’’ in Rwanda’s local language “Kinyarwanda” and it is the only safe haven for restored Grey crowned Cranes in Rwanda. Umusambi village is beautiful restored wetland area providing a sanctuary for over 50 endangered Grey crowned Cranes that have been rescued from captivity.
The Cranes village have become a permanent home for fascinating birds with over 400 cranes estimated population in the wild. Umusambi village is a beautiful newly restored wetland of about 12 hectors reserved purposely to accommodate these nice-looking birds which is being managed by Rwanda Wildlife Conversation Association (RWCA) which aims to stop the illegal tap trade, raise awareness and return many of the Captive Cranes back to the wild. The cranes village also offers chances for visitors who like birding to visit Umusambi village visit enjoy the walking tracks to explore the wetland area and engage in nature and learning the conversation ways of protecting the environment.
Since the Cranes Conservation Work started in the Crane village in Kigali, the staff has noticed and recorded several cranes that have been injured as a result of living in captivity. This has been often linked to poor transportation to capture among others. Since the opening of Cranes village, the Association has reintroduced about 166 Grey Crowned Cranes in to wild in Akagera National park and a total of about 242 Grey crowned Cranes have been rescued from captivity.
Umusambi village offers the travelers with a unique Eco- tourism attractions in Kigali connecting both international and local tourists which continues to nature awareness about the work to protect the beautiful birds and to save them from illegal trade. According to Rwanda cultural Grey crowned Cranes symbolizes their wealth and longevity. The grey crowned cranes are birds with a very good looking that attracts people with their good coloring and good at seeing. As these birds have been disabled as a result of captivity they are no longer flying and only stay moving in the same place which gives chance to visitors to see them easily.
Umusambi Village is rich in biodiversity and there are many different species living within the wetland including small mammals, amphibians, insects and birds. These are a few of the bird species that you may be able to spot at Umusambi Village during your visit. Grey Crowned Crane, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Speckled Mouse bird, Malachite Kingfisher, Black-headed Gonolek, Woodland Kingfisher among others
According to annual population census conducted by RWCA, 1,216 Grey Crowned Cranes sighted in the 2023 national census, more than doubling the population numbers from their first census in 2017.there were an estimate of 487 Cranes in 2017, 459 cranes in 2018, 748 in 2019 and about 881 in 2020.
What to do at Umusambi conservancy village
Bird watching; In addition to our cranes, Umusambi Village is home to over 100 species of native and migratory birds, by far Umusambi Village nature reserve is the best spot for bird watching in Kigali, and offers an excellent place to begin your birding tour in Rwanda the place is gifted with the excellent tracks network the birder can access the grasslands, swamps, bush, and woodlands areas of the reserve spotting an array of birds. With a full day on the birding trail, while on your adventure safari to Umusambi Conservancy Village you will encounter with variety of majestic birds such as Trilling Cisticola White-collard Oliveback, African Fire finch Purple-crested Turaco, Grey Crowned Crane, Palm Nut Vulture, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Speckled Mousebird, Swamp Flycatcher, Grosbeak Weaver, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Black-headed Gonalek, Malachite Kingfisher among others
Exclusive dawn and dusk tours ; Umusambi conservation village also offers exclusive tours for individuals who wants private tour or small groups to visit site outside of the usual opening hours, to get the best possible bird watching opportunities in complete tranquility, without any interruption from other visitors.
Children holidays ; Murambi Village has offered opportunities for small groups, schools or families with activities designed with children in mind, such as scavenger hunts, activity worksheets and coloring. Others special activities can be organized in advance such as clay modelling, arts and crafts or tree planting.
How to get to Umusambi village conservancy in Kigali
Umusambi village is located within Kigali city of about 8 minutes from Kigali airport, the crane village in a perfect place to start or end your trip in Rwanda. The village can be easily be accessed by car, taxi 9r motorbike. It also well situated the road to Akagera National park hence service a greater stop over to a visitor travelling to the park.
Entrance fee to Umusambi village conservancy
The Umusambi village visit is open every day for travelers from 8:00am to 5:00pm, the last entrance fee begins at 4:00pm also exclusive early morning or evening tours are available on request. The visiting fee for Foreign non-resident visitors is 17US$ per head, 11US$ for Foreign residents, 4US$ from Rwanda citizens per head and all children aged between 2 to 16 years are charged 4US$ per head and the children below 2 years are allowed at a free cost, all collections from the entrance fees collects go directly back in to operating cost of the center and conservation projects runs at the center.
A traveler on Rwanda Wildlife safari or Rwanda Gorilla trekking safari, Umusambi village conservancy in Kigali is a perfect stopover destination to visitors travelling to Akagera National Park or Volcanoes National Park. Umusambi village visit is one of the memorable events that one would wish to have when in Rwanda. During the visit one will be able to learn about the plants and wildlife around to understand how important it is to protect wetlands areas and to promote biodiversity. For more information contact with Achieve Global safari or visit our website and experience more about your travel
