Within the deep dense rainforests of Nyungwe National Park live our closest relatives in the animal Kingdom (Chimpanzees) and if you love spending time with them and learning about their interesting human-like behavior, you can book your chimpanzee trekking safari with Ibuth safaris.
Walking through the dense lowland rainforest of Nyungwe searching for the chimpanzees is an experience that every primate lover longs for because, in the end, you get a few meters close to these Great Apes and learn about their daily routines – right from waking up, foraging, mating, grooming and nursing their young ones. You also learn about their favorite fruits and many other aspects that make them intelligent and our close relatives in the animal Kingdom.
There are currently two habituated chimpanzee communities in Nyungwe Forest National Park, and one community lives in the Uwinka area (with over 60 individuals) while the other lives in the Cyamudongo fragmented forest (about 30 individuals) on the Eastern side of Nyungwe Forest National Park. In total, there are about 500 chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park and it is exciting to learn about their exciting lives.
Send Enquiry For This Experience
How Chimpanzee Tracking Tours are Conducted in Nyungwe
All chimpanzee trekking safaris in Nyungwe Forest National Park begin with registration and briefing from the Visitor Center- Uwinka, Kitabi, or Gisakura. This briefing is provided by the Park Rangers who take visitors through the guidelines to be followed while tracking, observing, and photographing these Great Apes as they go about their daily routines. You have to be at the Visitor Center by 4:30 am and at 5:00 am start the search for chimpanzees.
The duration of tracking is usually unpredictable but should last anywhere between one and three hours, and once sighted, you will have only one hour to observe and photograph them as they calmly go about their daily routines. Unlike gorillas, chimpanzees are generally active and will be heard from afar even before sighting them. They love staying on trees compared to the gorillas that prefer staying on the ground (possibly because of their size). Chimpanzees share 98.7% DNA with humans and a lot of our characteristics will be sighted with them.
Generally, Chimpanzee trekking experiences last around two to four hours with your Ranger guide giving you detailed information on the different forest life you encounter, explaining about characteristics, their behavior, and relation with their ecosystem. Think of it as a jungle Safari!
Cost of Chimpanzee trekking permit for Nyungwe
Chimpanzee trekking permits for Nyungwe Forest National Park cost $90 per person for foreign non-resident travelers and $60 for foreign residents and East African community visitors. This cost only includes Park entry fees and the Ranger fees but not tips or hiring porters.
Send Enquiry For This Experience
Guidelines to be followed while tracking chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park
You have to be at least 12 years and above to track the chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Travelers with flu or cough are advised not to visit the chimpanzees. The reason is, they share 98.7% of DNA with humans and are therefore vulnerable to a lot of these communicable diseases.
Avoid littering the forest with rubbish because it degrades the environment but also rubbish acts as a breeding place for diseases.
A maximum of 8 visitors are allowed to track the chimpanzee during each session.
Always maintain a minimum distance of 7 meters when watching and photographing chimpanzees as a way of reducing any possible spread of germs.
When to go for chimpanzee trekking safaris in Nyungwe
Chimpanzee trekking season coincides with the dry season in Rwanda, starting from June to September and again from December to February May. This is when precipitation levels are reduced hence making forest trails drier and less muddy or slippery.
Send Enquiry For This Experience
What to wear during Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe
Chimpanzee tracking takes place in the dense rainforests of Nyungwe National Park and while it might seem obvious, make sure to wear something warm to cover your arms and legs to protect you from the stinging nettles in the forest. For your legs, you will need to wear comfortable, breathable, and lightweight trousers which cover your legs and sturdy hiking boots that can maneuver through the dense rainforest and rugged terrains.
Also wear a safari hat and sunglasses for sun protection and don’t forget insect repellant because of the forest of full of irritating biting insects. Don’t forget your camera with enough batteries and memory space, pair of binoculars, a rain jacket, drinking water and energy-giving snacks, a first aid kit, and gardening gloves.
Where to stay during your chimpanzee trekking safari in Nyungwe
For your accommodation during Chimpanzee trekking safaris in Nyungwe, there are a number of budget,midrange, and luxury options but the most popular ones ate One & Only Nyungwe House, Nyungwe Top Hill View Hotel, Gisakura Guesthouse, and Inzozi Beach Hotel among others.
Besides chimpanzee trekking, Nyungwe Forest National Park is a fantastic safari destination for forest walks with over 15 trails that introduce visitors to the waterfalls, wetlands, mammals, reptiles, birds, butterflies, tree species, and amphibians. The Nyungwe canopy walk and bird-watching tours are simply magical.
