Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park Rwanda

CHIMPANZEE TREKKING IN NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK RWANDA

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park Rwanda : Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park is the major tourist activity conducted within the rain forests of this park. In fact most tourists who visit Nyungwe forest national park come for Chimpanzee trekking alongside other tourist activities. Nyungwe forest national park is famous as a home to chimpanzees and other primates making it a home to 13 primate species including L’Hoest’s monkey, Red tailed monkeys, Blue monkeys, Owl-faced monkeys, Golden monkeys, Dents Mona monkey, Vervet monkeys, Black and White Colobus monkeys, Olive baboons, Grey cheeked Mangabey, Angola Colobus monkeys, and chimpanzees which are the major primates in Nyungwe forest national park.

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda – Nyungwe forest national park

An encounter with chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest national park is such a fascinating and breathe-taking experience which every traveler wishes to do while on a Rwanda safari to Nyungwe forest national park which is the only destination in Rwanda where chimpanzee trekking is conducted. Nyungwe forest national park is located in southwestern part of Rwanda bordering with Burundi.

Nyungwe forest national park currently is a home to over 500 chimpanzees out of which 2troups have been habituated and available for trekking all year round. This implies that trekkers are grouped into 2 groups on trekking day and each group follows a different trail to search for these Chimpanzees in their natural habitats.

One of the habituated chimpanzee troop in Nyungwe forest national park is found in Uwinka and the other troop thrills in Cyamudongo forest.

Whichever troop you choose to trek, keep in mind that Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park starts as early as 5:00am with briefing implying that trekkers have to leave their lodges as early as 4:00am to catch up with briefing at 5:00am. Briefing is conducted at respective trail heads after which each group of trekkers is led into the forest to the start the adventure of walking up and down in search of these primates that have been habituated and used to human. In most cases, trekkers take late breakfast after the trek since there is literally limited time for breakfast.

Once in the forest, trekkers are rewarded with an entire forest as they view stunning vegetation filled with beautiful flowering plants, trees, ferns, and abundant of wildlife like more primates, mammals like Elephants, forest hogs, duikers, and several bird species among others.

The entire walk in the forest during Chimpanzee trekking takes about 2-4 hours depending on the nature of the terrains, the trekking speed of the slowest person in the group and the movement of the Chimpanzees since they are found of roaming the forest in search of food.

However, upon finding these Chimpanzees, only 1 hour is all you have to watch these primates in their natural habitats feeding, playing, copulating and at times fighting among others. You have to take photographs but remember to keep your flash light of the camera and the shutter sound off at all the time while in the forest. Once the time clocks an hour, you have to exit the forest and return to your lodge for a late breakfast.

A Chimpanzee trekking permit in Nyungwe forest national park Rwanda costs $90 per person and it includes the park entrance fees, the ranger fees but excludes the guide fees, tips and gratuity. This permit can be obtained either directly from the Rwanda Development Board or by using a trusted Tour operator to help you in organizing the entire safari at ease.

The minimum age limit to be able to trek Chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest national park is 15 years just like for Gorilla trekking since this the time they expect to be enough for a person to withstand the harsh trails and any difficult in the forest. Below 15 years, one is considered to be a minor and unable to participate in Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park.

Packing list for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park

• A chimpanzee trekking permits
• Insect Repellant
• A camera and a pair of Binoculars for birders
• Long sleeved attire
• Enough snacks
• Enough drinking water
• Water proof hiking boats
• A hiking stick though it can be provided at your lodge or during briefing.