Habituated Chimpanzee Groups in Nyungwe Forest National Park

There are 3 Habituated Chimpanzee Groups in Nyungwe Forest National Park open for chimpanzee trekking which offers visitors interested in seeing Chimpanzees on Rwanda to observe these fascinating primates in their natural habitat.

The 3 Habituated Chimpanzee Groups in Nyungwe Forest National Park include Mayebe, Cyamudongo and Gisovu and these can be trekked and observed under the guidance of the experienced trackers who lead visitors through the Nyungwe Forest to gain the best sightings of chimpanzees in their natural habitat.

The Nyungwe Forest is located in southwestern Rwanda, on the border with Burundi, where it is contiguous with the Kibira National Park to the south, and Lake Kivu and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. The Nyungwe rainforest is probably the best-preserved montane rainforest in Central Africa. Nyungwe National Park has a biodiversity of more than 1050 plant species, 250 endemic Albertine rifts and 200 orchids, at least 120 butterfly species, 85 mammal species, 38 reptiles, and many more. Nyungwe Forest National Park was established in 2004 and covers an area of approximately 970 km2 of rainforest, bamboo, grassland, swamps, and bogs. In October 2020, the Rwanda Development Board signed an agreement with African Parks to assume management of Nyungwe National Park for an initial 20 years, all tourism activities are now under the management of the Rwanda development board.

What see on a Trip To Nyungwe Forest National Park?

Birding

Nyungwe National Park is a tropical montane rainforest that is home to 322 bird species, so far 29 are bird species have been found here. The star attraction is undoubtedly the Red-collared Babbler and Rwanda is the only safe place to see this stunning bird. Other specialities include Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Nightjar, Grauer’s Warbler, Regal, Blue-headed and Purple Breasted Sunbirds, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler and Neumann’s Warbler. All of these and more can be seen easily from a well-maintained network of trails with the help of the park’s expert bird guides.

With more time and a bit of luck it is also possible to observe Kungwe Apalis, Kivu Ground Thrush and Willard’s Sooty Boubou. Possibly the rarest of Nyungwe’s birds would be the Congo Bay Owl, Albertine Owlet and Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Rockefeller’s Sunbird which have been reported, but are seldom seen. Guided Birding walk costs USD 50 Per day and a discount for 50% for other additional days. Contact us for a birding trip to Nyungwe forest National Park

Canopy walk

Canopy walk is one of the highlights to do in Nyungwe Forest National Park, Nyungwe forest is a hotbed of biodiversity. Canopy walk costs USD60 per person, you will do hour’s walk to the canopy walkway from the Uwinka Reception Centre, you will see countless butterflies, orchids and colorful birds, including many endemic to the region. Thirteen species of primate live in Nyungwe, so a chance encounter isn’t out of the question. The steep forested slopes have well-maintained footpaths, which can become muddy, especially after rain.

Nyungwe Forest sits on a 1015sq Km making it the largest remaining area of Tropical Afro Montane rainforest in East Africa. The Canopy walk in Nyungwe forest is a 3 hour thriller on a 200 meters long trail located 50 meters above the forest cover. The view at the top of the trees gives you the eagle’s eye experience and great experience of Nyungwe forest National Park

Hiking through the Forest

Nyungwe forest has different trails for hiking through the forest this will give you an opportunity to view various plants, birds, butterflies and meet primates if lucky. Some of the hiking trails gishigishigi Trail, Karamba Trail, Umugote Trail, Umoyove Trai, Uwinka Trail, Irebero Trail, Imbaraga Trail, Bigugu Trail, Isumo Trail (This trail takes hikers through verdant tea fields, a steep rainforest ravines and to top it off, the biggest waterfall in the Nyungwe National Park) Kamiranzovu Trail, Muzimu Trail, Ngabwe Trail, Rukuzi Trail. The hikes can last from one hour to full day hikes depending on the one you choose, these range from USD40-100 pending on the one you choose. 

Colobus Monkey tracking

Nyungwe forest has 13 species of primates with the monkeys the dominant specie. The Rwenzori Colubus monkey is endemic to this forest, the colobus monkey trekking can be done any time in Nyungwe forest in southern Rwanda. The park has many individuals and often you can find a group of 400 individual while on this trek. Just like the other primates, it is best to track them in morning when they are active feeding and grooming before they rest. Other monkey species you will see include the Grey-Cheeked Mangabeys, Blue-Monkeys, L’Hoest Monkeys, Owl Faced Monkeys and Mona Monkeys. Colubus monkey trekking is USD60 per person per trek per day.

What is the cost of accommodation in Nyungwe forest National Park?

The Nyungwe forest national park is surrounded by different accommodation facilities offering services at different costs which imply that there will certainly be a place to stay for every visitor to Nyungwe irrespective of one’s budget. Some of the recommended accommodations include the luxury One & Only Nyungwe House which is a luxury facility and ranges from USD750-2000 per person per night, Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel which ranges from USD300 per person per night and the Nyungwe Forest Lodge and Gisakura guest house which ranges from USD200 per person per night. We do recommend at least 2 nights stay in Nyungwe or more for a great experience.

What is the cost of Transportation for Chimpanzee trekking safari?

By Air, you can fly into Kamembe international Airstrip from Kigali by Rwanda Air and tickets range from USD300 per adult. The airline offer domestic flights and one of its domestic routes is Kigali-Kamembe. RwandAir offers a minimum of 9 flights a week from Kigali to Kamembe International airport. The Airport is close to Nyungwe forest and some of the Hotels/Camps.  You can as well access Nyungwe forest by road transport, It is approximately 5-6 hours’ drive to Nyungwe from Kigali city, our safaris start at 8:00am, you will have stops on the way for scenic views and photography as there is a lot to see on the way.  Transportation is inclusive of vehicle hire per day, guides allowance per day and fuel for the whole round trip, Vehicle hire ranges from USD80-250 per day depending on the choice of vehicle you use, then driver guide allowance ranges from USD50 per day and fuel for the round trip ranges from USD250, all this depends on the number of days you choose for your visit to Nyungwe forest National Park

Why book a Trip To Nyungwe Forest National Park with Eco Adventure Safaris

Eco Adventure Safaris is a Local tour operator based in Uganda with its head offices in Entebbe. We specialize in life changing experiences and sustainable tours and holidays to all East African countries. We are members of AUTO (Association of Uganda Tour Operators) and are registered by UTB. We have a good and long working relationship with the Rwanda Development Board making it easy to book your chimpanzee permits and services, and our service fee is affordable and reasonable. Eco Adventure Safaris is highly reviewed on trip advisor as well as Safari bookings.

Please contact Eco Adventure Safaris next time you intend to visit any of the five East African countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania. We will tailor your visit to Nyungwe Park to best meet your expectations at affordable price without hidden costs. Contact us here for more info about the Habituated Chimpanzee Groups in Nyungwe Forest National Park.