This 3 days Rwanda chimpanzee trekking safari starts and ends in Kigali city, Rwanda’ capital. This safari will give you an intimate experience of tracking chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest national park.
Nyungwe forest national park is located in south western Rwanda with great scenic views surrounded by tea plantations. Nyungwe forest is among the few remaining intact tropical forests in Africa. It is home to the Chimpanzees and the largest troops of colobus monkeys found anywhere else.
Depending on your interests – your safari can be organized so in addition to chimp trekking, you can have colobus monkey trekking, forest hikes to waterfalls, birding, and canopy walk.
For this particular safari, it is organized specifically for chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk. However depending on the available time on the last day – you can choose to add an extra activity before traveling back to Kigali.
Safari Highlights
- Ethnographic museum
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Canopy Walk
Itinerary
Day 1: Travel from Kigali to Nyungwe forest national park via Huye
You will depart from Kigali to Nyungwe forest preferably early morning after your breakfast so that we have enough time for stopover at the ethnographic museum in Huye.
The ethnographic museum which is also the national museum of Rwanda showcases the historic and cultural aspects of Rwanda through the ages. It has materials and guides to take you through the rich Rwandan culture and history.
We will have lunch after the museum experience before continuing on our journey to Nyungwe forest. The roads to Nyungwe after Huye are mostly winding which will give you amazing views of the famous ‘thousand hills’. You will be arriving at your lodge not too far from the nyungwe forest later that evening ready to take on the chimpanzee trekking the next day.
Journey time – 6 hours
Meal plan – Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation
- Upmarket – Nyungwe forest lodge
- Mid-range – Nyungwe top view lodge
- Budget – Gisakura guest house
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking & Canopy Walk in Nyungwe national park
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park starts very early in the morning and so this requires that you leave your lodge as early as 5.00 am to make it to the briefing area at the Uwinka overlook.
Nyungwe forest has two main trail heads where Chimpanzee trekking happens i.e. Uwinka trail and another at Cyamudongo section. The forest is rich in botanical diversity hosting over 200 species of trees and flowering plants, 13 species of primates including, colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkey, 300 bird species with several Albertine rift endemics and several species of butterflies.
After the briefing, you will be advised on which trail you will take. If it is Cyamudongo, it requires you to drive out for a certain distance and your driver guide will transfer you to the starting point. After the chimp trekking, there is a canopy walk or return to the lodge for the needed time of relaxation and take the canopy walk later in the afternoon.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Travel to Kigali from chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest
Today after your breakfast, you start journey back to Kigali from the amazing 3 day chimpanzee trekking safari. You have an option of doing a colobus monkey trekking before embarking on this journey. If interested in this, please let us know in time so we book for the same. Take the last photos of the beautiful Nyungwe forest and transfer to Kigali international airport, your hotel or volunteer guest house in Kigali.
Meal plan – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
What to bring
- Rain jacket
- Water proof hiking shoes
- Trousers and long sleeved shirts
- The best mosquito repellent
- Sun hat
Tour includes
- Chimpanzee tracking permit
- Canopy walk
- Ground transport
- Bottled water
- Full board accommodation for two nights
- Service of an English/French-speaking driver guide
- All mentioned activities except for the optional ones
Tour excludes
- Extras at the accommodation i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry etc.
- Tips to porters and driver/ guide
- Insurance
You can combine this 3 day Rwanda Chimpanzee Trekking Safari with a volunteering experience in Rwanda.
