Chimpanzee trekking is the major tourist activity in Nyungwe National Park. This is because the chimpanzee primates are the main inhabitants of Nyungwe National Park. This forest national park is the ideal hotspot for all chimpanzee treks in Rwanda. To understand the chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe National Park, we mean to first know what chimpanzee trekking is. Trekking chimpanzees is the process of encountering these chimpanzee primates in their natural habitats and spending an hour with them after traversing through the dense canopies of the forest. Chimpanzees are the second largest primates in the country, after endangered mountain gorillas that can be spotted in the wild. Nyungwe National Park harbors over 500 chimpanzee primates hence guaranteeing you a chance to spot these primates.
Nyungwe National Park was established in 2005 and is located in the western arm of the Albertine Rift Valley. Situated in the southwestern region of Rwanda on the border with Burundi, Nyungwe National Park stands out as the number one chimpanzee destination in the country. The vegetation of Nyungwe National Park is dominated by tropical rainforest, bamboo, and a bit of grassland. The park stretches across different ecological systems for over 1,019 square kilometers. The park gained fame in the 1933s during the colonial government, but the years that followed saw the park go through a tough time where over 150 square kilometers of the forest was cleared. The forest also harbored large mammals like buffaloes and elephants, but in 1974, the last buffalo in the forest was killed, and the last elephant was poached the following year in the swamp. However, after the Rwanda genocide of 1994, the park has been developing at a high speed. It is now the ultimate chimpanzee destination and can be trekked any time. The park also hosts other primates like colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and olive baboons, to mention but a few.
Chimpanzee trekking experience
Trekking chimpanzees, as earlier mentioned, is the major tourist activity in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park. Any chimpanzee trekking in the park starts with a pre-trekking briefing at the park offices at the Uwinka reception center. This briefing details the dos and don’ts of trekking chimpanzees. These highlight the rules and regulations of trekking and also the expected code of conduct around the chimpanzees. Trekking chimpanzees involves navigating through the dense thickets and canopies of Nyungwe, looking for chimpanzees, and spending an hour watching them go by with their daily chores in their presence upon locating them. The chimpanzee trekking experience takes about 3-6 hours, depending on where the chimpanzee troops are. This time also includes the one hour spent with the chimpanzees after finding them. This experience takes place in three sectors, the Uwinka sector, the Cyamudongo sector, and the Gisovu sector. The Uwinka sector hosts the largest population of habituated chimpanzees of over 60 individuals and the Cyamudongo sector has over 30 chimps. The Gisovu sector is often used by researchers for habituation purposes.
What is the cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit in Nyungwe National Park?
A chimpanzee trekking permit is a document that allows visitors to encounter the chimpanzees in their natural habitat of Nyungwe National Park. The trekking permit can be purchased through a local tour operator from the Rwanda Development Board. The costs for these permits vary from region to nationality. Foreign non-residents pay USD 150, foreign resident permits cost USD 75, and USD 25 for East African citizens. However, these costs exclude the park entrance fees, which are USD 100 for foreign non-residents, USD 60 for foreign residents, and USD 10 for East Africans. This money collected for the purchase of the trekking permits is used for the maintenance of the park and conservation efforts.
What is the best time for a chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe National Park?
Nyungwe National Park is ever open for visiting year round. However, the dry season offers the best time to trek chimpanzees in the park. The dry season in the park is experienced twice a year, from June to September and December to February. The dry season presents the perfect weather conditions for trekking characterized by dry and humid temperatures with little or no rainfall. This emphasizes that the trekking trails are dry and less muddy with sparse vegetation that eases navigation hence giving the visitors a comfortable chimpanzee trekking experience.
How to get to Nyungwe National Park?
Nyungwe National Park is located about 180 kilometers from the capital, Kigali, in the southern region. Rwanda has an improved transport network system, and the park can be accessed by both air and road transport. Accessing Nyungwe National Park by road takes approximately 4-5 hours from the capital, Kigali using a 4×4 safari vehicle.
Traveling by air to Nyungwe National Park involves taking a helicopter from Kigali International Airport to Kamembe Airport near Nyungwe National Park. From where you are driven for about 20 minutes to Nyungwe National Park. Accessing the park by air is the fastest way to the park taking only 30-40 minutes. It is important to note that there are no scheduled domestic flights to Nyungwe National Park other than using a helicopter.
What to pack for a chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe National Park?
A good packing list is essential for a successful chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe National Park. This is because these items can be used in different ways like safety and comfort. Below are some of the items to pack for a chimpanzee trek.
- First aid box
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Rain jacket
- Reusable water bottle
- Energy-giving snacks
- Binoculars
- Hiking boots
- Camera with extra batteries
- Sunglasses and broadbrimmed hat to provide shade against sunshine
- Chimpanzee permit
- Travel documents
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen, etc.