2 Days Rwanda Chimpanzee trekking adventure through Nyungwe Forest

Book this 2 days/1 night chimpanzee trekking tour to Nyungwe forest national park in Rwanda and have the rare opportunity to see chimps in the wild. This 2 day Nyungwe forest tour is one of the most rewarding short trips that nature lovers can do in Rwanda as they trek one of the oldest mountain forests in Africa that is rich with a wide diversity of wildlife, mostly known for its many primates such as the chimpanzees and many species of monkeys. Nyungwe national park has a population of more than 500 chimpanzees making it one of the best destinations for a chimpanzee trekking tour.

On this 2 day trip to Nyungwe Forest National Park you will also do the canopy walk tour. A trip to Nyungwe is almost not complete without stepping onto the iconic canopy walkway which will expose you to breathtaking views across the forest, plus give you a chance to see up-close some wildlife that live in the top of the trees such as the monkeys and birds.

Day 1 – transfer to Nyungwe forest, afternoon canopy walk tour
You shall be picked up from your hotel or residence in Kigali City at 7am by your tour driver and depart for Nyungwe Forest National Park in southern Rwanda. This is a 5 – 6 hours journey that includes a stopover in Butare town for an early lunch. Expect to arrive in Nyungwe Forest National Park on time for the 3pm canopy walk tour schedule. You will meet the park guides at the Uwinka visitors center and set off to trek along the Igishigishigi trail leading to the canopy walkway, and along the way you will observe numerous species of trees, have a chance to see birds and monkeys and enjoy wonderful views of the forest. After about thirty minutes trekking the Igishigishigi trail you shall step onto the wobbly canopy walkway that is suspended over a deep valley, about 50 meters from the forest floor, and you not help but feel the adrenaline rush as you walk across while taking in incredible views of the vast forested landscape and gain insight into the seldom accessed forest canopy.
The canopy walk tour shall take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the pace and after which you shall continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: EAR Guesthouse

Meal plan: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2 – Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe and drive back to Kigali via Kibuye/Lake Kivu
Today you shall have breakfast as early as 4.30am and transfer to the ranger post at 5am to meet the park guides for the chimpanzee tracking briefing and after which you shall transfer by car to the start of the chimpanzee trekking adventure in Nyungwe forest national park (Cyamudongo chimps group). The time taken to find the chimps cannot be predicated as they are moving from place to place, however when you locate them you shall spend a maximum of one hour of following them around as they go about their normal lives. Meeting the chimpanzees in the wild is an experience like no other. The chimps are very active primates always moving from tree to tree so sometimes you are trying to catch up with the chimps. They communicate by way of loud pant hoots, deafening screams and thunderous hitting of the tree barks, causing the hairs on your body to rise as you feel a rush of adrenaline…or call it catching fear!

After the chimpanzee trekking adventure in Nyungwe you shall set off back to Kigali, making a stopover in Kibuye town and have lunch by the beautiful Lake Kivu.

Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch