Chimpanzee Trekking In Nyungwe National Park

Chimpanzee trekking is one of the exhilarating activities in the primate’s sub Kingdom just after gorilla tracking. In Rwanda, this exciting activity is done in the turbulent Nyungwe National Park. Visitors from all over the world flock to the park to have an exciting adventure with these carefree animals in their natural habitat. Nyungwe National Park therefore is one of the most popular and arguably the most visited National Park in Rwanda due to this exciting activity.

Nyungwe national park

This tempestuous National Park is home to one of the oldest thick tropical rainforests in Africa which gives a good habitat to chimpanzees. The National Park is also mountainous and allows these primates to find shelter on its slopes. All this conducive environment offers opportunities for the exciting chimpanzee tracking in the park.

Location of Nyungwe National Park.

Seated on an area of about 1019 square kilometres, the magnificent Nyungwe National Park is located in the southwestern part of Rwanda in the present-day Rusizi District. The Barbarian National Park can be accessed both by road and air transport. Flights are operated by Rwandair and these go from Kigali city centre to Rusizi from where a visitor can get a tourist van can take them up to the entrance of the unbroken wilderness of Nyungwe.

History of Nyungwe National Park.

Conservation concerns in Rwanda started way back in the 1920s when conservation efforts were put in place in the southwestern part to help protect the thick tropical rainforest therein. It’s under the same name of conservation that Nyungwe forest reserve was established in 1933 by the Belgian government that was in charge of the area by then in colonial times.
There were hard times between this period to the early 1990s due to the insecurity in the area because of the rebels that inhabited the forests, threatening the government and the entire welfare of the citizens. The rebels were later wiped out though the genocide was also on its course in the early 1990s up to 1994 when there was a ceasefire.
The reserve was afterwards in 2005 upgraded into a National Park by the Rwandan government to protect wildlife species and reptiles that inhabit the area. This later on boosted tourism in the park especially with the activities of chimpanzee tracking.

Booking a chimpanzee permit in Rwanda.

For travellers willing to go for this exciting activity, booking the permit shouldn’t be any of your worries because permits can be obtained directly through the Rwanda Development Board or through travel agents that are registered.

Price of chimpanzee trekking permits in Rwanda.

Chimpanzee trekking permits in Rwanda are affordable to all categories of people since their costs don’t sink deeper into the pockets of visitors. It is important to note that visitors pay a non-refundable fee of $90 per person per trek for foreign non-residents and $60 for foreign residents. This allows the visitors a fully guided trek with professional tourist guides who have information and know about the tracking and movement patterns of the chimpanzees in the thick tropical rainforests.

What could be the best time to visit the untamed Nyungwe National Park?

Dry seasons always stand out as the most favorable times to visit the National Park and these are categorized into two that is to say, the long dry season that runs from June to September and the shorter dry season that runs from December up to mid-February. These provide untroubled experiences to visitors since there are no hardships, especially with the slippery terrain.
However, it is essential to note that the park is not limited to be visited in the dry seasons only because it can be accessed all year round.

What to pack when going for chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest National Park?

For extraordinary and uninterrupted experiences, visitors are advised to park appropriately. This encompasses travelers carrying with them things like long-sleeved shirts and trousers to prevent biting insects, a torch is also necessary since some parts of the forests are too thick and are often always dark, a tourist’s backpack to carry essential things such as drinking water and snacks, a nice camera is also important to help capture the moments with chimpanzees up close.