Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe National Park
Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe National Park is one of the top tourist attractions that travelers love to engage in when they engage in Rwanda Safari Tours. Nyungwe National Park one of the national parks in Rwanda that will offer the best primate experiences while on your Rwanda tours. Located in South Western part of Rwanda, the park is famous for its primate safaris and although there are different destinations in East Africa where chimpanzee trekking can be carried out including kibale national park and also tourists can visit Ngamba island where they can visit the Ngamba Chimpanzee sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees which is an amazing experience once carried out. However much there are different destinations that can be visited, the experience at Nyungwe National Park is quite unmatched because of the variety of primate species that can be found which include 13 primate species.
Before you go for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, there are a number of details that you need to know about chimpanzee trekking in the park before you embark on your activity as follows;
Where Chimpanzee Trekking is done in Nyungwe National Park
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe national park can be carried out with in the park and outside the park in Cyamudongo forest and within the Park. The park has two habituated chimpanzee groups the larger one in the park and the smaller in cyamudongo forest. Regardless of where you go chimpanzee trekking, the experience is quite the same, engaging, interesting and most of all rewarding. In the Cyamudongo forest, there is one habituated group and the other is in the habituation process which will increase the number of people that will participate in the chimpanzee trekking process. In the park, you will have a variety of attractions to look at while carrying out chimpanzee trekking including other primate species like the vervet monkey, black and white colobus monkeys among other monkeys species.
Chimpanzee Trekking Gear
While carrying out chimpanzee trekking in the park, it is important for you to have the right tracking gear to ensure that the activity runs smoothly for you without any disturbances. While in Nyungwe national park the following is what you should consider putting on and carrying while participating in chimpanzee trekking activity.
- Hiking boots to aid balance while on the slippery forest trails
- Garden gloves to protect your fingers from nettles
- Long trousers and t-shirts to avoid nettles
- Insect repellent to avoid insect bites in the park
- Rain jackets because of rains since it is advisable to visit the park during the rainy season when the food is readily available.
Chimpanzee Trekking Permit
Before you carry out chimpanzee trekking in the park, you should first obtain a chimpanzee trekking permit in order to participate in the activity. This can be obtained from trusted tour companies or tour operators that you’ve booked your trip with or you can obtain your permit at the entrance of the Nyungwe national park from the Uwinka reception area. But to be on a safe side, it is better to book your permit in advance so that you don’t miss out on the activity. The activity is as cheap as 90USD for non-residents and 60USD or residents.
Chimpanzee Trekking Time
After obtaining your permit and having the right gear and equipment to carry out chimpanzee trekking, you are expected to be in time for briefing before you participate in the chimpanzee trekking activity. After all your early morning preparations, you are expected to be at the Uwinka reception area at 7:00 am for briefing before you embark on your journey into the forest to search for the primate species. During the briefing, you will be briefed on how to behave in the presence of the chimpanzees the Dos and Don’ts in order to have an amazing experience while you carry out the activity. After you will set off into the forest to the chimpanzees at 8:00 am.
The Chimpanzee Trekking Experience
After the briefing, you will then be accompanied by a park ranger and a guide that will take you through your whole chimpanzee trekking activity. The activity will take approximately 2-4 hours because of the ease to see the primate species which is easier than gorilla trekking in Rwanda to be specific Volcanoes national park which is a whole day activity that Virunga mountains hike where the gorillas are found. Chimpanzee trekking, on the other hand, is an easy activity that is not time-consuming. On meeting the chimpanzees, you will have to spend an hour with the primates understanding their different daily patterns like their feeding patterns, grooming patterns, playtime and many other activities that they carry out in the wild which is a very captivating experience.
Since chimpanzee trekking takes relatively a short period of time which is usually half-day as compared to gorilla trekking, you can participate in other activities that the park has to offer for instance you can carry out canopy walk in the afternoon after chimpanzee trekking. The canopy walk is another interesting activity that will ensure that you have the best experience while in the park. Where you will have the utmost adventure on East Africa’s only canopy found in Nyungwe national park. Interesting about canopy walk is the fact that it will offer you breath taking views where you will be able to see primate species like the colobus monkeys jumping from one tree branch to another, different bird species lining up on the wires of the walkway and many other different attractions.
Required Documents in Rwanda
Before you think of traveling to Rwanda in order to carry out chimpanzee trekking, you should have the necessary documents to travel to the country like the VISA which is can be got by applying online or on arrival which will enable you to have an amazing experience while in the park without being stopped from entering the country. Other necessary documents that should be considered while visiting Rwanda can be seen in the Rwanda VISA on entry and requirement information will provide you with knowledge on what you should not forget to carry while you come to carry out your Rwanda chimpanzee trekking tours.
Best time to go Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe
It is advisable that in order to have the best chimpanzee trekking experience in the park, you should visit the park during the wet season. And this is because there is plenty of food for the primates to eat and the availability of food, limits the movements of the primates which makes it easy to be located.
