3 days chimp trek in Nyungwe Forest NP is one of the best Rwanda primate tour packages. It covers a guided chimpanzee trekking experience and forest canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest N/Park, one of the primate parks in Rwanda and it is lying suitably in the Southern Province. Nyungwe Forest National Park is an extensive tropical forest park, stretching to cover a land area of 970sq.kms.
Nyungwe Forest supports over 13 primate species, 310 bird species, 200 tree species, and other species. There are over 500 chimpanzees, 400 colobus monkeys, and other primates such as l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, pottos, red-tailed monkeys, etc. This trip begins and ends in Kigali.
Tour details
Day 1: Tour Kigali, & drive to Nyungwe
A short city tour in Kigali will be done after you have had breakfast, and you will be visiting top city markets (Kirimonko market), Gisozi genocide memorial, art centers and others. After the city tour in Kigali, settle in one of the classic restaurants for lunch and later, you will proceed to Nyungwe National Park.
Driving from Kigali to Nyungwe Forest National Park takes about 6–7 hours, and you will have a brief stopover visit at Butare. At Butare, you will be visiting the National Ethnographic Museum (Huye), King’s palace, Murambi genocide centre. From Butare, you will be transferred to your lodge for dinner and overnight sleep.
Day 2: Chimp trek in Nyungwe, forest canopy walk
After breakfast, your chimp trek in Nyungwe Forest will begin with a briefing and allocation of park guides. There are 2 key briefing areas, but today, you will join other clients at Uwinka reception, and at 8:00 am, normal chimpanzee trekking begins. A search for chimpanzees is expected to go for 2–4 hours, and this is inclusive of 1 hour for chimpanzee photography. Chimps share the largest percentage of their DNA with humans, about 98%, making them our closest relatives. You will learn more about these unique apes, take pictures and you get back to the lodge for lunch, & relaxation.
The 2 pm forest canopy walk is about 2 hours of walking through a suspended bridge set about 50m from the ground. You will enjoy the sight of primates, forest birds, and a magical view of the surrounding, then you will get back to spend the rest of the evening at the lodge.
Day 3: Tour Gisakura tea estate & return to Kigali
Have a tasty cup of Rwanda tea/coffee, after, leave the lodge for a guided tour of Gisakura tea estates. You will learn how tea is grown, till it is processed, and the final stage when it is ready for consumption. After taking tea, drive back to Kigali, about 6–7 hours’ drive and you will be dropped at a hotel for an overnight stay/at the airport for departure.