Rwanda Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Rwanda chimpanzee trekking takes place in Nyungwe Forest National Park in the south of the country. This vast forest is the only tourist destination in Africa’s tiny country where tourists can visit chimpanzees in the wild. This extended expanse of the montane rain-forest is the biggest in Africa and a great conservation sight pulling dozens of researchers and scientists preferring to undertake primate research. Nyungwe forest is part of the broader Nyungwe National Park that now comprises of the Cyamudongo forest. The forest is a key water catchment asset in the country pouring rains on which River Nile in Uganda and others in Congo get their waters. On top of having several primate species, Nyungwe forest is also a great bird sanctuary with about 310 species recorded. Bird watchers will be able to spot Chapin’s flycatcher, paradise flycatchers, purple-breasted sunbirds, Rockefeller’s’ sunbird, red-collared mountain babblers and Ruwenzori turacos plus many more.

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest

Chimpanzee tracking is the major activity in Nyungwe forest. Biologically and behavior wise, chimps are man’s closest relatives. Chimpanzees share many of man traits and are undoubtedly the most intelligently gifted Apes after human beings. These primates are believed to live up to 60 years in captivity. In Rwanda, chimps can be visited in the three main destinations which include Nyungwe National Park, Cyamudongo forests and Gishwati Mukura national park.

But of the three places, Nyungwe National Park tops with the highest number of chimpanzees estimated at about 400 individuals and there are other 13 primate species altogether. There are two chimpanzee communities have been moderately habituated in Nyungwe National Park. Most of the chimps dwell Nyungwe forest and about 60 individuals whereas the rest estimated at around 30 individuals live in Cyamudongo Forest. Other primate species in Nyungwe comprosire of the mona monkeys, blue monkeys, silver monkeys, owl-faced monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, the Dent’s monkey, black faced vervet monkeys, baboons, grey-cheeked Mangabeys, black and white colobus monkeys plus the Rwenzori colobus.

Chimpanzee Trekking Safaris Rwanda, Chimp Tracking Nyungwe

Rwanda Chimpanzee Trekking Safaris come next to gorilla tours among the top things to do in the country. Chimp trekking in Rwanda takes place in Nyungwe Forest National Park, the only home to the primates, considered to be 98% biologically related to man.