Nyungwe Forest National Park: Rwanda’s Ancient Rainforest
Nyungwe Forest National Park Rwanda chimps, colobus monkeys and the famous canopy walk make this one of Africa’s most compelling forest wildlife destinations. Nyungwe covers 1,019 square kilometres of montane rainforest and holds over 1,000 chimpanzees, 13 primate species and 322 bird species including 29 Albertine Rift endemics.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe
The Cyamudongo Chimp Community
The Cyamudongo section of Nyungwe holds a habituated chimpanzee community of approximately 40 individuals. This group is smaller and easier to track than Kibale Forest’s larger communities. Chimpanzee tracking permits cost $150 per person and groups are limited to eight visitors. The forest here is denser and more atmospheric than Uganda’s Kibale sections.
What the Trek Experience Delivers
Chimpanzee treks in Nyungwe begin at 5:30am with a ranger briefing at the park headquarters. Tracker teams locate the chimps before the visitor group departs. Encounters last one hour from the moment you reach the habituated community. Chimps in Nyungwe exhibit more ground-level behaviour than groups in taller forest, giving exceptional observation opportunities.
The Nyungwe Canopy Walk
Walking Above the Forest
The Nyungwe canopy walk is 90 metres above the forest floor on a suspended bridge running 160 metres between two ridge tops. The view across unbroken montane rainforest extending to the horizon is genuinely spectacular. Bird species invisible from ground level fly level with you on the bridge. This is one of Central Africa’s most iconic nature tourism experiences.
Canopy Walk Permit and Access
The canopy walk permit costs $60 per person and is valid for the walk plus a forest trail walk of approximately two hours. Small groups of maximum eight visitors access the bridge at timed intervals. Morning visits before 9am deliver the best light and the most bird activity around the treetops. Book your timed slot through African Wild Trekkers before departure.
Colobus Monkey Trekking
The Ruwenzori Colobus Group
Nyungwe holds the largest known group of Ruwenzori black-and-white colobus monkeys in Africa — up to 400 individuals in a single troop. The troop moves through the forest canopy in a black-and-white cascade that creates one of Africa’s most dramatic primate spectacles. Colobus trekking permits cost $100 per person.
Other Primates in Nyungwe
L’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys and Hamlyn’s monkeys all inhabit Nyungwe Forest. A dedicated primates trail walk can produce sightings of four to five species in a single morning. Nyungwe delivers the highest primate diversity of any Rwanda national park outside Volcanoes.
Getting to Nyungwe and Where to Stay
Location and Drive Times
Nyungwe Forest sits in southwestern Rwanda on the Burundi border — five to six hours from Kigali by road through spectacular tea estate highlands. Many visitors combine Nyungwe with Volcanoes National Park or a Lake Kivu stopover. African Wild Trekkers coordinates all transfer logistics to make the southwestern circuit work within a 7 to 10-day Rwanda itinerary.
Accommodation Options
One&Only Nyungwe House and Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel are the main upmarket options. Budget guesthouses in Gisakura village at the park entrance suit cost-conscious visitors. All accommodation options are included in African Wild Trekkers Rwanda packages with full-board meals and guided activity coordination from arrival to departure.
Plan Your Uganda Safari
How to Start Your Booking
Contact Us With Your Travel Dates
Reach out to African Wild Trekkers with your preferred travel window and group size. We check gorilla permit availability first, then build the full itinerary around your confirmed permit date. Contact us as early as possible for peak season dates.
Tell Us Your Budget and Style
We build Uganda safaris at every budget level — from $150 to $2,000+ per person per day. Share your accommodation preferences, activity interests and any special requirements. We tailor every element to match exactly what you want.
What Every Package Includes
Permits, Fees and Activities
Your quoted price covers all activity permits, park entry fees and ranger guide charges throughout Uganda. There are no hidden costs at park gates or trailheads. What we quote is exactly what you pay.
Transport, Accommodation and Meals
Private 4×4 safari vehicle with driver-guide, all lodge accommodation, full-board meals, Entebbe airport transfers and 24/7 in-country support are included in every African Wild Trekkers package from arrival to departure.
Why Travel With African Wild Trekkers
Local Expertise That Makes a Difference
We are a Uganda-based team with direct knowledge of every national park, lodge and guide in our network. We trek these forests and drive these plains ourselves. Our recommendations come from personal experience, not online research.
Request Your Custom Safari Quote
Visit africanwildtrekkers.com/contact to send us your enquiry. We respond within 24 hours every day of the week and deliver your personalised itinerary within three working days.
