Overview
A 3 days of Nyungwe National Park safari offers a chimpanzee trekking experience in the forested ecosystem like no other. Situated in the southwestern region of Rwanda, Nyungwe National Park is the place you will love to spend your valuable time. The park occupies 1,019 square kilomters, sheltering the unique chimpanzees in its diverse habitats. So far almost 500 chimpanzees have been determined to live in Nyungwe National Park. Beside the chimps 12 more primate species call Nyungwe Forest home.
These are black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoest’s monkeys, Dent’s Mona monkeys, olive baboons and owl-faced monkeys. Nyungwe National Park also has 345 bird species, some of which are endemic, while others are resident or migratory. These include Rwenzori turaco, Grauers swamp warbler, regal sunbird and handsome francolin. On this 3 days chimps of Nyungwe safari, a canopy walk is included to enhance the experience in this dense forest. A tour to the Nyanza King’s Palace and the Gisakura Tea Estate will also be done for maximum enjoyment. The 3 days chimps of Nyungwe safari starts and ends in Kigali, Rwanda.
Highlights of the safari
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali and transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Nyanza King’s Palace tour enroute
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk
Day 3: Tea plantation tour and return journey to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali and transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Nyanza King’s Palace tour
On this first day of the 3 days chimps of Nyungwe safari, you will be picked up from anywhere in Kigali city. From Kigali, Nyungwe National Park is 177 kilometers to the southwest, and driving there takes 3-4 hours. There will be a pause for enroute lunch and a guided tour in the Nyanza King’s Palace. This historic cultural site has a structure shaped like a bee-hive to offer impressive scenes throughout the day. The site guide will offer insight into its history, especially construction, link to Kings Mutara III Rudahigwa and Kigeli V Ndahindurwa.
You will proceed to Nyungwe National Park, which is 55.2 kilometers away from the Nyanza’s King Palace. Arrive at Nyungwe National Park and check in at your lodge. Spend the rest of the day relaxing and acclimatizing. There will be plenty of birds that will be flying around your lodge to offer you a glimpse of the biodiversity sheltering in the forest. You will have dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk
On this second day of your 3 days chimps of Nyungwe safari you will have early morning breakfast. Head to the visitors center for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest. You will start tracking a habituated chimpanzee community after being briefed by the ranger guide. This is done to ensure that you learn about what you should do and should not while hiking in the forest. Following the ranger guides you will learn how to track the chimps by identifying their footprints, half eaten food, broken twigs and others.
After finding the chimpanzees you are meant to watch and appreciate their behaviors for 1 hour. Return to where you started for debriefing. Head back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, you will return to the forest for a breathtaking canopy walk. Along the Igishigishigi trail you will start walking following a forest guide. You will reach on a suspended bridge of 160 meters long and 70 meters above the forest floor. Birds, primates, and other wildlife can be seen from here. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Tea Plantation tour and return journey to Kigali
This is your last day of the 3 days chimps of Nyungwe safari. You will start the morning with breakfast in the lodge. Check out of the lodge and head to Gisakura Tea Estate to learn how tea is grown, harvested and processed. During this guided tour, tasting the black tea is almost unmissable due to its nice strong flavor. Start the journey to Kigali city, with a nice enroute lunch provided. Your driver will drop you at your point of interest in Kigali city, including Kigali International Airport. This marks the end of your 3 days chimps of Nyungwe safari.