Nyungwe Forest Rwanda: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk Complete Guide
Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of Africa's most extraordinary wilderness areas — a vast, ancient montane rainforest in southwestern Rwanda that covers over 1,000 square kilometres of the Albertine Rift. Nyungwe is home to chimpanzees, 13 species of primates, over 300 bird species (including 29 Albertine Rift endemics), and the most iconic attraction in Rwanda after gorilla trekking: the Nyungwe Forest canopy walk.
If you are planning a Rwanda safari and have written off Nyungwe in favour of focusing solely on gorilla trekking and Akagera, you are making a significant mistake. Nyungwe is one of Africa's great wilderness secrets, and combining it with gorilla trekking and Akagera gives you what we call the Ultimate Rwanda Safari Circuit.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest
Nyungwe Forest is home to one of the largest chimpanzee populations in East Africa — estimated at over 500 individuals. Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe is one of Rwanda's most thrilling wildlife experiences. Unlike mountain gorilla trekking (USD 1,500 per permit), chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe costs just USD 150 per person — extraordinary value for a genuinely life-changing wildlife encounter.
What to Expect on a Chimpanzee Trek in Nyungwe
Nyungwe chimpanzee treks begin with a 5:30 AM briefing at the Uwinka Visitor Centre or the Cyamudongo Forest Station. After the briefing, your expert ranger guide will lead you into the forest on the trail of the habituated chimpanzee community.
The key difference between chimpanzee trekking and gorilla trekking is that chimpanzees move fast. Unlike mountain gorillas, which spend most of their time resting and feeding close to the ground, chimpanzees are highly active and can travel several kilometres during a morning. The trek can involve brisk walking, some light scrambling, and the constant thrill of the chase. When you do find them, the experience is electric — the noise, the personality, the chaos, and the unmistakable sense of kinship with our closest living relatives.
During your one-hour visit with the chimpanzee community, you may witness:
- Male chimps displaying and vocalizing dominance
- Mothers grooming their young
- The famous chimpanzee drumming on tree buttresses
- Tool use — chimpanzees using sticks and leaves as foraging tools
- The wild pant-hoot calls that echo through the forest canopy
Cyamudongo Chimpanzee Habitat
For the very best chance of seeing chimpanzees in Nyungwe, we recommend the Cyamudongo Forest, a small satellite forest connected to Nyungwe by a forest corridor. The chimpanzee community here is smaller, more habituated, and far easier to find than in the main Nyungwe block. Cyamudongo chimpanzee trekking offers some of the most reliable chimp sightings in Rwanda and is an absolute must for primate enthusiasts.
The Nyungwe Canopy Walk
The Nyungwe Forest canopy walk is one of the most thrilling and visually stunning experiences in Rwanda. This suspension bridge system stretches for 160 metres through the rainforest canopy at a height of 50–70 metres — roughly 15 storeys — above the forest floor. Walking across the canopy walkway, you are at eye level with the treetops, surrounded by the calls of birds and primates, with views across miles of unbroken rainforest.
The canopy walk is located in the Uwinka section of Nyungwe Forest, about 1 hour from Gisakura. The walk itself is not particularly strenuous, but reaching the canopy walkway requires a 30–45 minute hike on a well-maintained forest trail. The canopy walk costs USD 60 per person and is one of the best USD 60 you will ever spend in Rwanda.
The best time for the canopy walk is early morning (6:30–8:30 AM) when the light in the forest is soft and golden, primates are most active in the canopy, and you are likely to have the bridge mostly to yourself.
Birdwatching in Nyungwe Forest
Nyungwe Forest is one of Africa's premier birdwatching destinations. Over 300 species have been recorded here, including 29 Albertine Rift endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. Notable species include:
- Grauer's swamp warbler
- Red-collared mountain babbler
- Rockefeller's sunbird
- Rwenzori nightjar
- African green broadbill
- Handsome francolin
- Strange weaver
A dedicated birdwatching day in Nyungwe with our expert ornithology guide can yield 80–120 species in a single day — a lifetime tick list for any serious birder. The best birdwatching is along the Uwinka trail system, around the Kamiranzovu swamp, and in the Cyamudongo area.
Other Nyungwe Forest Activities
Colobus Monkey Tracking
Angola colobus monkeys are one of Nyungwe's most spectacular primates — large, dramatically black-and-white, and often seen in groups of 300–400 individuals in the forest canopy. Colobus tracking costs USD 100 per person and is one of the most visually stunning primate experiences in Rwanda.
Forest Hiking Trails
Nyungwe has an extensive network of marked hiking trails ranging from short 1-hour walks to full-day 20 km treks through the forest interior. Trails include the Igishigishigi Trail (canopy walk access), the Bigugu Trail (highest point in Nyungwe), and the Kamiranzovu Wetland Trail.
Waterfall Visits
The Kamiranzovu area has several accessible waterfalls that are spectacular during the rainy season. The 15-minute waterfall walk is a popular short hike for visitors with limited time in Nyungwe.
Nyungwe Forest Entry Fees 2025
- Park entry: USD 50 per person
- Chimpanzee trekking permit: USD 150 per person
- Canopy walk: USD 60 per person
- Colobus monkey tracking: USD 100 per person
- Angola colobus community tracking: USD 50 per person
- Birdwatching guide: USD 30 per person
Nyungwe Forest Accommodation
The best lodge for Nyungwe Forest is the One&Only Nyungwe House — a luxury property on a working tea estate at the edge of the forest. The combination of the world-class lodge, the tea plantation views, and immediate access to Nyungwe Forest activities makes Nyungwe House one of the finest safari lodges in Rwanda. Rates from USD 600 per person per night all-inclusive.
More affordable options include the Gisakura Guest House (USD 60–100/night) and community-run guesthouses in Gisakura village.
How to Get to Nyungwe Forest
Nyungwe Forest is located in southwestern Rwanda, approximately 225 km from Kigali — a 4–5 hour drive on a good tarmac road. The drive is spectacular — passing through Rwanda's famous terraced hills, tea plantations, and the shores of Lake Kivu. Nyungwe Forest is the perfect conclusion to a Rwanda safari that begins with gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and includes a night on Lake Kivu.
