3 Days Rwanda Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk

Safari highlights

• Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest
• Walk on the canopy walkway, about 160 m long and 70 m high
• Chance to see colobus monkeys and other primates
• Excellent birding and tea-plantation scenery
• Scenic drive across Rwanda's southern highlands

Itinerary route map

1. Kigali
2. Nyungwe Forest National Park

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 01
   Day 1 Kigali to Nyungwe Forest National Park

   Leave Kigali early in the morning and head south-west towards Nyungwe Forest National Park. The drive takes about five to six hours and passes through Muhanga, Huye and the southern highlands, with views of terraced hills, small towns and farmland. Your guide may suggest a stop at the Ethnographic Museum in Huye if you are interested in Rwandan culture.

   Lunch is taken on the way, and as you approach Nyungwe the road climbs into dense forest and tea plantations. The park is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa and is home to about thirteen primate species, over three hundred bird species and many orchids. The air becomes noticeably cooler and fresher.

   You arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon. If time allows, you can walk through the tea estates nearby or simply relax and enjoy the forest views. Dinner is served at the lodge, and you rest early for tomorrow's chimpanzee tracking, which usually begins before dawn. Pack a rain jacket and warm layer, because the forest can be cool and wet at any time of year.

2. 02
   Day 2 Chimpanzee tracking and canopy walk

   Start very early, usually around 5:00, for the drive to the trailhead for chimpanzee tracking. Rangers give a short briefing, and you set off into the forest with a guide and trackers. Nyungwe's chimpanzees move over large areas, so the hike can be demanding, with steep slopes and muddy trails, but the rainforest scenery is rewarding.

   When the chimpanzees are found, you can watch them for up to one hour as they feed, call and move through the canopy. You may also see colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and colourful birds along the trail. Nyungwe's chimpanzee sightings are not guaranteed, but guides work hard to find them.

   In the afternoon, you visit the canopy walkway, which is about 160 metres long and 70 metres above the forest floor. Crossing the suspended bridge gives you a view of the treetops and valley below, and a chance to spot canopy birds and monkeys. You then return to the lodge for dinner and rest.

3. 03
   Day 3 Nyungwe to Kigali

   After breakfast, you check out of your lodge and begin the return journey to Kigali. If you have time, your guide can arrange a short walk or a stop at a viewpoint in the tea estates before you leave the Nyungwe area. The morning air is cool, and the forest is often covered in mist.

   The drive takes about five to six hours, with a stop for lunch along the way, usually in Huye or Muhanga. You pass through rolling hills, terraced fields and small villages, and your guide shares information about the history and culture of southern Rwanda. If you wish, you can visit a local craft shop.

   You arrive in Kigali in the afternoon or early evening and are dropped at your hotel or the airport. Your guide helps with luggage and confirms any onward plans. The safari ends here, leaving you with memories of one of Africa's most ancient and biodiverse forests. Thank you for visiting Nyungwe with us, and we hope to welcome you back to Rwanda soon.