Category: Rwanda

Nyungwe national park, is one of Rwanda’s four parks. It is a destination of primates, having up to 13 species recorded there. The most popular are the chimpanzees and the chimpanzee trekking is the most popular tour in Nyungwe forest.

Apart from the chimps, there are several species of monkeys in Nyungwe National Park and one of the special monkeys in Nyungwe forest is the Rwenzori Colobus (Colobus angolensis rwenzori), a subspecies of the Angolan Colobus monkey (Colobus angolensis) species – an attractive Old World monkey with distinctive black-and-white coat, tufty shoulder-pads and a mohawk.

The Angolan colobus monkeys (Rwenzori colobus monkeys) in Nyungwe tend to form huge groups, called “supergroups”, of more than 500 individuals, a phenomenon that has been observed to happen only among the colobus monkeys in Nyungwe National Park. Nyungwe National Park  in Rwanda, therefore, offers the best sightings of the colobus monkeys in the world.

It is a beautiful wildlife adventure approaching a large group of these colobus monkeys and watching these lovely monkeys that are very active and social, that do a lot of playing with each other and grooming when they are not swarming branches of a fruiting tree, or lining up on the bark and branches of an old tree to eat off the lichens, or covering an entire lush green ground in black and white when they come down from the trees to eat some herbs and clay.

During the time with the colobus monkeys, you stand a high chance of seeing other monkey species as well that make it a habitat of joining big colobus groups. The commonly sighted monkeys with the colobus monkeys are; the Blue monkeys, Mona monkey, and Mangabey monkey. These are normally in smaller groups of a few individuals and probably join the large colobus monkeys for added protection from predators, especially the chimps.

Uwinka and Gisakura colobus monkeys groups.

Two groups of colobus monkey have been habituated for colobus monkey tours in Nyungwe National Park. The colobus tracking trip allows one hour with the monkeys after finding them. You can also spend a full day with the monkeys if you are a photographer, and these monkeys are such a photography delight!

One of the two habituated groups is a supergroup of 500+ colobus monkeys and their territory is in Uwinka which is also the location of the park’s visitors’ center or head office.

The second group of habituated Colobus monkeys is not a supergroup with a much smaller number of monkeys of about 60 individuals. This group is located in Gisakura area.

The Gisakura group is the most visited for the trekking trips because it is easier to find without much trekking, and often the monkeys are hanging out near the edge of the forest. Gisakura (outside the park) is also the location for most lodgings used for stays when visiting Nyungwe National Park for trips, such as Nyungwe Top View Hill Lodge, One&Only Nyungwe House, and Gisakura Guesthouse among others. As such it is very conveniently located.

The Gisakura colobus monkeys group have four trekking schedules each day; 8am, 10am, 1pm, 3pm. This group is therefore the most suitable if you want to add a short extra activity to chimp tour in Nyungwe National Park.

The Uwinka colobus monkeys supergroup tend to travel widely to look for enough food for the large group. Sometimes it encounters the Mayebe chimpanzee group who live in the Uwinka area and has to flee. Chimps have the colobus monkeys on their menu and actively hunt them for meat. The Uwinka colobus often flee to farther territories to escape the chimps.

The Uwinka colobus group have one schedule in a day at 9am because the experience can take a full day depending on where the monkeys would have traveled to. Unlike the Gisakura group that can be done as an extra activity on the same day with another activity in Nyungwe, the Uwinka group needs a day of its own allocated.

The Uwinka group is great if you want to spend a full day of photography with the colobus monkeys in Nyungwe National Park.

Cost of the colobus monkey tracking in Nyungwe National Park

Foreign Non-resident	Foreign Resident	Rwandan Citizen
USD 60	USD 40	RWF 5000

Age limit: Only persons aged from 12 years are allowed to do the colobus  monkey tracking, below this age a person is not allowed to join the walk.

Cost of full day photography with the Colobus Monkeys in Nyungwe forest

600USD per group per day

After one day, additional days are paid 50%

Level of fitness required for the colobus monkey trekking in Nyungwe

Basic fitness is okay enough if you are visiting the Gisakura group. However if you are planning on tracking the Uwinka group you need to be fit as there may be a lot of hiking up and down hills and through think vegetation.

The best time to visit the colobus monkeys in Nyungwe National Park

The monkey trek can be done throughout the year. However the drier months (dry season) is the most favorable fore trekking which is December to February, and June to mid-September. During the rainy seasons, April – May, and October – November, the terrain is slippery hence a more difficult trek.

What essential items do I need for the colobus monkey trek

• Hiking shoes with good traction
• Rain jacket
• Long sleeved shirt and long pants to protect skin from prickly plants
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen

Would you like to see the Colobus monkeys in Nyungwe? Well you can book one of these trips

3 days Nyungwe tour with Chimpanzee trekking

3 days Nyungwe and Lake Kivu tour

Nyungwe National Park is one of Rwanda’s four national parks and top destinations, that is most famous for the chimpanzee trekking experiences. The park is located in the southwest of the country, about 5 – 6 hour’s drive from Kigali.

Protecting an ancient forest that is rich with diversity, Nyungwe is a nature lovers heaven. The park offers a number of activities including chimpanzee tracking, canopy walk, nature walks, hiking, birding, and monkey tracking.

Nyungwe national park is also an affordable destination, with all day activities costing less than $150.

Below are the park Entry fees fees and pricing of activities in activities in Nyungwe National Park.

Nyungwe National Park entry fees

Entry fees below give you full day access to nature walks in Nyungwe forest.

Entry fee	1 Day/Night	2 Nights	3 Nights
Rwandan/EAC Citizen	$10 (RwF10,000)	$15 (RwF15,000)	$20 (RwF20,00)
Foreign Resident in Rwanda/EAC	$60	$90	$120
African Citizen (other than EAC)	$60	$90	$120
International Visitor	$100	$150	$200
Rwandan/EAC Citizen Child (6 – 12)	$5 (RwF5000)	$7.5 (RwF7,500)	$10 (RwF10,000)
Foreign Resident in Rwanda/EAC Child (6 – 12)	$30	$45	$60
African Citizen (other than EAC) Child 6-12	$30	$45	$60
International Visitor Child 6 – 12	$50	$75	$100

NOTES:

• Children 5 and below do not pay entry fees
• Person aged 13+ years are considered adults and pay full fees
• Entry fees are not charged beyond 3 nights for up to one week
• Entry fee inclusive of any trail is payable by all day visitors, or per night for overnight visitors staying in the park. The fee reduces by 50% for the second night and third nights and then free any subsequent nights for up to one week. E.g. for 1 night in the park (and the 2 days either side) the fee is payable once, for two nights it is payable twice, with second night reduced by 50%. Visitors staying outside the park are considered “day visitors” unless if staying in the lodges/hotels near the park and these lodges/hotels have an agreement signed with the park. Day visitors have to pay the full entry fee every day they enter the park.

Activities in Nyungwe park that are priced.

Other than nature walks that are inclusive of the park entry fees, the activities below are specifically priced and thus have to be paid for in addition to paying the park entry.

Chimpanzee trekking

Nyungwe Park has a population of more than 500 chimps of which three groups have been habituated for chimpanzee trekking tours in Rwanda. A total of 24 chimpanzee permits are available per day as only 8 people are allowed to track one chimps group each day. Only one chimpanzee trekking schedule is available each morning starting at 5am

International Visitor	Foreign Residents	Rwandan/East African Citizens
$150	$75	$25

*Above prices include a guide

OTHER SPECIAL ACTIVITIES: Canopy walk, Guided Birding, Monkey tracking, Night walks

The canopy walk tour starts at Uwinka park office and there are four schedules in a day: 8am, 10am, 1pm and 3pm.

Three species of monkeys have habituated groups for exciting monkey tracking including: Colobus monkey (most popular), Mangabey, and Blue monkey.

Night walks in Nyungwe start at 5.30pm till 9pm.

All above special walks have the following pricing:

International Visitor	Foreign Residents	Rwandan/East African Citizens
$40	$20	$5

*Again, nature walks are included in the park entrance fee, so are not priced

  Camping

A camping in Nyungwe is available at the Uwinka park headquarters.

		Adults (13+)	Children (6 – 12)
Camping	per person/night	$15	$7.5
Tent hire	Per 4-man (approx. 3m x 3m) canvas tent	$20

NOTE:

Tent hire does not include any bedding or camping equipment

Guiding fees

The guides and porters are available for hire if you want to take one for your forest/nature walk in Nyungwe forest (you can go on the trail without one as long as you are less than 8 people).

Other particular activities mandate you to take a guide include monkey tracking, night walks, canopy walk, guided birding. You therefore have to include the guide fee in your planning if you will be doing these activities.

Guide for regular forest walks	Per guide / half day	15$
Guide for regular forest walks	Per guide / full day	$25
Porter	Per porter / half day	5
Porter	Per porter / full day	10

NOTE:

• Guides and porters are picked up from the reception before 9am and returned to the same reception with 5 hours will be considered a half day activity. Guides and porters picked from the reception after 9am will be charged for a full day, unless if the guide is returned before midday.
• For every 8 tourists (excluding children 5 and under) there will be a requirement to have a guide. This is to ensure safety of guests and proper dissemination of information so that everyone absorbs and hears all info shared.

Nyungwe National Park tours

Want to visit Nyungwe National Park? You can book and if wish customized these trips to include any of the activities you want, if time allows

• 2 day chimpanzee and canopy walk tour
• 3 day Nyungwe tour with chimpanzee trekking
• 3 days Nyungwe and Lake Kivu tour

 

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is done in the Nyungwe Forest National Park in the southwest of the country. To participate in the trekking to see the chimps you are required to have a chimpanzee trekking/tracking permit or call it ticket or pass.

There three communities of chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park that were habituated and can be used for chimpanzee trekking tours. A maximum number of 8 persons are allowed to visit one group of chimps in a day. That means a maximum of 8 chimpanzee tracking permits or tickets or passes are issued for each chimp group, and a total of 24 chimpanzees  trekking permits are available for booking in Rwanda per day.

What is the cost of the Rwanda chimpanzee trekking permit?

FNR	FR	RC/EAC
$150	$75	$25

FNR = Foreign non-resident (international tourist)

FR = Foreign Rwanda resident

RC = Rwandan citizen or national

EAC = East African citizen

*The fees above include the guide

Are there other park fees I need to pay apart from the chimp permit?

Yes, the chimpanzee tracking permit does not NOT include park entry fees which are paid independently. The pricing of the park entry fees is as follows:

FNR	FR	AC	RC/EAC
$100	$60	$60	$10

FNR = Foreign non-resident (international tourist)

FR = Foreign Rwanda resident

RC = Rwandan citizen or national

EAC = East African citizen

AC = African Citizens (other than East African citizens)

What are the terms for buying a Rwanda chimpanzee trekking permit?

Only persons aged 16 years and above are allowed do chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda.

At booking time tourists are asked to send a copy of their passport (international tours) or identity card (nationals) which will be used to confirm and verify the age of the tourist.

How do I buy/book the chimpanzee trekking permit in Rwanda?

In 2020 the management of Nyungwe National Park was transferred from the Rwandan government (Rwanda Development Board) to African Parks Network (Nyungwe Management Company), same organization that has efficiently managed Akagera Game Lodge.

You can buy your Rwanda chimp permit by sending an email African Parks nyungwe@africanparks.org

Or you can contact a tour company to manage your booking for a chimpanzee permit. As Nature Trails East Africa we organize chimpanzee trekking tours to Nyungwe and when you book our tour we manage all bookings including buying your chimpanzee permit.

Some of our short chimpanzee trips to book are:

2 day chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk

3 days Nyungwe tour with chimpanzee trekking

When I do I buy the chimpanzee trekking permit?

Since only a limited 24 chimpanzee tracking permits/tickets are available per day you have to book your permit as soon as possible, even a year in advance. Take note of the high tourism from July to September when the permits sell out quickly. If you plan on traveling this period it is advised to book your permit well in advance.

Also, many travelers track on the weekend throughout the year, you therefore need to book your permit or tour as soon as possible if you are planning the chimpanzee trek for the weekend

Akagera National Park has introduced a new activity, rhino tracking, which gives visitors to Akagera a chance to walk in the bush and see the rhinos up-close.

The visitors will join the park’s Rhino trackers who go out each morning to track down the rhinos on foot to monitor them for their security, and gather information about the rhinos such as about their health.

The rhino tracking in Akagera National Park happens in the vast Kilala plains in the north of the park where 30 rhinos of the white rhino species that were introduced into Akagera park at the end of last year of 2021 call home.

White rhinos are grazers, that is, feed downward on grass, and the grassy Kilala plains is the ideal environment for them. On the other hand, the black rhinos are browsers, feeding upward on leaves of tree branches. Little wonder the black rhinos in Akagera are found in the south of the park that is dominated by acacia woodland and forests.

The rhino walk in the company of the rhino monitors will give you a chance to learn about the rhinos and other wildlife you encounter. The walk also gives you a chance to discover and see wildlife that is far from the drive tracks and would be difficult to see if you are driving.

How does one plan to do the Rhino tracking/trekking in Akagera?

Please note the rhino tracking is only available to guests who stay at the Karenge Bush Camp, a seasonal tented lodging found in the north of Akagera National Park overlooking the beautiful Kilala plains. If you therefore plan on including the rhino tracking in your safari trip to Akagera National Park, you have to plan to stay at Karenge Bush Camp.

Karenge Bush Camp does not operate whole year, but for 9.5 months, closing in April and November to mid-December.

Seeing that the white rhinos are in the north of the park, while trips into Akagera start through the south of the park which has the entrance, the ideal itinerary would be two night/three day Akagera tour itinerary. The first night spent in the south of the park, at either Akagera Game Lodge or Ruzizi Tented Lodge, and then go spend the second night at Karenge Bush Camp in the north and exit through the exit gate in the north.

What is the cost of rhino tracking in Akagera national Park?

The rhino tracking costs USD75 per person, taking a minimum of two people and maximum of four people.

Is rhino tracking safe?

You may be concerned about how safe it is to approach the rhinos on foot? The white rhinos are not aggressive and will tolerate your presence as long as you do not approach too close. This is in contrast to the black rhinos that are known to be very aggressive and dangerous. The rhino trackers will guide on the safe distance from the rhinos and how to behave when near the rhinos.

How about the danger of encountering other wild animals such as lions, elephants, buffaloes, etc…? The trackers are knowledgeable about the possible other wildlife to encounter and plan a trail that is safe. The team will also include armed personnel that can fire in the air to scare away an errant animal. However this is very unlikely.

Planning to visit Akagera and want to include the rhino tracking, how about you book this 3 day safari tour to Akagera National Park

Gorilla trekking is one of the most popular tours in Africa. The gorilla trek gives tourists a once in a lifetime chance to see the gorillas in their habitat.

Rwanda has been the most popular destination for the gorilla trekking tours. The other destinations where gorilla trekking is done are Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These three countries are the only places where mountain gorillas are found in the whole world.

Of the three countries, the gorilla trek in Rwanda is the most expensive with a gorilla trekking permit ticket costing $1500 (one thousand five hundred US dollars or fifteen hundred dollars). Tourists are always surprised by the expensive permit and the next question asked is why the permit costs so much?

Below I explain why the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit costs 1500 and why it is a worthy price

More funds to the community

As a policy in Rwanda, 10% off each gorilla permit sold is channeled directly back into the communities around Volcanoes National Park where the gorillas live. This money is used in developing the communities through construction of schools and hospital, improving infrastructure, financing income generating activities, etc… Therefore, the higher the cost of the permit the more money goes to the community.

When the communities see the direct benefits from the gorillas, they appreciate their existence and participate in protecting them and their habitat instead of poaching as previously was the case.

More funds for gorilla conservation activities

The high cost of the gorilla permit means more funds are being generated for the conservation activities toward the protection of the gorillas and their habitat. A few decades ago, the mountain gorillas were critically endangered and were on the verge of extinction. By then less than 800 gorillas were left. But with the introduction of gorilla tourism which raised awareness about the mountain gorillas and generated funds the trend was reversed and currently there are more than 1000 mountain gorillas.

With the gorilla population on a steady increase, the gorillas will need more space. Rwanda is therefore taking a very ambitious project to expand the boundaries of the park to accommodate more gorillas. Therefore, the high cost of gorilla tracking in Rwanda will help expand the home of the gorillas.

Rwanda targeting fewer tourists to protect the habitat of the gorillas

Still on the side of conservation, the high cost of the gorilla trek will limit the number of tourists tracking the gorillas, thereby protecting the gorilla habitat from mass tourism.

Making the Rwanda gorilla trek a more exclusive experience

The high cost of the Rwanda gorilla permit means tourist are fewer per gorilla family. This makes the experience more exclusive and more enjoyable for tourist. This is in contrast to the cheaper gorilla destinations where the gorilla groups are full and tourists jostle to see the gorillas.

Making Rwanda a high-end destination

The high cost of the gorilla tracking permit is in line with government ambition of turning Rwanda into a high end destination.