Nyungwe National Park

Book Nyungwe Forest with Go Kenya Safari, a licenced local operator and running trips across East Africa, including Rwanda, for 15 years.

Nyungwe is Rwanda’s great mountain rainforest, chimpanzee trekking, East Africa’s highest canopy walkway, colobus monkey troops and some of the continent’s best forest birding. Most guests visit as part of a Rwanda trip, pairing Nyungwe’s chimps with gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, or as a stop on a longer East Africa journey. Below is what to expect, how we build the trip, where to stay, and quick planning links.

Researching the park itself? The trails, timing, wildlife, birding? Read our full Nyungwe National Park guide. 

What to Expect on a Nyungwe Trip

Nyungwe is a walking-and-trekking destination, rather than a game-drive park. The forest is ancient and dense, home to 13 primate species including chimpanzees, large colobus troops and owl-faced monkeys, plus around 300 bird species plentiful with Albertine Rift specials. Your days are spent on foot, guided, on well-maintained trails.

Chimpanzee trekking is the headline experience, and the most demanding. You start early, before dawn, so trackers can locate the group; then you hike in over steep, often muddy ground to reach them. Chimps move fast and high through the canopy, so time with them is unpredictable and sightings, while good, are never guaranteed. Come with a reasonable level of fitness and broken-in boots.

The canopy walk is the gentler signature. A high suspension walkway strung through the treetops on the Igishigishi trail gives you long views over untouched forest, a valley and distant waterfalls, which is a guided walk of a couple of hours that most reasonably mobile visitors manage comfortably.

Beyond those two, guests take easier colobus monkey treks (troops here can number in the hundreds), birding walks, and hikes along a 130 km trail network that ranges from an hour to multi-day, the Kamiranzovu waterfall and marsh being a favourite. A typical visit is two nights, enough for a chimp trek plus the canopy walk and one more trail.

Nyungwe Tours & How We Build Them

Because Nyungwe is rarely a trip on its own, we usually build it into a Rwanda itinerary or a wider East Africa route. The most popular shapes:

• Rwanda gorillas & chimps, the classic: gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park paired with chimpanzee trekking and the canopy walk in Nyungwe.
• Nyungwe forest extension added on to a Kigali or Lake Kivu trip for travellers focused on chimps, primates and birding.
• East Africa combined. Nyungwe as one stop on a longer multi-country journey (e.g. Kenya or Tanzania savannah plus Rwanda primates).

Here are our Nyungwe combined itineraries:

• 6 Days Rwanda Safari, Chimpanze & Gorilla Trekking
• 8 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trek & Wildlife Safari
• 10 Days Rwanda Gorilla Trek & Wildlife Safari

Want a different shape or length? Most of our guests travel on a custom itinerary. Tell us your dates and interests and we’ll build one around you — including arranging your permits.

Where to Stay Near Nyungwe

Lodges sit on the forest edge, close to the trailheads; designated campsites are the option for sleeping inside the park itself. We book to suit budget and style:

• One&Only Nyungwe House  
• Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge
• Gisakura Guest House 

Planning Your Nyungwe Visit

Best time to go: Chimpanzee trekking runs all year; the drier months (June–September) give firmer trails and easier hiking, while October–May is strong for birding. 

Getting there: Nyungwe is in southwestern Rwanda, roughly a 5-hour drive from Kigali International Airport on good roads, with stops along the way. We arrange the transfer.

What to pack: A rain jacket, hat, sunblock, water, binoculars, and broken-in hiking boots; neutral browns and greens, full coverage rather than shorts and short sleeves.

Why Book Nyungwe With Go Kenya Safari

We’re a licensed local operator running trips across East Africa, Rwanda included. We handle all the hard details in Nyungwe: sequencing it correctly with gorilla trekking, securing the right permits for your dates, and choosing trailheads and lodges that match your fitness and time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe?

Chimpanzee trekking requires a permit issued by the Rwanda Development Board, and the canopy walk has its own fee. We arrange these as part of your package so you don’t have to.

Can I combine Nyungwe with gorilla trekking?

Gorilla trekking happens in Volcanoes National Park in the north; Nyungwe’s chimps and canopy walk sit in the south. We build both into a single Rwanda itinerary with the drive between them handled.

How fit do I need to be?

Chimpanzee trekking is physically demanding, steep, slippery terrain and fast-moving chimps mean it can be a real hike. The canopy walk, colobus treks and shorter nature trails are much gentler and suit most reasonably mobile visitors. Tell us your fitness and we’ll match the activities.

What’s included in a Nyungwe package?

Our packages include permits, guiding, transport, and accommodation as specified per itinerary. International flights and personal extras are excluded. Each package page lists exactly what’s in and out.

How do I book?

Request a free personalised quote with your dates, group size and interests. We’ll send a tailored itinerary and costing, usually within a day, and refine it with you before you commit.

Plan Your Nyungwe & Rwanda Trip

Tell us your preferred travel dates, your interests, and whether you’d like to add gorilla trekking or other destinations. We’ll prepare a free fully itemised itinerary for you.

Request Your Personalized Quote →