Chimpanzee Trekking in Rwanda: What to Expect, Permits and How to Prepare

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda takes place in Nyungwe National Park, an ancient montane rainforest in the south-west of the country. A chimpanzee permit costs US$150 for foreign visitors, the minimum age is 15, and treks start at dawn, when the chimpanzees are most active. Once your group finds them, you spend up to an hour watching them feed, call and move through the forest. Here is what the day is really like, how permits work and how to prepare.

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda at a glance

Where	Nyungwe National Park, south-west Rwanda
Permit	US$150 per person for foreign visitors
Minimum age	15
Time with the chimpanzees	Up to one hour once they are found
Start time	Very early, usually leaving your lodge around 5am
Trek length	From about one hour to several hours, depending on where the chimpanzees are
Porter	About US$15–20 plus a tip, paid locally
Drive from Kigali	About 5–6 hours
Shortest trip	4 days, as on our 4 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee & Canopy Escape

Where chimpanzee trekking happens in Rwanda

All chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda happens in and around Nyungwe National Park, one of the oldest and best-preserved mountain rainforests in Africa. The park is known for its primates, including chimpanzees and large troops of colobus monkeys, as well as for orchids, birdlife, waterfalls and the canopy walkway.

Only some chimpanzee communities in Nyungwe are habituated, meaning they have become used to the calm presence of people over many years. On the day, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the park rangers decide which community you will visit and from which starting point, based on where the trackers found the chimpanzees the evening before. Your guide will know the plan the night before or at the morning briefing.

Nyungwe is a long but beautiful drive from Kigali, through rolling hills and past the King’s Palace Museum at Nyanza. From Volcanoes National Park, the drive south along Lake Kivu takes most of a day, with stops along the way. More on the park itself is in our Nyungwe National Park guide, and the rest of the country is on our Rwanda destinations page.

How much does a chimpanzee permit cost, and how do permits work?

A chimpanzee tracking permit in Nyungwe costs US$150 per person for foreign visitors. Permits are issued by the RDB, numbers per day are limited, and prices are set by the RDB and can change, so we always reconfirm the fee before we quote.

The minimum age for chimpanzee tracking is 15. If you are travelling with younger children, tell us early and we will plan other forest activities for the family.

Chimpanzee permits are far easier to secure than gorilla permits, but they are still limited, especially in the dry-season months. We book your permit through the RDB as soon as you confirm your trip, and tell you straight away if your dates are tight. On every Epic package that includes chimpanzee tracking, the permit is already included in the price.

What a chimpanzee trekking day looks like

• An early start. You leave your lodge around 5am, usually with a packed breakfast. Chimpanzees are most active in the early morning, calling and feeding before they move on.
• The briefing. Rangers brief your group on the chimpanzee community you will visit, the trail and the rules for behaving around the chimpanzees.
• Following the trackers. Trackers set out before you to locate the chimpanzees, and stay in radio contact with your ranger guide. You then walk into the forest, sometimes on trails and sometimes on steep, muddy slopes off the path.
• Finding the chimpanzees. You will often hear them before you see them: loud pant-hoots and drumming on tree buttresses echo through the forest. Chimpanzees move quickly, so the last part of the walk can be brisk.
• Your hour with them. Once your group reaches the chimpanzees, you have up to an hour with them. You might watch them feeding high in a fig tree, grooming, or moving along the forest floor.
• The walk back. You return to the starting point and drive back to your lodge, usually in time for lunch and a quiet afternoon.

Sightings are never guaranteed, because these are wild animals in a large forest. Experienced trackers make a good sighting very likely, and your guide will be honest with you about the conditions on the day.

Chimpanzees and gorillas: how the experiences differ

Many of our guests ask whether chimpanzee trekking is like gorilla trekking. The two are very different, and many travellers enjoy doing both.

• Gorillas are calm and mostly on the ground. Once you reach a family, you sit quietly close by while they feed, rest and play.
• Chimpanzees are fast, noisy and often high in the trees. The encounter is more energetic: you may be craning your neck to see them in the canopy, then following as they suddenly drop to the ground and move on.

Chimpanzee trekking rewards patience and a sense of adventure. If you are planning gorillas as well, our gorilla trekking guide explains how that day works.

How fit do you need to be?

You need a reasonable level of fitness, but you do not need to be an athlete. Nyungwe’s terrain is hilly and the trails can be steep, slippery and muddy, especially after rain. Because chimpanzees move quickly, you may need to walk briskly for short stretches.

If you walk regularly at home, you will be fine. A porter is worth having: for about US$15–20 plus a tip, a local porter carries your daypack and gives you a steadying hand on the steep sections, and the fee supports families living around the park.

What to pack and wear

• Sturdy, waterproof walking boots with good grip
• Long trousers, tucked into your socks to keep out ants and nettles
• A long-sleeved shirt in neutral colours
• A light waterproof jacket, as rain is possible in any month
• A warm layer: Nyungwe is high, and early mornings are cool
• Gardening gloves, for gripping branches and vegetation on steep slopes
• At least a litre of water and a snack
• A camera with a good zoom lens; flash photography is not allowed
• A small daypack with a rain cover

Chimpanzee etiquette

• Keep the distance your ranger guide asks of you.
• Keep your voice low and stay together as a group.
• Never eat, drink or smoke near the chimpanzees.
• Do not use flash, and do not point or wave at the chimpanzees.
• If you are unwell, with a cold or a cough, tell your guide and do not trek. Chimpanzees can catch human illnesses.
• Follow your ranger guide’s instructions at all times; they know each community well.

When to go

Chimpanzee trekking runs all year. The drier months of June to September and December to February usually mean easier trails, while the wetter months bring lush forest, fewer visitors and muddier walking. Rain is possible in Nyungwe at any time of year, so pack for it whenever you travel. Our guide to the best time to visit Rwanda covers the seasons in more detail.

How we plan a private chimpanzee trek

We are a Kigali-based Rwandan team, and every journey we plan is private. Your English-speaking driver-guide and private 4×4 are yours for the whole trip, from arrival to departure, so your days move at your pace.

• Permits handled for you. We secure your chimpanzee permit through the RDB as soon as you confirm.
• The right lodge. Our Nyungwe trips use Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel or similar, and we can quote luxury alternatives such as One&Only Nyungwe House on request.
• Unhurried pacing. We plan the long drives with sensible stops, so you arrive rested before an early trekking morning.
• Honest, clear prices. Every quotation lists exactly what is included, from permits to park fees.
• A direct line. You have a direct WhatsApp line to our team before and during your trip.

More to do in Nyungwe

• The canopy walkway: a suspended walkway high above the forest floor, with wide views over the treetops (about US$60 per person).
• The Isumo waterfall trail: a guided forest walk to a waterfall, looking for orchids, birds and primates on the way.
• Colobus monkeys: Nyungwe is home to large troops of black-and-white colobus monkeys.
• Tea estates: walks through the tea plantations on the edge of the forest.
• The King’s Palace Museum at Nyanza: a stop on the drive from Kigali to see the royal residence and the long-horned Inyambo cattle.

Combining chimpanzees with the rest of Rwanda

For a short forest journey, our 4 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee & Canopy Escape includes chimpanzee tracking, the canopy walkway, a guided forest trail and the King’s Palace Museum, from US$1,450 per person (2 sharing, mid-range lodges, chimpanzee permit included).

To see both of Rwanda’s great apes, our 5 Days Gorillas & Chimpanzees journey pairs a mountain gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park with chimpanzee tracking and the canopy walkway in Nyungwe, travelling between the two along Lake Kivu. It is from US$3,550 per person (2 sharing, mid-range lodges, gorilla and chimpanzee permits included).

If you are still deciding how long to stay, our guide to how many days you need in Rwanda can help, or browse all our Rwanda safari packages.

Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, mid-range lodges, gorilla and chimpanzee permits included where listed. Solo travellers, larger groups and luxury lodges priced on request. Permit prices are set by the Rwanda Development Board and may change.

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda: frequently asked questions

Related guides: golden monkey tracking, what a Rwanda safari costs, Rwanda visa requirements, safety and health in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park and Akagera National Park.

Written by the Epic Rwanda Safaris team in Kigali. Permit fees checked October 2026; the RDB sets permit prices and they may change.