4 Day Nyungwe Chimpanzee Safari and Canopy Walk
Follow chimpanzee calls through the rainforest, walk above the treetops and spend another day looking for colobus monkeys and forest birds in southwestern Rwanda.
Plan This Safari4 Days / 3 Nights / Kigali Return / Private Road Safari
From Kigali's hills to the trails and treetops of Nyungwe.
Stay at the same hotel for 3 nights, with 2 full days for guided forest activities between your journeys from and back to Kigali.
Kigali to Nyungwe
Travel southwest through cultivated hills and tea-growing countryside.
Chimps and Canopy
An early chimpanzee trek followed by the guided canopy walk.
Monkeys and Birds
Colobus tracking and time on forest trails with a birding guide.
Return to Kigali
Leave the forest after breakfast for your hotel or agreed airport drop-off.
Chimpanzee calls below. A forest canopy above.
A sudden call carries through the trees, your ranger pauses to listen, and the morning's search takes a new direction. Chimpanzee tracking brings you into a moving forest world, where patience matters as much as walking. Our 4 day Nyungwe chimpanzee safari pairs that early start with a canopy walk, colobus tracking and guided birding.
Set in southwestern Rwanda, Nyungwe National Park offers a different rhythm from a vehicle safari. Much of your time is spent on foot, following forest paths, listening for birds and watching for movement among the branches. Your guide helps you notice details that are easy to pass without seeing.
The canopy walk changes your viewpoint. Instead of looking up from the trail, you step onto a suspended bridge and look across the treetops. Back on the ground, colobus tracking and birding leave time to explore the forest at a slower pace.
You stay at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel throughout the forest portion of the journey. For a longer holiday, combine Nyungwe with our Rwanda gorilla and golden monkey safari or explore the wider Rwanda safari collection . We can arrange the connecting route around your travel dates and permit availability.
Safari Highlights
Follow ranger guides in search of chimpanzees in Nyungwe's forest.
Experience the canopy walkway on a guided outing from Uwinka.
Look for black-and-white colobus monkeys moving and feeding above the trails.
Spend time listening and searching for birds with a forest guide.
Settle into 3 nights at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel.
Enjoy private road travel from Kigali with your BLS Safaris driver guide.
Nyungwe, day by day.
Kigali to Nyungwe, 3 nights near the forest, 2 days of guided activities and a return road transfer to Kigali.
Kigali to Nyungwe National Park
Meet your BLS Safaris driver guide at your Kigali hotel or the airport and begin the journey southwest. Leave the city behind as the road passes towns, farmland and green hills on the way to Nyungwe National Park .
Allow around 5 to 6 hours of driving, with additional time for lunch and stops. An early departure leaves more room to enjoy the journey without rushing your arrival near the forest.
A cultural stop around Nyanza or Huye can be arranged if your schedule allows. Tell us before travel if you would like a museum or historical visit included in your quotation.
Arrive at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel and settle into your room. Your guide will confirm the next morning's departure, breakfast arrangements and what to carry for chimpanzee tracking.
Chimpanzee Tracking and the Nyungwe Canopy Walk
Leave before dawn, with an early or packed breakfast arranged by the hotel. Travel to the reporting point assigned to your chimpanzee booking and meet the park team for the briefing.
Follow your ranger into the forest. The search may involve steep paths, damp vegetation and changes of direction as trackers follow the chimpanzees. Keep your hands free where possible and let your guide set the pace.
Once the chimpanzees are located, the permitted viewing period is up to 1 hour. Watch for feeding, grooming and movement through the branches. Dense leaves and fast movement can make photography challenging, so take time to observe as well as photograph.
Later, travel to Uwinka for your guided canopy walk. The approach follows a forest trail before reaching the suspended walkway. Pause with your guide to take in the treetops and surrounding slopes.
Return to the hotel after the activity and relax over dinner.
Colobus Monkey Tracking and Forest Birding
After breakfast, meet your park guide for colobus monkey tracking. Look into the canopy for the monkeys' black coats and long white hair as they feed, rest and move between trees.
Your guide will help you follow the group's movements while keeping to the required viewing distance. The route and length of the outing depend on where the monkeys are found.
Later, head out for guided forest birding. Walk slowly, listen for calls and stop where your guide notices movement. Binoculars help when birds remain high in the branches or partly hidden behind leaves.
You do not need to be an experienced birder to enjoy the outing. Let your guide know whether you prefer a gentle introduction or have particular birds you hope to find.
Return to Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel for your final evening near the forest. Settle any personal extras and prepare for tomorrow's journey to Kigali.
Nyungwe to Kigali and End of Safari
Have breakfast, check out and meet your driver guide for the return journey to Kigali. Leave the forest highlands and continue through Rwanda's cultivated countryside.
Stop for lunch and comfort breaks along the route. If you requested a cultural visit in advance, your guide will follow the agreed schedule, allowing enough time for the drive.
Arrive in Kigali and transfer to your agreed hotel or Kigali International Airport when your flight time allows. Your Nyungwe safari ends at drop-off.
To continue with wildlife viewing, our 3 day Akagera safari adds game drives and a Lake Ihema boat outing to your Rwanda holiday. We can arrange the extra nights and connecting transfers separately.
Safari Inclusions and Exclusions
What's Included
- 3 nights at Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel.
- Meals as stated in your confirmed quotation.
- 1 chimpanzee tracking permit per traveller.
- Guided chimpanzee tracking.
- Guided canopy walk and its activity fees.
- Colobus monkey tracking and its activity fees.
- Scheduled guided forest birding.
- Park entry fees for the scheduled activities.
- Private vehicle and fuel for the agreed route.
- English-speaking driver guide.
- Kigali pickup and drop-off as agreed.
- Road transfers to scheduled activity reporting points.
- Bottled drinking water during road transfers.
What's Not Included
- International and domestic flights.
- Rwanda visa fees where applicable.
- Travel and medical insurance.
- Alcoholic and premium drinks.
- Porter services unless specifically quoted.
- Tips for driver guides, park guides and hotel staff.
- Laundry, souvenirs and other personal expenses.
- Optional museum, cultural and community visits.
- Extra activities outside the confirmed programme.
- Accommodation before or after the safari.
- Services not listed in your confirmed quotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few answers to help you prepare for chimpanzee tracking and your time in Nyungwe.
1. What does the 4 day Nyungwe safari include?
2. How difficult is chimpanzee tracking?
3. Are chimpanzee sightings guaranteed?
4. Can the chimpanzee trek and canopy walk fit into 1 day?
5. Is the canopy walk suitable if I dislike heights?
6. What should I pack for Nyungwe?
7. Are all activities private?
8. Can I add gorilla trekking or another Rwanda destination?
Follow the forest calls. Walk among the treetops.
Tell BLS Safaris when you would like to travel and how many people are joining you. We will arrange your Nyungwe forest activities, hotel stay and private transfers from Kigali.