Rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park
Rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park- Just like any other national park with chimpanzees, even Nyungwe forest national park has got the rules and regulations governing the chimpanzee trekking activity. Nyungwe forest national park is famous for the two harboring chimpanzees in Rwanda and its located in the southwestern part of the country. The national park harbors over 500 chimpanzee individuals that can be trekked at any time of the year.
Nyungwe forest national park has 2 fully habituated chimpanzee families with the largest one in Nyungwe forest and the small one in Cyamudongo forest. Trekking these families starts with a briefing and this is where trekkers learn about the rules and regulations of the trekking activity. Apart from chimpanzees, Nyungwe forest national park has more than 12 primates, 85 mammals, 310 bird species, and over 1086 plant species.
Rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park
Chimpanzee trekking activity in Nyungwe forest national park starts with a briefing and this is done to help the participants know about the rules and regulations of the activity before going out to the jungle.
A group of 8 people with valid trekking permits are allowed to trek a single habituated chimpanzee family a day.
Trekkers must wash their hands before going to the jungle to search for chimpanzees
Persona above the age of 15 years are the only ones allowed to trek the chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest national park
Trekkers that are sick or show any signs of sickness like flue and cough are not allowed to trek because they can pass the diseases to chimpanzees
Chimpanzee trekking is a guided activity and its the armed ranger guides who lead the trekkers through different trails of the park
Trekkers who feel like easing themselves while still trekking are asked to tell their ranger guides to dig pits for them and after they will have to cover them
Trekkers must lower their voices while in the jungle searching for chimpanzees
While searching for chimpanzees, trekkers must stay in their group and this is done to avoid getting lost and also to avoid attacks from wild animals such as elephants, buffaloes, and much more.
When chimpanzees are located, trekkers must keep a distance of 7km away from these apes
Trekkers who want to sneeze or cough while in the jungle are asked to turn around and they must touch their mouths while doing so
Trekkers are given 1 hour only to be around chimpanzees and it’s in this period given that trekkers are able to learn their habits and take photos.
When you meet the chimpanzees, you are not allowed to chase them or point at them because they can charge and attack you.
Trekkers with sunglasses that reflect light must put them off when they meet the chimpanzees because the reflection on the glass can force them to get near you and find out more.
Trekkers must avoid close eye contact when they meet chimpanzees because these are tough animals can attack you before you realize it
Littering in the park while searching for chimpanzees is not allowed, you must keep the rubbish with you until you get out of the jungle and dispose off in the dust bins
Trekkers are not allowed to eat or smoke around the chimpanzees because the smoke can affect the chimpanzees since they are vulnerable and in the case of eats, they can grab food from you.
Photographing chimpanzees is done using cameras that have no flashlights
Trekking chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest national park
Nyungwe forest national park is one of the places where chimpanzee trekking is done in Rwanda a country of 1000 hills. The chimpanzee trekking activity in Nyungwe forest national park is done by those that have valid chimp permits from the Rwanda Development Board. On the day of trekking, the trekkers are supposed to be at the Uwinka where they will meet the rangers to take them through the briefing session.
During the briefing, the trekkers are taught about the dos and don’ts of the trekking activity and then the armed ranger guides do lead the trekkers into the jungle to search for these apes. Rangers do use different trekking trails to search the chimpanzees but during the search, they are able to meet different park monkeys, buffaloes, elephants, duikers, birds, waterfalls, and different plant species.
When the trekkers meet the chimpanzees, they are given 1 hour to be around these apes, learn about their habits, do daily activities such as playing, hunting, nesting, and taking photos.
Booking chimpanzee permits for Nyungwe forest national park
Tourists intending to visit Nyungwe forest national park can book their trekking permits with Africa Adventure Vacations Limited. All you need to do is send us an email containing the dates they want to travel and we shall use these dates to check for the availability of the permits with the Rwanda Development Board. Once the permits are available on the dates you want to travel, we shall send you an email containing the different ways you can send us money and once we have the money, we shall book the permits for you and send you a scanned copy.
Price of chimpanzee permits for Nyungwe forest national park?
The chimpanzee trekking permits for Nyungwe forest national park are $100 per person per trek. The chimpanzee trekking permits for Nyungwe forest national park are got from the Rwanda Development Board a government body in charge of tourism in the country.
What to park for chimpanzee trekking on a safari to Nyungwe forest national park?
There are so many things that tourists can pack for a chimpanzee trekking safari in Nyungwe forest national park and among these include long-sleeved clothes, waterproof hiking boots, a pair of gaiters, gloves, a rain jacket, a hat, sunscreen, a camera, a pair of binoculars, drinking water bottle, face mask, sanitizer, and energy-giving snacks.
When to visit Nyungwe forest national park for chimpanzee trekking?
Tourists from different parts of the country can visit Nyungwe forest national park at all times of the year but there are certain months that are better than the rest. The drier months are the best for chimpanzee trekking and they happen from June to September and December to February. These months are characterized by little or no rainfall, the trekking trails are dry, the vegetation is short giving clear views and photography of chimpanzees and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Tourists can still visit Nyungwe forest national park in the rainy season and this favors the budget travelers because there are huge discounts on accommodation facilities. The rainy seasons happen in March, April, May, October, and November, and these months are characterized by too much rainfall, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall giving unclear views of the animals and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
Where to stay on a chimpanzee trekking safari in Nyungwe forest national park?
Several accommodation facilities have been constructed around the park premises so tourists intending to visit Nyungwe and spend a night or more don’t have to worry about where they will stay because there are plenty of lodges ranging from budget to mid-range to luxury options with where to stay depending on your budget. The accommodation facilities include One & Only Nyungwe House, Nyungwe Top View Hotel, Gisakura Guest House, Gisakura Family Hostel, E.R.A Gisakura Visitor Guesthouse, Emeraude Kivu Resort, Peace Guesthouse, Hotel du Lac, Rusizi Progress Hotel, Golden Monkey Hotels, Comoran Lodge, and Delta Resort Hotel among others.
