The chimpanzee trekking adventure involves exploration walks through jungles of thick tropical rainforests in search of untamed chimpanzees. The activity usually lasts for about two to five hours depending on the location of the chimpanzee families, their movement and feeding patterns.
Travellers on the chimpanzee trekking adventures follow the trails of the chimpanzee families to find the exciting primates. The chimpanzee trekking activity is extremely safe for travellers to indulge in and this is accredited to the habituation efforts put in by the conservationists and Rangers to ensure that chimpanzees are fully accessible and free with human presence in their natural habitat.
Chimpanzees are a species of great ape that are native to the jungles of forests and woodland savannahs of tropical Africa. Chimpanzees are classified into up to four confirmed species. The evidence from the fossil DNA sequences indicates that chimpanzees are close relatives to human beings sharing up to 94.8% of their DNA.
This is evident in the resemblance of the fingers, toes, palms and faces with the human race. Chimpanzees are highly social animals living in groups of about 15 to 150 individuals although they at times travel in smaller groupings as they feed in the forests.
Chimpanzees have been recorded using tools in their day-to-day activities especially hunting and acquiring honey in the towering canopies of Nyungwe. They showcase a high level of intelligence which is evident in the way how they master sign language which conservationists used to communicate with them. Chimpanzees can be found in various tropical rainforests all over Rwanda, especially in Nyungwe National Park.
Nyungwe National Park.
Perched in the South West of Rwanda, Nyungwe National Park is a thick primeval forest harboring several primate species including the chimpanzees. The National Park occupies an area of about 1019 square kilometres which makes it a comfortable habitat for chimpanzees as it presents enough play area and hunting grounds for them.
The park’s rich biodiversity further makes it a favourable habitat for the chimpanzees since they can never starve as they feed on the various flora species, especially the fruits and leaves. It was due to its outstanding biodiversity that the park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site to protect the various unique species of flora and fauna there.
Nyungwe Stands out as one of the oldest rainforests on the African continent and has been a renowned habitat for primates for centuries. It was just of late, in the past two decades that chimpanzee tourism activities were introduced and they are today a favorite for most travelers to Rwanda.
The experience of chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park.
The chimpanzee trekking activity in Nyungwe National Park allows visitors to traverse one of the oldest tropical rainforests on the African tract of land. Travelers on the trek have the opportunity to observe a variety of primate species, attractive birds and several species of flora which help add up to the overall experiences obtained.
The sights of the towering canopies of the trees form an attractive scenery that is good for photography and sightseeing which further makes Nyungwe a perfect place to relax and appreciate nature. Travelers on this trek have the uncommon chance to learn several interesting things about chimpanzees as told by professional tourist guides who have immense passion for nature and have dedicated their lives to educating human beings about the chimpanzees and the importance of coexistence with them.
Tourists are briefed before they enter the jungle to ensure that they know what to do and what to stay away from to have an interrupted experience and also ensure sustainable practices while on the trek. Throughout the trek, travellers are accompanied by Rangers to ensure that they are safe.
The tourists move through, thick rainforests, Savannah Woodlands and shrubs in the bid to meet the chimpanzees. When the chimpanzee families are encountered, visitors are allowed a maximum of 60 minutes with the chimpanzees to watch them enjoy their lives.
Cost of chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park.
The chimpanzee trekking activity in Nyungwe National Park costs $90.00 per person per trek. Travellers are required to have chimpanzee trekking permits that are presented to the authorities and verified just before one is allowed to enter the jungle to indulge in an exciting chimpanzee trekking adventure.
The chimpanzee trekking permits can be obtained through registered tour operators who help travelers check for the availability of space on trekking dates, and book and acquire the trekking permits.
When to visit.
It is important to note that chimpanzee tracking activities are carried out all year round in Nyungwe National Park. However, The dry seasons are renowned for offering the best experiences to travellers since they are characterized by limited interruptions by weather. The dry seasons are usually on from June to September and from December to early February.
It is also equally important to note that the wet seasons are also good for one to indulge in the chimpanzee trekking activity since they save time as the chimpanzees do not move long distances because the wet seasons are characterized by plenty of food.
Therefore, the chimpanzees do not tend to move long distances in search for food and can be found easily.
