Understanding the tips for planning a chimpanzee trekking experience in Nyungwe Forest can be a time and life saver for most of the visitors. However, visitors also need to know what chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest is all about so that they can know where these tips are depicted. Well, chimpanzee trekking is the act of navigating the dense forests of Nyungwe looking for chimpanzee primates and, at their sight, stopping and spending over an hour in their presence as you take pictures and record videos as the primates play, rest, and generally go about their chores.
Chimpanzees among the animal kingdom take the lion’s share in terms of intellect and mental capacity. This is why they come close to humans in DNA after they share approximately 98.8%. The chimpanzee primates are the face of Nyungwe Forest, and they are the architects of this forest, commanding dominancy in the primate life in their forest. This is why encountering them after a challenging chimpanzee trekking adventure is worth every sweat. However, embarking on this great chimpanzee trekking adventure, a lot is put aside to make this trekking experience a memorable one for the visitors. It is for this reason that we have devised important tips for visitors planning to have a chimpanzee trekking expedition in Nyungwe Forest. These tips are listed down as follows.
Contact a tour company to use earlier.
As you may know, when planning to have a chimpanzee trekking tour in Nyungwe, a local tour operator can best organize and take care of your entire trip. Therefore, contacting the tour company earlier makes your work half done. This is because the tour company will work with you to book a chimpanzee permit on your desired trekking date. A chimpanzee trekking permit is the only document that grants you access to the forest for a chimpanzee trekking adventure. The tour company will better plan for your stay and experience when contacted in advance for ample time to prepare. Last-minute preparations can put pressure on the visitor, thus causing stress.
Purchase a chimpanzee trekking permit in advance.
Among the tips for planning a chimpanzee trekking tour in Nyungwe Forest, purchasing a chimpanzee trekking permit is one of the most important tips. This is because without this permit, the chimpanzee trekking experience is impossible. Therefore, visitors must purchase a chimpanzee trekking permit in advance after confirming the dates of trekking. This is because the trekking expedition is a highly demanding one and requires one to notify and purchase the permit earlier, since these permits can be obtained. This is because of the limited number of permits that are issued daily. It is, however, important to note that this chimpanzee trekking permit is only purchased from the Rwanda Development Board through a local registered and licensed tour company.
Apply for an E-visa in time.
Getting an E-visa can sometimes be tricky and time-consuming; thus, visitors are advised to apply for their E-visas after confirming their trekking dates. Obtaining these E-visas in time will help the visitors eliminate the last-minute pressures and rare problems like system failures, yet close to the trekking date.
Book your flight early.
Booking your flight early or even traveling early will also help the visitors reduce flight problems like delayed flights that can, in turn, affect the trekking dates. Booking early also helps to cut the costs of the flight and reduce the traffic pressure in the peak seasons.
Select the trekking gear to pack.
As essential as it is, favorable trekking gear can be the tipping point for a successful chimpanzee trekking adventure in Nyungwe Forest. Therefore, visitors are advised to select their trekking gear to pack with the guidance of the tour operator early, so that no item is left behind.
Follow the rules of the host country.
Visitors planning to embark on a chimpanzee trekking experience in Nyungwe Forest should follow the rules of the host country, as they are arranged to keep the visitors safe and sound. Although Rwanda is a relatively peaceful country, there are rare forms of petty crimes like phone snatching.
Adhere to the park or forest guidelines.
This tip of adhering to the guidelines of the park or forest, as recited by the rangers, is also key. Just like any other tourist activity, chimpanzee trekking has guidelines or rules and regulations that are always taken through by the rangers or park officials to the visitors before any trek takes place. This is always done during the pre-trekking briefing that is organized by the park rangers at the briefing center. Visitors must follow or adhere to these rules and regulations for a seamless and adventurous chimpanzee trek.
What is the best time for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest?
The dry season, which is a period of dry weather with little or no rain and humid temperatures, is perfect for chimpanzee trekking. Traversing through the dense forests of Nyungwe as you search for the chimpanzees is made less challenging when it is during the dry season. The little or no rain received in the forest during this dry season means that there is little growth of vegetation, thus giving clear views of even the chimpanzees high up in the trees. With this dry weather, the trekking trails are left dry and very easy to navigate, unlike they would be in the wet season, where the trails are soaked and very slippery. Therefore, when planning a chimpanzee trekking safari in Nyungwe Forest, focus on the dry season, which runs from June to August and December to February.
