Nyungwe Forest National Park: Chimpanzee Trekking & Canopy Walk Guide

Nyungwe Forest National Park doesn't get the same name recognition as Volcanoes National Park, but it's one of the oldest rainforests in Africa and the single best place in Rwanda for chimpanzee trekking — which is exactly why almost every multi-day Rwanda tour package on this site includes a stop here alongside gorilla trekking.

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe works similarly to gorilla trekking in structure — rangers track a habituated troop each morning, and guests hike in to spend time observing them — but the experience itself is noticeably different. Chimpanzees are more active and vocal than gorillas, moving through the canopy rather than resting on the forest floor, so treks can involve more walking and a bit more unpredictability about exactly where the troop will be on a given day. It's a different kind of encounter, not a lesser one.

The other reason Nyungwe belongs on a Rwanda safari package itinerary is the canopy walkway — a suspended metal bridge strung between the forest's tallest trees, roughly 70 meters above the forest floor at its highest point. It's one of very few canopy walkways in East Africa, and it puts you above the rainforest canopy rather than looking up at it, with a genuinely different view of the forest and, on a clear day, the valleys beyond. Beyond chimps and the walkway, Nyungwe is also home to a dozen other primate species and is considered one of the best birding destinations in the region, which is part of why we route several packages through it even for travelers whose main interest is gorillas rather than general wildlife.

Practically, Nyungwe sits in southwestern Rwanda, a few hours from both Kigali and the Volcanoes National Park region, which is why it works well as a middle stop on a longer circuit rather than a standalone destination. Most of our Rwanda tour packages that include Nyungwe pair it with gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and a stretch on Lake Kivu — the route naturally connects gorillas in the north, chimps and canopy in the southwest, and a couple of relaxed days on the lake in between, all covered by the same private vehicle and driver-guide for the whole trip.

If you're deciding whether to add Nyungwe to your itinerary rather than just doing a shorter gorilla-only trip, the honest answer is that it depends on how much time you have. A 2-day trip genuinely doesn't have room for it. Anything from about 5 days upward starts to make sense, and most of our signature circuits in the 8-10 day range are specifically built to give Nyungwe a proper day or two rather than rushing through as a drive-by stop.

Every Rwanda safari package that includes Nyungwe on this site has the park entrance and guided activities built into the listed price, alongside your private vehicle, driver-guide, and full-board accommodation. Browse our full itineraries to see exactly which packages include Nyungwe, or message us on WhatsApp with how many days you have and we'll tell you honestly whether it fits.