Skip to content
ExploreTanzania.onlineExplore Tanzania

Nyungwe Forest National Park

One of Africa’s oldest rainforests, and the easiest place to track chimpanzees in Rwanda.

Overview

Nyungwe is a montane rainforest in Rwanda’s south-west that survived the last ice age, which is why it holds species found nowhere else in the region. Around 1,000 chimpanzees live here alongside twelve other primate species, including large troops of Angola colobus that can number several hundred. The canopy walkway — a suspension bridge 70 m above the forest floor — is the park’s signature and the reason many visitors come. Chimpanzee tracking starts before dawn and is genuinely uncertain: the animals move fast and high, and a sighting is never promised. It pairs naturally with Volcanoes rather than competing with it. Gorillas in the north, chimpanzees and forest birds in the south, and a drive between them that takes most of a day through terraced hills.

Browse by category in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Safaris & Tour OperatorsHotels & AccommodationActivities & ExperiencesCar Rental & TransportTour GuidesRestaurants & Food Experiences

Operators serving Nyungwe Forest National Park

See all operators

Things to do in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Places and experiences rather than companies. Each one carries the thing you would otherwise find out by turning up.

  • Canopy walkway

    Active

    A 160-metre suspension bridge, 70 metres above the forest floor.

    It closes in high wind, which is a real risk in the wet months — go in the morning, when it is calmer and the mist has usually lifted.

    3 hoursPaid

  • Chimpanzee tracking

    Wildlife

    Two habituated communities in one of Africa’s oldest montane forests.

    A 5am start, because the chimps move at dawn and the trackers need daylight to find where they nested.

    5 hoursPaid

Where these are, around Nyungwe Forest National Park

60 listings with a mapped location.

Map of 60 listings
  • Listed

What Nyungwe Forest National Park costs

All-in on the ground, per person per day, excluding international flights. Ranges rather than a single figure, because accommodation and group size move the total more than anything else.

Indicative daily cost per person for Nyungwe Forest National Park, by travel style
StylePer person, per day
Camping or budget lodge, shared vehicle$180 – $260
Mid-range lodge$260 – $460
Luxury camp, private vehicle$600 – $1,200

Of that, $40 – $70 a day is government fees set by Rwanda Development Board. Every operator pays the same, so a quote below this floor is not a better deal — it is a different trip.

Chimpanzee tracking permit, per person: $150

Add this to a whole-trip estimate

Indicative figures checked for 2026. Park fees are revised annually and some are quoted before VAT — confirm current rates with your operator or the park authority before you book.

When to visit Nyungwe Forest National Park

Month by month: wildlife, weather and how busy it gets.

October

Long rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.

Wildlife
Wildlife: 4 / 5
Weather
Weather: 2 / 5
Crowds
Crowds: 2 / 5
Rainfall
180 mm
Temperature
11–22 °C
Show all twelve months
When to visit Nyungwe Forest National Park
Best time to visitWildlifeWeatherCrowdsRainfallTemperature
JanuaryShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 4 / 5Crowds: 3 / 580 mm11–22 °C
FebruaryShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 4 / 5Crowds: 3 / 590 mm11–23 °C
MarchLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 2 / 5Crowds: 2 / 5160 mm11–22 °C
AprilLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 1 / 5Crowds: 1 / 5200 mm12–21 °C
MayLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 2 / 5Crowds: 2 / 5160 mm12–21 °C
JunePeak seasonPeak dry season — the best game viewing and the highest prices.Wildlife: 5 / 5Weather: 5 / 5Crowds: 3 / 525 mm10–22 °C
JulyPeak seasonChimp tracking and the canopy walk at their driest.Wildlife: 5 / 5Weather: 5 / 5Crowds: 4 / 515 mm10–23 °C
AugustPeak seasonPeak dry season — the best game viewing and the highest prices.Wildlife: 5 / 5Weather: 5 / 5Crowds: 4 / 540 mm10–23 °C
SeptemberShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 4 / 5Crowds: 3 / 590 mm11–23 °C
OctoberLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 2 / 5Crowds: 2 / 5180 mm11–22 °C
NovemberLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 2 / 5Crowds: 2 / 5190 mm11–21 °C
DecemberPeak seasonWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country.Wildlife: 4 / 5Weather: 4 / 5Crowds: 3 / 5110 mm11–22 °C

One request. Multiple quotes.

Request a Quote