Compare Nyungwe & Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking
Compare Nyungwe & Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking. Kibale Forest in Uganda and Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda are the top chimp trekking destinations in Africa. These destinations promise the best primate experiences in the world. Furthermore, the two destinations are pretty close to the gorilla trekking destinations in both countries. This makes watching both chimpanzees and mountain gorillas on the same trip very possible.
Both Uganda and Rwanda offer easy access to chimpanzee trekking, with a five to six-hour drive from Entebbe or Kigali airports. Local airstrips also reduce travel time significantly.
Chimpanzee trekking creates a powerful connection with our closest relatives. Looking directly into a wild chimpanzee’s eyes inside an ancient forest is truly priceless.
Daily guided treks operate in Uganda’s Kibale Forest and Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest, bringing visitors within feet of these remarkable primates.
However, chimpanzees move constantly through the forest, rarely staying still. Therefore, the trek demands good physical fitness. Consequently, exercise regularly before arriving to ensure you fully enjoy every exciting and breathtaking moment.
Most Popular Safari
4-Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari
8-Day Gorillas, Chimps, and Big5 Game Drive Safari
3 Day Queen Elizabeth Park Luxury Safari
5-day Uganda Gorilla & Wildlife Safari
12-Day Uganda Gorillas, Chimps, & Wildlife Safari
7-Day Rwanda Primates and Game Drive Safari
5 Day Chimpanzee Trekking in Rwanda & Lake Kivu Safari
3 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour
2-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari
3 Day Akagrea National Park and Lake Kivu Safari
Besides that, there are a few more things you should know to compare your choice between trekking in Nyungwe and Kibale. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Chimp Trekking in Nyungwe Forest: Pros & Cons
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest is one of the two main adventure attractions in Rwanda. The experience combines well with gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, 300 km north of Nyungwe. This primate park sits on Rwanda’s southern border on a rugged Rift Valley landscape that is a significant freshwater source to Rwanda and two massive rivers, the Congo and Nile Rivers.
If Nyungwe’s puckish chimpanzees do not impress you, 11 other primate species and 75 mammal species will fascinate you. There are also over 300 bird species, and forest hiking trails will catch your attention.
In addition to chimpanzee trekking, nature hikes are a big attraction in Nyungwe Forest, especially the forest canopy walk. After the experience with the hyperactive chimpanzees, visitors usually walk 70 meters high above the canopy. This is an exhilarating experience of the rainforest jungle—a feature you won’t find in Uganda.
The edge Nyungwe has over Kibale is the impressive list of activities you can add to your chimpanzee trekking experience, especially the scenic hiking trails. You could spend a week in Nyungwe and be amazed the whole time. Also, there is a habituated troop of colobus monkeys that may steal your day’s attention at the Gisakura visitor center.
Cons
However, Nyungwe Forest’s trails require more stamina to navigate compared to Kibale. This is because of the rugged, steep terrain, whose tracking trails often become muddy, especially after rain.
The other drawback to Nyungwe is the lack of a variety of tourist accommodation choices near the visitor center. You could end up lodging far away from the chimpanzee trekking starting point. You thus may end up spending on transport to the park, yet the lodges are also costly.
Additionally, because of Rwanda’s aim of attracting high-end, low-volume tourism, Nyungwe makes few concessions to independent or budget travelers, which is the far opposite of Kibale.
Lastly, Nyungwe promises a lower sighting percentage compared to Kibale. The assurance of seeing the chimpanzees even after hours of trekking the challenging slopes is less than that of Kibale. Treks start at 5:00 am, three hours earlier than in Kibale. Also, the chimpanzee troops could be anywhere within a 340-square-mile radius. This means that you could spend a longer, undetermined duration trying to find the chimps.
Chimp Trekking in Kibale Forests: Pros & Cons
Pros
Kibale Forest promises a much better chimp trekking experience than Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda. This is mostly because of the navigable flat terrain and abundance of habituated chimps. Kibale Forest has the highest concentration of chimpanzees and other primates in Africa.
Chimps are the most entertaining hosts in Kibale, but the park has an impressive list of Central African primate species. These include the red colobus mangabey, L’Hoest’s monkey, olive baboon, black-and-white colobus, vervet, and blue monkey.
Chimp sightings are guaranteed with every visit, with the chances of seeing them being 99%. This makes Kibale Forest a more outstanding choice for chimp trekking compared to Nyungwe Forest. In addition, Kibale offers a full-day habituation experience. Through this experience, visitors get to spend the whole day with the chimps. Nyungwe offers only the regular half-day experience, for which sightings are not a guarantee.
In addition, there is a wide selection of lodging within trekking distance. These offer both budget, standard, and high-cost choices to all kinds of travelers. Chimp trekking in Kibale begins at 7:30 am. This is a much more reasonable time to make it to the visitor center for the briefing before the experience.
The chimp trekking permit in Kibale costs $250, which is the same as that of Nyungwe. Chimpanzee habituation, which is a full-day experience, costs $300. Yet, this price comes with more satisfying experiences (both trekking and habituation), more satisfying than Nyungwe’s.
Cons
Combining chimp trekking in Kibale with gorilla trekking in Bwindi is a common occurrence on most Uganda safari itineraries. Yet, Kibale is quite a distance from Bwindi, and the roads are not as smooth as Rwanda’s. Drive time between the two destinations could mean adding a buffer, like a night in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Best time to go for chimps trekking in Nyungwe & Kibale
The best time to plan a chimp trekking safari in either Nyungwe or Kibale is during the region’s annual dry seasons of June to September. The dry trekking trails promise a much better experience than when it’s raining. You also have a much more relaxed time with the primates in the jungle after finding them.
However, the rainy seasons in March to May and November are equally good. During the rainy months, it’s easier to find the chimps. This is so because trees bear fruit that keep the chimps in one place. However, the rain can be a disruption to most travelers. So, few travelers will choose to brave the rains and will come in the dry seasons.
Although chimp trekking permits in Nyungwe and Kibale may be readily available any time of the year, we recommend booking your permits earlier if you intend to travel during the dry season. The state of permit availability suddenly changes, which requires earlier booking to be sure of undertaking the experience. Accommodation becomes scarce during the dry seasons, which is the peak travel season in the region. Meanwhile, it is cheaper in the low season, and service is better because of the smaller visitor numbers. Booking early ensures that you secure your lodging for the chimp trekking experience.
Which Destination Should You Choose?
Compare Nyungwe & Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking: Choosing between Rwanda and Uganda depends on budget, time, and travel preferences. Rwanda offers easier access, luxury lodges, and a comfortable trekking experience. Uganda provides affordability, diverse landscapes, and an adventurous feel. Both destinations ensure an extraordinary experience with mountain gorillas.
Book your chimp trekking safari
Compare Nyungwe & Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking- booking a chimpanzee tour. Book your chimp trekking safari in either Rwanda or Uganda with Anthill Safaris. With the experience we have in operating primate safaris, we’ll book your permits. We’ll also book your accommodation, meals, and transport with a professional touch.
It is also easier to plan a chimp and gorilla trekking combo with us, taking care of all the ground handling so that you can concentrate on the experience within Africa’s rich forest jungles. Send us an email at info@anthillgorillasafaris.com for a free quote in the shortest possible time.
What are the rules for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park?
- Do not provoke the chimpanzees because they may charge you when you agitate them. Chimpanzees have mood swings just like humans.
- No feeding the chimpanzees because wild animals must look for their meals. If you wish to eat, do it about 300 meters from the chimpanzee.
- Spitting on vegetation is prohibited because it is food for primates in the forest.
- Dumping wraps or any other waste damages the natural setting of the forest, so no dumping.
- Do not smoke or eat while in front of the chimpanzees. They may be tempted to grab it, yet wild animals must search for their meal.
- Only one hour is allowed to be with the chimpanzees so they can be left free to eat.
- Try not to surround the chimpanzees because this makes them feel ambushed.
- If you wish to sneeze or cough, do it away from the chimpanzees to avoid spreading any infections to them. Volunteer to stay behind if you catch any infectious illness like the flu or COVID-19 just before the chimpanzee trekking.
- Never use flash photography when taking photographs during the chimpanzee safari because this may cause them to run into hiding.
How much does it cost to trek chimpanzees in Uganda and Rwanda
In Rwanda, a chimpanzee permit costs USD250.00 per person per trek, but you must find the availability of the permits in advance since they are sold on a first-come first first-served basis. There is a limit to the number of chimpanzee trekking permits sold for tourism.
In Uganda, different chimpanzee trekking destinations have different prices. In Kibale National Park, the permit costs USD250 per person per trek per day, chimpanzee habituation cost in Uganda is 300. The cost of a chimpanzee permit in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park and Uganda’s Kibale National Park includes spending one hour with a habituated community of chimpanzees, services of an armed ranger guide, and park entry fees. All chimpanzee activities in Uganda are half-day, so one can choose to do a morning or afternoon trek.
Unlike Rwanda, Uganda is yet ahead by offering a chimpanzee habituation experience, which allows one to spend more time with chimpanzees under habituation. Normally, only 4 people are allowed to visit these primates, which are still in their habitat, and a permit for this costs $300 per person. If you are interested in spending more time with chimpanzees, then Uganda is the country for you.
Which country offers the best opportunity to see chimpanzees?
Compare Nyungwe & Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking: While chimpanzee trekking is possible in Uganda and Rwanda, the truth is that Uganda offers the best opportunity to see habituated communities of Chimpanzees on any given trek. Kibale National Park is not only good but has been described by many writers and tourists as one of the best places to see chimpanzees in Africa. Kibale, followed by Budongo Forest, Karinzu eco-tourism site, and then Kyambura Gorge.
In Rwanda, to be specific, in Nyungwe Forest, chimpanzees are semi-habituated, and thus this requires tourists to wake up early and look for them, while in Uganda, chimpanzees are fully habituated and are used to people, le so the experience is different. In Uganda, most chimpanzee trekking takes up to half a day, while in Nyungwe Forest National Park, you cannot rule out spending the whole day looking for chimps, as their movements are unpredictable.
What you need to know about chimpanzees
Unlike mountain gorillas, which live in organized families, chimpanzees live in communities and break up into small groups called parties of about 6-8 during the day to reduce the efforts of competition for food. They will then link up in the evening to make their nests for sleeping.
Chimpanzees enjoy vegetarian cuisine, especially that provided by the forest, although sometimes they stray into the local people’s gardens. They love feeding on foliage like plants, fruits, soft stems, and roots, to name a few. Chimpanzees have also been noticed to eat meat, especially in times of extreme scarcity; they may feed on monkeys.
Most chimpanzee communities in Uganda and Rwanda are about 50-250 individuals. During chimpanzee trekking, you will be briefed, then 6 people will trek a given party in order to avoid overcrowding (this is in Uganda, Kibale National Park); however, because these parties keep joining and separating, you may also find yourselves joining up and separating.
The park conducts two chimpanzee trekking sessions daily—one in the morning and one in the afternoon—and limits your visit to one hour once you find them. This ensures they have time to feed without distraction.
What to expect during chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Daily, all tourists will be transferred to the headquarters of each National Park, where they will be met by park officials for registration and then briefed about the dos and don’ts while with the chimpanzees. In Uganda, the Kibale National Park chimpanzee briefing point is at the Kanyanchu Visitor Center, and in Nyungwe Forest National Park at Uwinka.
After the briefing, you will then be assigned a ranger guide who will trek with you in the forest until you find a community or part of the chimpanzees. Keep in mind the rules of chimpanzee trekking so as not to mess up your experience. The chimpanzees operate a spy network that notifies the rest about the presence of intruders in their environment. They communicate by beating tree trunks or hooting.
After finding these great apes, you will spend approximately one hour observing their behaviors, taking photographs and simple videos, and then return to your lodge for relaxation. On your trek, your guide will assist in explaining everything pertaining to flora and fauna and all informative messages needed to spice up your trek.
Lodges of chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Compare Nyungwe & Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking: One needs to spend a night before his/her trek. Rwanda has few accommodation options available for one to stay overnight before chimpanzee trekking. Some of these include Nyungwe Forest Lodge, Gigaku Guest House, Nyungwe House, Gisaku Family Hostel, and others.
Uganda, specifically in Kibale National Park, has many optional accommodations available to book for the nights in this park. They are categorized as budget, Mid-range, and or Luxury Lodges. Some of the Kibale forest accommodation facilities include Kibale Safari Lodge, Primates Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Chimps Net, and C.V.K., to mention but a few
