How much does it cost to see chimps in Rwanda?

How much does it cost to see chimps in Rwanda? The cost of the chimpanzee trekking safari in Rwanda starts with purchasing the chimpanzee permits of Nyungwe National Park. The Rwanda Development Board is mandated to sell and regulate chimpanzee permits in Rwanda. Chimpanzee safaris in Rwanda are either for the morning or afternoon session. The cost of chimpanzee permits for Nyungwe National Park is currently $250 per person per trek, with about 64 Rwanda chimpanzee permits available daily.

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Nyungwe National Park is a Rwanmainmain chimpanzee trekking destination with Uwinka as its headquarters. On the outskirts of Nyungwe National Park, you can also see semi-habituated chimpanzees in Cyamudondo. The Cyamudondo chimpanzees may be quick to find because the forest is less vast than the Nyungwe forest.

When costing chimpanzee safaris in Nyungwe National Park, accommodation costs must be included because you need to overnight within or closer to the park to catch up with the briefing. Because accommodation options for ring chimpanzee safari in Nyungwe National Park are limited, you must book them in advance.

The transport cost to Nyungwe National Park must also be considered in the chimpanzee safari quotation. Road transport is the primary means to get around to the park, so you must hire a vehicle at least 4x4 wheel drive, fuel cost, drive guide fee, and other transport expenses.

What is the cost of seeing Rwanda chimpanzees?

The chimpanzee permit cost

Whether traveling with a budget plan, whether upscale, Mid-range, or primary, the cost of the chimpanzee permit is universal; at the moment, the cost of the Rwanda gorilla permit is $250 per person.

The cost of the Rwanda chimpanzee permit includes ranger guide fees, security, chimpanzee conservation, local community support, and one hour with the chimpanzees.

Exclusions in the Rwanda chimpanzee permit cost are: 

Park entrance fees, treats, transport, and any other expenses of a personal nature.

Accommodation costs during chimpanzee safaris in Nyungwe National Park

Nyungwe National Park has limited accommodation facilities to book during the chimpanzee safari. You can book a luxury, mid-range, or primary facility for your Rwanda chimpanzee safaris.

When you confirm the chimpanzee permit for Nyungwe National Park, you must secure accommodation before options run out. During the peak season, the demand for these accommodations increases, creating scarcity at the last minute.

 Nyungwe accommodations: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, Gisaku Guest House, Nyungwe Forest Lodge, Nyungwe House, Gisaku Family Hostel

Note that some accommodations offer various meal plans, so you need to know in advance what you are booked for to plan accordingly. They provide full board, half board, bed, and breakfast, but only bed.

Cost of transport to Nyungwe National Park

Getting to Nyungwe National Park by road is the commonest way to navigate Rwanda. You need to hire a 4x4 wheel drive vehicle in good condition with an experienced and professional driver guide. The cost of a chimpanzee safari in Rwanda includes gas costs, vehicle hire, driver guide fees, mechanical damage, and other expenses.

Charter flights can be booked from Kigali Airport to Nyungwe National Park, but advance booking is required to make necessary clearances.

Additional activities to combine with chimpanzee safaris in Nyungwe National Park

Other than chimpanzee safaris, you can engage in other Rwanda safari activities. The cost of Rwanda safari activities, especially game safaris, in Akagera National Park includes park entrance fees.

You can also engage in Rwanda birding, a Kigali city tour, a canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park, and a golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

Gorilla trekking is the foremost Rwanda safari activity, but you must book a gorilla trekking permit. Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $ 500 for foreign residents, and $300 for East Africans. The number of Rwanda gorilla permits open per day is currently 96 gorilla permits from 15 gorilla families.

At Encounter Africa Safaris, when costing Rwanda chimpanzee safaris, we also consider factors like:

Number Of Days On Chimpanzee Safari In Rwanda

The least number of days you can be on a chimpanzee safari in Rwanda is two days Rwanda chimpanzee safari. 

The first day is the drive to Nyungwe National Park

The second day is the day of chimpanzee trekking and departure.

Note:

You must be booked for the morning session of the chimpanzee safari in Nyungwe National Park so that you can drive back to Kigali airport to catch up with check-in time in case you are departing that same day.

Time of booking the chimpanzee safari in Rwanda

The cost of chimpanzee safari in Rwanda rises during the peak season because of the high permit demand. The peak Rwanda tourism season usually is June, July, August, September, December, and January.

We advise clients to purchase their chimpanzee permits in advance so they do not lose the opportunity at the last minute when supply gets low.

During the wet season, which is usually the low season, demand for chimpanzee permits is low. The low Uganda tourism season usually is March, April, May, and November. Since there is less demand for chimpanzee permits, they may be available at the last minute, but only sometimes.

If you book a gorilla permit for the low season and have at least two nights in Nyungwe National Park or Akagera National Park, you get a discount of about 10% of the total gorilla trekking permit cost. The cost of the Rwanda gorilla permit is currently $1500 per person but can be discounted to $1050 per person during the low season.

Number Of People To Do The Rwanda Chimpanzees Safari with

The per-person cost is reduced when more people are booked to do the chimpanzee safari. You can share some safari expenses like car hire, fuel costs, accommodation in case you are booked in double or twin rooms, and other safari expenses.

You must note that the age limit for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is 15 years and over because this adventure includes walking in the jungle. Children below 15 years may not be able to stand the forest's condition.

Are Rwanda chimpanzees aggressive?

No, the Rwanda chimpanzees are not aggressive because they are first habituated to human presence. These chimpanzees may be semi-habituated, but you need to carefully observe the rules of chimpanzee trekking, as explained by the ranger guides during the briefing.

Despite the chimpanzees being habituated, they still bear their natural traits, so do not provoke them. Chimpanzees have about 98% human genes and so have mood swings, too, when agitated. Do not test their patience because the chimpanzees may get back to you.

When angry, the chimpanzees hoot, beat the tree trunks so hard, pull grass around them, walk on one foot, foot, and so much drama. Upon noticing such odd behavior, do not panic but wait for the ranger guides to establish the root cause of the matter.

Follow the directions the ranger guides gave to be in harmony with the chimpanzees.

How difficult is chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda?

Although Nyungwe National Park has some highlands, the trek is relatively bearable for children aged 15 and over. You need some fitness to complete the chimpanzee trek, which may take about 2 to 3 hours to locate the chimpanzees.

The ground has less undergrowth, but even the trails leading through the forest are more passable. Wearing suitable chimpanzee trekking gear allows you to explore the forest without fear of the rough surfaces you may encounter.

When is the best time to see chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park?

Chimpanzee safaris in Nyungwe National Park are open all year, but the dry season is most preferred when feeding closer to the ground. Chimpanzees have water phobia, so the dry season gives them the freedom to enjoy the forest and its freebies.

The dry season is the high tourism season in Rwanda, so you need to book the chimpanzee permit before they sell out. As mentioned earlier, Rwanda opens four chimpanzee permits to the public daily, which is a small number of the world to book.

The wet seasons of March, April, May, and November are also the low seasons for Rwanda chimpanzee permits. Demand for these permits may be low, but only some of the time. To be on the safe side, you need to purchase these chimpanzee permits in advance.

How Long Is Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe National Park?

The time taken during chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park varies, but it may be between 2 and 3 hours of searching. Finding the chimpanzees depends on factors like the proximity of their feeding area, the death of a community member, community feud, attacks from wild chimpanzee troops, and others.

Having some patience and focusing on other exciting features in the forest can help you stay energized before finding the chimpanzees. Within the Nyungwe forest are other primates like blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, and so much more. Look out for several bird species, as this forest hosts over 283 bird species and is Rwanda's most exciting hotspot for keen birders. Amongst the bird species are Albertine endemics like Rwenzori Batis, Handsome Francolin, Archers' Robin-Chat, Kungwe Apalis, and so many others.

Upon finding the chimpanzees, keep a distance of at least 8 meters from them to protect them from catching any infections that may cause their massive death. Chimpanzees are highly susceptible to human infectious diseases, and their death affects the conservation process.

When with the chimpanzees, try not to violate the rules of chimpanzee trekking, like not surrounding the chimpanzees and not provoking them, because this may cause them to snap and run into the deeper ends of the forest.

Are chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park dangerous?

The chimpanzees are safe because they are first habituated before being them to human visits; however, do not test their patience. Unlike their counterpart, vegetarian mountain gorillas, chimpanzees have been found to feed on some flesh, especially during the drought season.

This doesn't mean they are going to launch an attack on you. You need to follow the guidelines given by the ranger guides at the briefing to have a pleasant time with these primates. Please do not touch the infants, although sometimes they are curious about visitors but try to get away stealthily.

What are the Rules of chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda?

• Mimicking and provoking the chimpanzees is forbidden because you may not know what you are communicating.
• No feeding the chimpanzees because wild animals must look for their meals.
• 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. Rwanda is also pro-ecotourism and very strict with throwing garbage anywhere, so keep the environment as clean as you find it.
• Do not use a flashlight when taking photographs, as this scares the chimpanzees. These primates are often frightened by new occurrences in their presence.
• Do not smoke or eat while in front of the chimpanzees. They may be tempted to grab it, yet they are wild animals that must search for their meal.
•  Keep your voice low before and after finding the chimpanzees because unfamiliar noise may scare them, plus other forest dwellers. 
• 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 ease yourself, as the ranger guide di, make a hole for you at least 30 centimeters deep, then cover it well beyond recognition.
•  Only people aged 15 years and over can do chimpanzee trekking because those below this age may not withstand the conditions in the forest.

Plan your chimpanzee safari to Rwanda with us today in advance. Contact us for more information.