What are the chances of seeing chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest during the rainy season?

What are the chances of seeing chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest during the rainy season? The chances of seeing chimpanzees in Nyungwe during the rainy season is 99% but it is affected by several factors that vary and these include:

Season: chimpanzees can be seen all year round during the rainy and dry season. The rainy season, March to May and October to November is a good time to go spot the chimpanzees but the trek can be hard due to the rains, and slippery and muddy trek routes. Note that the forest is dense and with the heavy rains, it becomes hard to spot them even though you still will be able to see them even with the hurdles.

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The measures: Several conservation measures have been put in place to ensure that all tourists visiting the national park get a chance to spot the chimpanzees. Before you start the trek, experienced trackers are sent out to the forest to search for the last seen spots of the chimpanzees and these communicate with the guides so that you take the right routes when it comes to trekking chimpanzees. The government of Rwanda has also introduced tracking rules and regulations and all tourists are expected to follow these in a way of conserving the chimpanzees.

Patience: Chimpanzees are wild animals and even though they are habituated, they still have their wild instinct and you need to be patient when tracking chimpanzees. They are unpredictable and you need to be patient when trekking and the whole process is all about luck.

The time of the day: Chimpanzees can be seen throughout the whole day but the best time is during the rainy season is during the morning hours when the chimpanzees are most active. The chimpanzees can also easily be trekked in the morning hours as compared to the afternoon hours when they retreat into the forest to rest.

Nyungwe Forest Park is the best chimpanzee trekking safari destination in Rwanda and is home to 13 different primate species which you can spot during the chimpanzee trekking exercise. Nyungwe is located in the southwestern part of Rwanda and some of the primates that you get to see include L’Hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, golden monkeys, grey-cheeked Mangabeys, owl-faced monkeys, Rwenzori colobus monkeys, dent money monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys.

There are several rules and regulations that tourists have to follow when tracking chimpanzees in Nyungwe and these help to protect the chimpanzees and trackers. The rules need to be followed by all tourists and these include the following:

• The trekking age limit for chimps in Nyungwe is 15 years
• Always keep a distance of 7 to 10 meters after locating the chimpanzees
• Never eat, drink or smoke when you are in the presence of the chimpanzees
• All human waste is supposed to be disposed off in a hole 30cm deep and covered well afterward. This is to prevent the chimps from finding the waste.
• You are not allowed to trek chimpanzees when you are sick, especially with flu and cough
• In case you want to cough or sneeze when with the chimps, you have to cover your mouth and nose and turn away from the chimpanzees.
• No one is allowed to feed the chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park,
• Avoid mimicking the chimpanzees
• You are not allowed to approach the chimpanzees
• Keep low tones when in the presence of the chimpanzees. Loud noises distract chimpanzees and they are forced to retreat further into the forest.

The chimp trekking experience in Nyungwe Forest National Park during the rainy season

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park starts early morning from three different points including Gisakura, Uwinka and Kitabi and this is where tourists gather for a briefing about what to expect during the trek. You are expected to attend the early morning briefing and failure to do so might lead to failure of trekking chimpanzees in Nyungwe. Some trackers are sent out early morning when you are attending the briefing to ensure that all tourists get a chance to spot the chimps. Tourists are allowed an hour with the primates after locating them as they get to observe their behaviors, take photos and record videos.

Chimpanzees have a 98.7% DNA like humans and you will notice that many of them act like humans do especially when taking care of their young ones. They communicate using screams and hooting while hitting the trees. You are not allowed to imitate the chimpanzees because you might not know what you are communicating and might get attacked by the chimps.

Tourists get to spend more time with the chimpanzees as compared to mountain gorillas, the chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park are not fully habituated and all tourists are advised to follow all the trek rules and regulations of trekking. Children below the age of 15 will not be allowed to track chimpanzees in Nyungwe, you have to show your trek permit before you gain entrance to the park, chimpanzee trekking is carried out in Cyamudongo because it is small and offers a better chance at spotting the chimpanzees as compared to the Nyungwe area.

Chimpanzee permit: No one will be able to go for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park and this can be purchased through a trusted tour operator. A chimp trek permit is a legal document that gives a chance to tourists access to the habituated chimpanzees in the park. You have to be at least 15 years old to be able to participate in the trek and the permit has to be booked at least 3 months before the trek date. The cost of the chimpanzee permit in Nyungwe is $150 for foreign non-residents per person and $25 for Rwandan residents and East African citizens.

The chimpanzee trek permit can be purchased directly through the Rwanda Development Board or a local tour operator. Contact your tour operator via email or phone with the trek dates to check for the availability of the permits on the provided dates. After getting to know that the permits are available, you will be required to make a deposit for the purchase to be made. You will be required to send a copy of your passport as part of the process for purchasing the permits.

Purchasing through a tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris is the best option because they not only purchase the permits but they also help plan for the entire safari by booking the different services like accommodation, transport and other safari activities.

Besides paying for the chimpanzee trek permit, you also have to pay $100 as park entrance fees.

What to wear during chimp trekking in Nyungwe during the rainy season

The rainy season is a tricky time for tourists to travel for chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park and the best way to enjoy your safari is by knowing what to wear so that you are comfortable enough to enjoy the trek through the forest.

Long-sleeved shirts: The long-sleeved shirts offer protection to your hands from insect bites and scratches from tree branches. They also keep you warm during the cold mornings and evenings and make sure that they are in neutral colors, avoid colors blue and black because the color blue is believed to attract tsetse flies.

Trousers: Lightweight pants are the best for your tracking experience because they will not slow you down when they get wet during the trek as compared to jeans. These are best when they come in neutral colours and two pairs are enough to cover the entire safari.

Garden gloves: During the trek, garden gloves are needed to protect your hands from the blisters and scratches from branches, and thorns you might encounter when trekking. You will be holding onto several trees when trekking and will need protection for your hands.

Gaiters: The adjustable gaiters are the best especially during the rainy season to keep the dirt and mud off your pants and if possible, get adjustable gaiters.

Hike boots: The hike boots used for trekking through the forest should be comfortable, waterproof, ankle-length and strong enough.

Socks: The socks should be warm and be used during the trek. To prevent insects from crawling up your pants during the trek, you have to tuck your trousers into the socks and they also keep you warm in the cold weather.

Warm sweater: it is usually cold and since the weather in Nyungwe changes from time to time, you need a fleece or warm sweater for the cold weather.

Waterproof rain jacket:  The rains don’t come in all the time but when they do, they come in heavy and you will need a waterproof jacket rain jacket or windbreaker to keep dry.

What you need to bring for yurt chimp safari in Nyungwe

Packing right for a safari is extremely important and we have come up with a list of the things that you will need and these include:

• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• A camera comes with extra batteries, lenses, portable adapters, a waterproof camera bag and extra storage for your videos and photos.
• Binoculars
• Waterproof day backpack
• Energy bars and snacks

Other activities that you can carry out during a chimp trek in the rainy season

Other activities are carried out in Nyungwe Forest National Park in the rainy season and these include guided nature walks, bird watching, a visit to the Gisakura tea estate, cultural tours, cycling, and bird watching among others.

Canopy walks: This is one of the best ways in which tourists can explore the national park. Nyungwe has the best canopy walk rising over 60 meters above the canopy trees. The canopy walks cost $60 per person and there are viewing decks where you will be able to enjoy great views of the birds, chimps and the entire forest.

Primate walks: Nyungwe Forest National Park is home to over 13 primate species including Angolan colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, golden monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and Ruwenzori colobus among others. The primate walks can be carried out early morning or afternoon hours with the help of experienced guides.

Exploring the Gisakura Tea plantation: Tea processing is the top export in Rwanda and the Gisakura tea estate is one of the plantations where this is carried out. Visits to the plantation can be arranged and you will learn the process of picking the tea, and the whole tea processing before it is packaged.

Bird watching: Nyungwe is home to over 300 registered bird species with 26 endemic to the Albertine region. Some of the bird species that you should look out for include Ruwenzori Apalis, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Handsome francolin, and large blue Turaco, Archer’s Robin-chat and Dusky Crimsonwing among others. Birding is best done during the rainy season when the migratory birds fly into the country and join the endemic bird species.

Accommodation in Nyungwe

Accommodation in and around Nyungwe comes in three categories, basic, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities the good thing about traveling during the rainy season is that some of the facilities offer discounts making it affordable for tourists. Some of the facilities you can use while on your safari and these include La Petite Collines guest house, One and Only Nyungwe House, Keza Lodge, Gisakura guest House, Kitabi eco-Centre guest House, Gisakura family Hostel and Nziza eco-lodge and Chimpanzee lodge among others.

Getting to Nyungwe

Located in southern Rwanda, Nyungwe can be reached by driving using 4x4 safari vehicles and the drive takes 4 to 5 hours to get to the park headquarters from Kigali. Or if you prefer using air transport, you can charter flights from Kigali International Airport to Kamembe where you connect to the park headquarters by road.

In conclusion, there is a chance of spotting chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park in the rainy season is possible but not all the time and if you want a guaranteed sight of chimpanzees even during the rainy season, Kibale National Park is the recommended destination.

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