Ancient Rainforest, Rare Primates — one of Africa’s oldest and best-preserved montane forests.
One of Africa’s oldest and best-preserved montane rainforests, Nyungwe Forest covers roughly 1,000 square kilometres of southwestern Rwanda, added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2023. The park holds 13 primate species, including chimpanzees, and a network of trails including a canopy walkway suspended above the forest floor.
What Makes Nyungwe DistinctThirteen primate species share this forest, alongside hundreds of bird species — a biodiversity density that rewards travelers with time to explore beyond a single trek.
Suspended well above the forest floor, the walkway offers a genuinely different vantage point on the rainforest canopy — a rare experience on the East African primate-trekking circuit.
Nyungwe’s chimpanzee community is less reliably encountered than Uganda’s Kibale, so this rewards travelers with more time in their itinerary rather than a single tightly scheduled morning.
Sighting rates in Nyungwe run somewhat lower than Kibale’s in Uganda, given the forest’s size and terrain — allowing extra time in your itinerary improves the odds of a strong encounter.
Yes — the canopy walkway is a standalone activity and a worthwhile addition even for travelers not trekking chimpanzees on the same visit.
Speak to a safari designer about combining this with Volcanoes National Park.
