Chimpanzee Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda: Nyungwe, Kalinzu and Kibale

By Anna Axelson, Operations Manager, East Africa Safaris · Updated October 2026

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda takes place in Nyungwe National Park, a mountain rainforest in the southwest, about 5 to 6 hours by road from Kigali. The park, which the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) manages in partnership with African Parks, charges foreign visitors $150 per chimpanzee permit, plus a $100 park entry fee. The minimum age is 15, each chimp community takes up to eight visitors a day, treks start at 5:30 AM, and you have up to an hour with the chimps once you find them.

In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) charges $250 in Kibale National Park, park entry included, or $200 in April, May and November, and the permit rises to $300 on January 1, 2027. Kalinzu Forest Reserve, run by the National Forestry Authority (NFA) beside Queen Elizabeth National Park, charges $130. Our private tours from Kigali include the chimp permit: Nyungwe on our 3-day, 5-day and 7-day Rwanda trips (the 7-day is from $4,378 per person for six), and Kalinzu on our 7-day and 9-day Uganda trips.

Checked: October 2026. Rwanda fees and rules come from Nyungwe National Park's official rate sheets and website and from Visit Rwanda, RDB's tourism site; Uganda fees from UWA's conservation tariff and February 2026 tariff notice, and from NFA's online booking system for Kalinzu. We checked them, and our tour pages, on October 27, 2026. Our prices are per person and include the permits each tour lists.

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Uganda at a glance

Fees are for foreign non-residents, per person.

On a first day, Nyungwe and Kibale cost a foreign visitor the same: $250. Kalinzu costs about half that, is the closer Ugandan forest to Kigali, and is where our Uganda trips trek. Only Kibale publishes a sighting rate; Nyungwe calls its communities semi-habituated, and our tour pages say sightings there cannot be guaranteed.

Our chimpanzee trekking tours from Kigali

All five are private tours from Kigali with your own driver-guide, and most tours use 4×4 safari vehicles (Land Cruisers, Prados or safari vans). Each includes one chimpanzee permit per person, the other permits it lists and park fees for non-residents.

The 7-day Rwanda trip costs $7,155 for a solo traveler; for the others, tell us your dates and group size for a quote. Everyone on these tours must be at least 15. Flights, tips, porter fees, visas and travel insurance are extra on every tour.

Chimps and gorillas. Our 5-day and 7-day Rwanda trips trek chimps in Nyungwe, then gorillas in Volcanoes National Park after the 7:00 AM briefing at Kinigi; the 7-day starts in Akagera National Park. Our Uganda trips add gorillas in Bwindi and golden monkeys in Rwanda. Our Rwanda vs Uganda gorilla trekking guide compares the two countries.

Chimpanzee trekking permit cost

Rwanda. Nyungwe charges foreign visitors $150 per chimp permit, guide included. Park entry is extra and every visitor pays it: $100 per adult for one day or night, $150 for two nights and $200 for three. The park labels its rates 2025 to 2026, has not published 2027 rates, and sells permits through its own booking office at visitnyungwe.org.

Uganda. UWA's $250 Kibale permit includes the guide, park entry and a nature walk on the day. It drops to $200 in April, May and November, when UWA says permits cannot be rescheduled, and rises to $300 on January 1, 2027. Kyambura Gorge, in Queen Elizabeth National Park, costs $100 plus the park's $40 entry, rising to $200. Kalinzu's $130 is the foreign non-resident rate in NFA's booking system, which lists no separate entry fee there. UWA sells chimp permits to foreign non-residents only through licensed tour operators, and since March 1, 2026, it secures permits only on full payment.

On our tours. Each tour above includes the chimp permit, and we book Uganda permits through our Ugandan partner. A 50% deposit confirms your booking, and we then buy your permits. Our gorilla trekking permit cost guide explains our booking, date change and refund rules, and our gorilla trekking cost guide covers the rest of a trip budget.

Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda

Nyungwe is home to 13 primate species, including the eastern chimpanzee, the park says. It opens three chimp communities to visitors, all semi-habituated, each taking up to eight people a day:

• Cyamudongo, in the separate Cyamudongo Forest. The park suggests staying at Gisakura, on its western side, and the Cyamudongo Community Centre has coffee, breakfast and parking for chimp trekkers.
• Gisovu, in the north of the park, overlooking Lake Kivu, also home to the habituation experience.
• Mayebe, the third community on the park's list.

The trek. Visit Rwanda says treks start at 5:30 AM and last from an hour to several hours, depending on where the chimps are, with a maximum of one hour once you find them. You often hear them calling before you see them. Our tours leave the lodge at 5:00 AM. The park grades chimp trekking as difficult: trails run between 1,600 and 2,950 m (5,250 and 9,680 ft), and Visit Rwanda warns they can be steep, slippery and muddy.

Around the trek. Our Nyungwe National Park guide covers the canopy walkway, colobus monkeys and trails, and our Rwanda page the rest of the country. Visit Rwanda also lists chimp trekking in Gishwati-Mukura National Park, home to a group of 20 chimpanzees, but publishes no fee, and our tours do not go there.

Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda: Kalinzu, Kibale and Kyambura

Kalinzu Forest Reserve. Kalinzu is a 147 km² (57 sq mi) forest reserve on the edge of the Rift Valley, managed by NFA, not UWA, and bordering Queen Elizabeth National Park. NFA says more than 300 chimpanzees live there, with a habituated group open every day, and its booking system runs two sessions, 8:00 AM to noon and 2:00 to 5:00 PM. Our Uganda trips drive from Kigali on day 2 and trek in Kalinzu on the morning of day 3, before an afternoon game drive in Queen Elizabeth.

Kibale National Park. UWA says Kibale holds more than 1,500 chimpanzees in at least 12 communities, four of them habituated. Treks to the Kanyanchu community leave Kanyanchu Visitor Centre at 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, take two to five hours, and allow one hour with the chimps, in groups of up to six. UWA puts the sighting success rate at over 90%. Kibale is far from Kigali, so it suits a longer Uganda trip; it is not on our published tours, so ask us.

Kyambura Gorge. UWA also sells chimp trekking in this gorge inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is not on our published tours either.

For border posts, visas and yellow fever on the drive from Kigali, see our guide to Uganda gorilla trekking from Kigali and our Uganda page. Check current travel advisories before you book; our FAQ has our latest note.

Chimp habituation in Kibale and Nyungwe

A habituation experience spends longer with a chimp community that is still getting used to people.

• Kibale: $300, park entry included, for four hours with the chimpanzees, according to UWA. It rises to $400 on January 1, 2027.
• Nyungwe: $200 plus park entry, at Gisovu, for up to four adults aged 15 or older. The park describes a full day, from the chimps leaving their nests to building new ones.
• Kalinzu: NFA's booking system lists a morning session for six people aged 15 or older, at $165.

Habituation is not part of our standard trips, so ask us if you want it.

What to expect on a chimp trek

UWA's chimp rules: stay at least 10 m (33 ft) away, keep quiet, and never mimic or chase the chimps; no flash, and no eating, drinking or smoking on the trek; and do not enter the forest if you are sick, because chimpanzees can catch human diseases. Your visit is limited to one hour, and we ask guests to wear a light face mask near the chimps.

What to wear. A waterproof jacket, a warm layer for the early start, long pants and long sleeves in neutral colors, good hiking shoes, gaiters for mud and nettles, gloves and insect repellent. Porters are available; porter fees are not included and are paid at the park. Our complete guide to gorilla trekking covers trek fitness in more detail.

Mistakes to avoid when booking chimp permits

1. Comparing permits without the entry fee. Kibale's $250 includes park entry. Nyungwe's $150 does not, so add $100, and Kyambura adds $40.
2. Booking the wrong product. Chimp trekking and the habituation experience are separate permits, with different prices, group sizes and time with the chimps.
3. Buying from an unlicensed seller. UWA sells chimp permits to foreign visitors only through licensed tour operators.
4. Expecting to move a low-season permit. UWA's April, May and November permits cannot be rescheduled, and UWA fines a late reschedule of a chimp permit 25% of the permit fee.
5. Budgeting 2027 at 2026 prices. On January 1, 2027, Kibale rises to $300, Kibale habituation to $400 and Kyambura to $200.
6. Forgetting the age rules. Nyungwe requires 15, and Uganda's official sources give 12 to 16 (see the table above). Our tours set 15 for everyone.
7. Leaving your passport at the lodge. UWA asks every visitor for valid identification to confirm their resident status.

When to go for chimpanzee trekking

Our chimp tours run all year, 7 days a week. Visit Rwanda gives Rwanda's rainy seasons as mid-February to May and mid-September to mid-December, and the Uganda Tourism Board gives Uganda's as March to May and September to November. The park describes Nyungwe as wet and cool all year, about 20°C (68°F) by day and 10°C (50°F) at night, so pack rain gear in any month. Our best time for gorilla trekking guide goes month by month.

Ready to book your chimpanzee trek?

We plan trips from Musanze, next to Volcanoes National Park, and from Cedar City, Utah. East Africa Safaris is the trading name of East Africa Safari Tours, Inc., a Utah corporation, licensed by the Rwanda Development Board (license RDB/TL/2026/02/TO/00995).

Frequently asked questions

How much does chimpanzee trekking cost in Rwanda?

Nyungwe National Park charges foreign visitors $150 per chimpanzee permit, plus park entry of $100 for one day, so a first trek costs $250. Our 3-day Nyungwe tour and 5-day primates safari are priced on request, and our 7-day Rwanda Wildlife and Primates Safari, with chimps and gorillas, is from $4,378 per person for six, permits included.

Is chimpanzee trekking better in Rwanda or Uganda?

It depends on your route. Nyungwe fits a Rwanda gorilla trip and needs no border crossing. Kibale, at $250 including entry, is the only site with a published sighting rate, over 90%, but it is the farthest from Kigali. Kalinzu, at $130, borders Queen Elizabeth National Park and fits a Uganda trip with game drives and gorillas in Bwindi, as on our 7-day and 9-day Uganda trips.

What is the minimum age for chimpanzee trekking?

It is 15 in Nyungwe. In Uganda, UWA's tariff sets 12, though its Kibale page says 16, and NFA's booking system allows 12 at Kalinzu while its activity page says 15. All our chimp tours set 15, the same as gorilla trekking, so tell us everyone's age when you ask for a quote.

What time does chimpanzee trekking start?

In Nyungwe, Visit Rwanda gives 5:30 AM, and our tours leave the lodge at 5:00 AM, because sightings cannot be guaranteed and the early start gives you the best chance. Kibale treks leave at 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Kalinzu runs a morning session from 8:00 AM to noon and an afternoon session from 2:00 to 5:00 PM.

How hard is chimpanzee trekking?

It is a real hike. Nyungwe grades it as difficult, on trails at 1,600 to 2,950 m that can be steep, slippery and muddy. Treks last from an hour to several hours in Nyungwe and two to five hours in Kibale, depending on where the chimps are. No fitness test is required, but a reasonable level of fitness helps.

Can you see chimpanzees and gorillas on one trip?

Yes. Our 5-day Rwanda Primates Safari treks chimps in Nyungwe, then gorillas and golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park, and our 7-day Rwanda safari swaps the golden monkeys for Akagera. Our 7-day and 9-day Uganda trips trek chimps in Kalinzu and gorillas in Bwindi, then golden monkeys in Rwanda. Gorilla trekking is 15 and over in both countries.

How far ahead should you book chimp permits?

Book them with the rest of your trip. Each Nyungwe community takes only eight visitors a day, and for trips with gorillas in July and August, we recommend booking about six months ahead. A 50% deposit confirms your booking.

Sources

Official sources and our tour pages were checked on October 27, 2026. Official sources come first, then our own map estimates, then East Africa Safaris.

1. Nyungwe National Park, "Nyungwe Pricing Scheme 2025-2026" (official PDF, uploaded July 2025; carries the RDB and African Parks logos): https://visitnyungwe.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/Nyungwe-Pricing-Scheme-Rates-2025_2026.pdf. Supports chimpanzee tracking at $150 for international and Africa visitors, with a guide included, a maximum of 8 adults per community and no children under 15; adult park fees for international guests of $100 for one night, $150 for two and $200 for three; the entry fee covering nature walk trails and being payable by all day and overnight visitors; the chimpanzee habituation experience at $200, maximum 4 adults, no children under 15, at the Gisovu community in the northern part of the park, spent the full day with the chimps from leaving their nests to making new ones; chimp tracking graded "Difficult"; the park's elevation of 1,600 to 2,950 m; and the park being managed in partnership with RDB and African Parks.
2. Nyungwe National Park, "Nyungwe Tourism Pricing Scheme (2025-2026)" (official PDF, February 2025, linked from the park's Book Now page): https://visitnyungwe.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/2025-2026-Activity-Prices-in-Nyungwe-National-Park.pdf. Supports chimpanzee tracking at $150 for international visitors, listed among special activities "having an additional fee to be paid besides the entry fee."
3. Nyungwe National Park, official website, home, Day Visitors, Gisakura Campsite and Gisovu Guesthouse pages (official, African Parks): https://visitnyungwe.org/, https://visitnyungwe.org/day-visitors/, https://visitnyungwe.org/gisakura-campsite/ and https://visitnyungwe.org/gisovu-guesthouse/. Supports the three semi-habituated communities (Cyamudongo, Mayebe and Gisovu), each visited by eight people maximum per day; 13 primate species, including the eastern chimpanzee; the Cyamudongo Community Centre's coffee, breakfast and parking for chimp trekkers in the neighboring Cyamudongo Forest; Gisakura in the park's western corridor as the place to stay for chimpanzee trekking in Cyamudongo; Gisovu in the north, overlooking Lake Kivu, for the habituation experience and 205 km from Kigali; the canopy walkway and colobus monkey trekking; the 5 to 6 hour drive from Kigali; the weather (about 20°C by day and 10°C at night); and online bookings through visitnyungwe.org.
4. Nyungwe National Park, "Frequently Asked Questions" (official PDF, linked from the park's Book Now page): https://visitnyungwe.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf. Supports 5 to 6 hours from Kigali, 213 km to Uwinka and 234 km to Gisakura, and the age limit of 15 for chimpanzee tracking and the habituation experience.
5. Visit Rwanda, Primate Tracking (official, RDB): https://visitrwanda.com/interests/primate-tracking/. Supports chimpanzees in Nyungwe and, in smaller numbers, Gishwati; tracking starting at 5:30 AM and lasting from an hour to several hours; a maximum of one hour with the chimps once found; hearing the chimps before seeing them; and steep, slippery and muddy terrain.
6. Visit Rwanda, Gishwati-Mukura National Park (official, RDB): https://visitrwanda.com/destinations/gishwati-mukura-national-park/. Supports a group of 20 chimpanzees and guided chimp tracking among the park's activities.
7. Visit Rwanda, Weather (official, RDB): https://visitrwanda.com/facts/weather/. Supports the rainy seasons, mid-February to May and mid-September to mid-December.
8. UWA Conservation Tariff, July 2024 to June 2026 (official PDF, version uploaded October 2026; UWA's rates page labels it "July 2024 to Dec 2026"): https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/UWA-Conservation-Tariff-July-2024-June-2026.pdf. Supports chimpanzee tracking at $250 in Kibale and $100 in Kyambura Gorge for foreign non-residents, with rates including the guide fee and excluding entrance fees except for Kibale, and including a nature walk on the day; the $40 adult entrance fee for Queen Elizabeth National Park; chimpanzee habituation in Kibale at $300, including the guide and park entrance, with 4 hours with the chimpanzees; the chimpanzee rules (minimum age 12, at least 10 m from the chimps, keep quiet, no mimicking or chasing, no flash, no smoking, eating or drinking, no entering the forest when sick, visits limited to 1 hour); chimpanzee permits for foreign non-residents booked only through licensed tour operators; the 25% fine for a late reschedule of gorilla and chimp permits; and valid identification for all visitors to confirm resident status.
9. UWA notice, "Introduction of Low Season Gorilla and Chimpanzee Permit Rates and Revised Tariff Structure," Ref TDO 93/04, February 26, 2026 (official PDF): https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tariff-changes-2026-2027.pdf. Supports chimpanzee tracking at $200 for foreign non-residents in April, May and November; "the low season permits cannot be rescheduled"; from January 1, 2027, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale at $300, chimpanzee habituation at $400 and chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura at $200; and permits secured only on full payment from March 1, 2026.
10. UWA, Rates and Tariffs (official): https://ugandawildlife.org/uwa-rates/. Supports that the tariff and the February 26, 2026 notice above were the current documents listed on October 27, 2026.
11. UWA, Kibale National Park (official): https://ugandawildlife.org/national-parks/kibale-national-park/. Supports the Kanyanchu community, habituated since 1993; a sighting success rate of over 90%; walks at 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM from Kanyanchu Visitor Centre; treks of two to five hours; one hour with the chimps; groups limited to six; a minimum age of 16 on this page; more than 1,500 chimpanzees in at least 12 communities, four habituated; and 326 km, about 6 hours, from Kampala.
12. National Forestry Authority, eco-tourism brochure for Kalinzu, Kaniyo-Pabidi, Mpanga and Mabira (official PDF, July 2025, linked from nfa.go.ug): https://nfa.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Eco-Tourism-brochure-for-Kalinzu_Kanio_Pabidi_Mpanga_Mabira_sites-2.pdf. Supports Kalinzu Forest Reserve in western Uganda, on the eastern edge of the Albertine Rift Valley, at 147 sq km, with chimpanzee tracking.
13. National Forestry Authority, online reservation system, Kalinzu site and Chimp Tracking activity (official; tourism.nfa.go.ug, linked from nfa.go.ug; fee and session data read October 27, 2026): https://tourism.nfa.go.ug/. Supports chimp tracking at Kalinzu at $130 for foreign non-residents; morning (8 AM to 12 PM) and afternoon (2 PM to 5 PM) sessions with 12 permits each and an age limit of 12; no separate entry fee listed for Kalinzu; a habituation session from 8 AM to 12 PM with 6 permits and an age limit of 15, at $165 for foreign non-residents; and, in NFA's text, Kalinzu managed by NFA and bordering Queen Elizabeth National Park, more than 300 chimpanzees with a habituated group open for daily tracking, and chimp tracking participants at least 15 years old.
14. Uganda Tourism Board (Explore Uganda), Traveler Tips (official): https://exploreuganda.com/traveler-tips/. Supports the rainy seasons, March to May and September to November.
15. East Africa Safaris, approximate road distances (our estimate, October 27, 2026, using OpenStreetMap road data and the OSRM route planner, not surveyed): Kigali to the NFA Kalinzu visitor point, about 250 km by the shortest route and about 330 km by way of Mbarara; Kigali to Kanyanchu, Kibale, about 420 km by way of Kamwenge and about 500 km by way of Queen Elizabeth National Park and Fort Portal.
16. East Africa Safaris tour pages (checked October 27, 2026): https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/3-day-chimpanzee-trekking-in-nyungwe-national-park/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/5-day-rwanda-primates-safari-experience/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/7-day-rwanda-wildlife-and-primates-safari-adventure/, https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/7-day-best-of-uganda-gorilla-trekking-and-wildlife-safari/ and https://eastafricasafaris.com/tour/9-day-best-uganda-and-rwanda-safari-experience/. Supports the tour names, prices (the 7-day Rwanda trip at $7,155 solo, $5,306 for two and $4,378 for six; the other four priced on request), the permits and inclusions, the parks and days of each chimp trek, the 5:00 AM departures in Nyungwe, the 7:00 AM briefing at Kinigi, sightings not being guaranteed and the early start giving the best chance, the full day on the road from Kigali to Queen Elizabeth on the Uganda trips, the minimum age of 15, no fitness test, face masks near the primates, the packing list, porter fees not included, the vehicles, and year-round, 7-days-a-week availability.
17. East Africa Safaris, Payment and Cancellation Policy, Rev. September 12, 2026; Mark Axelson's answers of September 29, 2026; Mark Axelson's and Anna Axelson's answers of October 5 to 6 and October 13, 2026: supports the 50% deposit, the 6-month lead time for July, August and peak dates, porter fees being paid at the park, booking Uganda permits through our Ugandan partner, the vehicles, office locations and the legal name, East Africa Safari Tours, Inc., a Utah corporation.
18. East Africa Safaris, FAQ: https://eastafricasafaris.com/frequently-asked-questions/. Supports the RDB license number, RDB/TL/2026/02/TO/00995.