Nyungwe chimps habituation

Nyungwe National Park is one of the oldest and remaining natural forests in Africa and one of the best places to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The park is home to 13 primates’ species. Chimpanzees being the most visited, Nyungwe National Park has several groups habituated to human visitors, making it possible to track them and enjoy accompanying them as you observe their behavior, how they feed and care for their little ones. Apart from the chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, another product is available to enjoy the beauty of the forest as you follow the chimpanzee habituation in Nyungwe, specifically happening in the Gisovu sector of the forest.

The chimpanzee habituation is an experience newly introduced in Nyungwe National Park that involves spending an extended period of time with a specific family of chimpanzees and engaging in the process of habituation to the presence of human beings. The experience starts with going into the forest with an experienced park guide to locate and observe the chimpanzee in their natural habitat. The experience lasts for hours during which visitors follow a trail to find the chimpanzee group with a goal of observing them from a safe distance without disturbing them or altering their behavior.

Unlike the chimpanzee trekking which lasts for only one hour upon finding the group of chimpanzees and observing them as you take some pictures, the chimpanzee habituation in Nyungwe lasts for half day to a full day or even many days depending on the program. You actively participate in the habituation process, which may involve staying near the chimpanzees for long periods and habituating them to human presence through gradual exposure. Chimpanzee habituation experience in Nyungwe often allows you for closer encounters with the chimpanzees although strict guidelines are usually in place to ensure the safety of both of you and chimpanzees.

To be able to enjoy the chimpanzee habituation in Nyungwe, it’s advisable to spend the night in Gisovu guest house which is close to the Gisovu sector where the experience starts with de-nesting at around 4:00 AM or be able to experience the nesting in the afternoon.

All in all, chimpanzee habituation in Nyungwe is another experience to enjoy in Nyungwe National Park, on top of chimpanzee trekking to give visitors ample time to actively participate in the habituation process of chimpanzee to human presence.

In summary, chimpanzee tracking is a shorter, more passive experience focused on observing chimpanzees from a distance, while chimpanzee habituation experience involves a longer, more interactive process aimed at habituating chimpanzees to human presence for closer observation while offering more interactive process at a closer distance, in a longer period than the chimpanzee trekking. For more information on the experience and the booking process, reach out to Unique Rwanda Vacation Experts to advise you on the preparation of your visit from designing the itinerary, bookings and transportation logistics.