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Nyungwe Forest National Park 2026 / 2027 Prices
Nyungwe Forest National Park 2026 / 2027 Prices; Nyungwe Forest National Park is Rwanda’s primate capital and one of the country’s four national parks, best known for its outstanding chimpanzee trekking. The park protects one of the oldest mountain rainforests in Africa, a biodiversity-rich stretch covering more than 1,000 square kilometers in Rwanda’s southwest, home to thirteen primate species and more than 300 recorded bird species.
If you’re planning a Rwanda safari to Nyungwe, here’s a full breakdown of the park’s 2026 entry fees and activity pricing.
As with any published rates, these figures are subject to change — we recommend confirming current pricing with your safari consultant at the time of booking.
Nyungwe National Park Entry Fees
Entry fees to Nyungwe Forest National Park give you full access to the park, including guided nature walks.
| Category | 1 Day/Night | 2 Nights | 3 Nights |
| Rwandan/EAC Citizen | $10 (RwF 10,000) | $15 (RwF 15,000) | $20 (RwF 20,000) |
| Foreign Resident in Rwanda/EAC | $60 | $90 | $120 |
| African Citizen (other than EAC) | $60 | $90 | $120 |
| International Visitor | $100 | $150 | $200 |
| Rwandan/EAC Citizen Child (6-12) | $5 (RwF 5,000) | $7.50 (RwF 7,500) | $10 (RwF 10,000) |
| Foreign Resident in Rwanda/EAC Child (6-12) | $30 | $45 | $60 |
| African Citizen (other than EAC) Child (6-12) | $30 | $45 | $60 |
| International Visitor Child (6-12) | $50 | $75 | $100 |
Points to Know About Nyungwe Forest National Park Fees
- Children aged 5 and under do not pay entry fees
- Visitors aged 13 and above are considered adults and pay the full park fee
- Visitors staying 3 nights or more inside the park are not charged an entry fee beyond the third night
- Entry fees are payable per day for day visitors, or per night for overnight visitors staying inside the park. The fee is reduced by 50% for the second and third nights, and is free for any subsequent night up to one week. For example, for a stay of two nights, the fee is charged twice, with the second night reduced by 50%
- Visitors staying outside the park are considered “day visitors” unless staying at a lodge or hotel with a signed agreement with the park; day visitors pay the full entry fee every day they enter the park
Nyungwe Forest National Park chimp
Priced Activities in Nyungwe Forest National Park
Guided nature walks are included in the park entrance fee. The activities below are priced separately, in addition to the park entry fee.
Chimpanzee Trekking
Nyungwe is home to a population of more than 500 chimpanzees, of which three groups have been habituated for trekking. Each day, a total of 24 chimpanzee permits are issued, with a maximum of 8 people per group. Only one trekking schedule runs each day, starting at 5:00 a.m.
| International Visitor | Foreign Resident | Rwandan/East African Citizen |
| $150 | $75 | $25 |
All prices above include a guide.
Other Special Activities: Canopy Walk, Guided Birding, Monkey Tracking, Night Walks
The canopy walk starts at the Uwinka Park Office, with four daily time slots: 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Nyungwe has three monkey species with habituated groups available for tracking: colobus monkey (the most popular), mangabey, and blue monkey.
Guided night walks run from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
| International Visitor | Foreign Resident | Rwandan/East African Citizen |
| $40 | $20 | $5 |
Camping
Camping is available at the Uwinka Park Headquarters.
| Item | Rate (Adults 13+) | Rate (Children 6-12) |
| Camping, per person/night | $15 | $7.50 |
| Tent hire, per 4-person (approx. 3m x 3m) canvas tent | $20 | – |
Guiding Fees
Guides and porters are available to hire for a forest or nature walk. Groups of fewer than 8 people may walk the trail without a guide, though monkey tracking, night walks, the canopy walk, and guided birding all require one.
| Service | Rate |
| Guide, regular forest walk, per half day | $15 |
| Guide, regular forest walk, per full day | $25 |
| Porter, per half day | $5 |
| Porter, per full day | $10 |
Guides and porters picked up before 9 a.m. and returned within 5 hours count as a half-day activity; pickups after 9 a.m. are charged as a full day unless the guide returns before midday. A guide is required for every group of 8 tourists (excluding children 5 and under), to ensure safety and that information is shared clearly with everyone in the group.
When to Book Chimpanzee Permits
With only 24 chimpanzee permits issued per day across three habituated groups, Nyungwe’s trekking slots can sell out well ahead of peak travel dates, particularly from June through September and over the December holiday period. We’d recommend booking permits at least two to three months in advance for travel during these windows, and as early as possible if your trip falls around a specific date you can’t move.
Permits are non-transferable between dates once issued, so it’s worth confirming your itinerary is settled before booking, since changes can mean forfeiting a permit rather than simply rescheduling it.
Best Time of Year to Visit Nyungwe
Nyungwe is a rainforest park, so some rain is normal at almost any time of year. That said, the driest stretches — mid-June to mid-September, and a shorter window in December and January — offer the most comfortable trekking conditions, with drier trails and generally better visibility for both chimpanzee trekking and the canopy walk.
Visiting during the wetter months isn’t a reason to avoid the park; the forest is at its most vibrant, birding remains excellent, and chimpanzee trekking continues year-round regardless of season. Just plan for muddier trails and pack accordingly.
Sample Budget for a 3-Day Nyungwe Visit
To put the fee structure into perspective, here’s a rough per-person estimate for an international visitor spending three nights in the park and taking part in chimpanzee trekking, the canopy walk, and one guided activity — excluding accommodation and transport, which vary significantly by lodge tier.
| Item | Cost (International Visitor) |
| Park entry, 3 nights | $200 |
| Chimpanzee trekking permit | $150 |
| Canopy walk | $40 |
| Guide, one full day | $25 |
| Approximate total | $415 |
Getting to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe sits in Rwanda’s southwest, roughly a five-hour drive from Kigali, with a common stopover in Butare (Huye) to break up the journey and visit the National Museum of Rwanda. Domestic charter flights to a nearby airstrip are also available for travelers looking to cut down on road time, particularly when combining Nyungwe with Akagera National Park or Volcanoes National Park in a single trip.
Most itineraries pair Nyungwe with at least one other Rwandan destination rather than visiting it in isolation, since the park’s location in the far southwest makes it a natural bookend to a broader Rwanda safari rather than a quick add-on.
Nyungwe vs. Volcanoes National Park for Primate Trekking
Travelers deciding between the two often ask which is the better primate destination. The honest answer is that they offer genuinely different experiences: Volcanoes is built around mountain gorilla trekking, a bigger-ticket, higher-cost activity with a permit price well above Nyungwe’s chimpanzee trekking fee, while Nyungwe centers on chimpanzees, a dozen other primate species, and a canopy walk unavailable at Volcanoes.
Many multi-day Rwanda itineraries include both parks rather than choosing one over the other, since the pricing structures and permit systems are entirely separate and the two experiences are complementary rather than redundant.
Nyungwe’s pricing structure rewards longer stays — the entry fee waiver after three nights makes an extended visit noticeably better value if chimpanzee trekking, the canopy walk, and monkey tracking are all on your list.
