Chimpanzee vs Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda Due to how rewarding both activities are, travelers interested in Rwanda's primate safaris may find it difficult to decide between gorilla and chimpanzee trekking. In this article, we'll give you more information on the various activities and make it simple for you to decide between the two locations if you're only interested in one activity. Among the places in East Africa where you can track chimpanzees and gorillas, it should be noted that Rwanda has the highest concentration of mountain gorillas in the wild, and Nyungwe National Park has over 1,000 chimpanzees that can be seen in the wild. Consequently, it is the ideal location for chimpanzee trekking.

 

The price for chimpanzee and gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda

The cost of the permits will enable you to partake in either of the two activities: chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda or gorilla trekking in Rwanda, depending on the distinctions between the two. The cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda may influence budget-conscious tourists to opt for chimpanzee trekking instead. The Rwanda Development Board, the country's tourism board, is where you can also reserve permits for a variety of activities in Akagera National Park and activities in Volcanoes National Park. A gorilla trekking permit can be obtained for a cost of 1500 USD, which is quite expensive compared to a chimpanzee trekking permit in Rwanda, which can be obtained for a cost of 90 USD, and numerous other parks in Rwanda.

 

What is involved in chimpanzee or gorilla trekking in Rwanda?

In order for travelers to access the habituated gorilla families in the Volcanoes National Park, visitors are required to hike the Virunga chained mountains in Rwanda, which is quite difficult for visitors who are not physically fit to hike the Virunga mountains. As opposed to chimpanzees, gorillas can live up to 5000 meters above sea level, which makes their lifestyle quite hectic. Chimpanzee trekking is interesting because the chimpanzees are quite active during it, as opposed to gorilla trekking, where the gorillas are more passive and restrict their movement within the park. Chimpanzee trekking vs. gorilla trekking in Rwanda

 

The maximum number of people trekking per group

In contrast, there are two habituated chimpanzee troops in Nyungwe National Park and more than 15 habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park, giving travelers more opportunities for gorilla trekking. For tourists interested in going on a gorilla trek, the maximum number of visitors to a gorilla family is eight, and the maximum number of visitors to a chimpanzee troop is also eight.

 

Distance

The distance between Kigali city and Nyungwe national park is longer compared to the distance between Kigali city and Volcanoes national park, which is just 113 km and takes about 3 hours, which makes Volcanoes national park more accessible for mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda compared to Nyungwe national park, which takes approximately 7 hours to reach. Once you are at the volcanoes national park, you can participate in cultural tours near the park due to its shorter distance from Kigali city compared to the primate hub, Nyungwe Forest national park.

 

Travelers can also participate in golden monkey trekking in the Volcanoes National Park while on a primate safari in Rwanda, giving them access to critically endangered primate species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift and can also be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Virunga National Park. You can go on a monkey trek in Nyungwe National Park and see a variety of interesting monkey species, including the Hamlyn's monkey, Dent's monkey, silver monkey, and many others.