Thirteen Primates and a Silverback: One&Only Nyungwe House
By Olalekan Apanisile · September 2026
The mist has not yet lifted off the tea plantation when the ranger radios in: a chimpanzee community was heard calling from the ridge above Uwinka, forty minutes up a muddy track. You leave the fire still burning in your room at One&Only Nyungwe House, cross rows of tea still dark with dew, and enter the forest proper, where the temperature drops and the canopy closes overhead within a hundred metres. Nyungwe does not reveal itself gradually. It just gets older, denser, and quieter, all at once.
Trip Snapshot
Region: Nyungwe Forest & Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Ideal Duration: 7+ days
Best Season: June to October and December to February offer the driest trekking conditions; March to May and November are wetter but still workable with proper gear
Starting Point: Kigali
Thirteen Primates in a Single Forest
Nyungwe is one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, and its age shows in what it holds: thirteen primate species in one contiguous block of montane forest, more than almost anywhere else on the continent. Chimpanzees are the headline trek, capped at eight visitors per group for a single hour with the community once trackers locate them, guided by rangers who read broken branches and fresh knuckle prints the way others read a map.
But the chimps are not the only reason to be here. Nyungwe holds some of the largest troops of Angola colobus in Africa, black-and-white monkeys that move through the canopy in numbers dense enough to make the treetops ripple. Grey-cheeked mangabeys and blue monkeys have their own habituated groups, tracked on separate permits at a fraction of the chimp fee. For travellers who want the forest without the trek, the Uwinka canopy walkway rises 70 metres above the valley floor across three suspended sections, a vantage most visitors to Rwanda never take the time to reach.
North to the Volcanoes
Rwanda's other primate encounter waits roughly five to six hours north by road, across the Gisenyi and Lake Kivu route, or a short domestic transfer through Kigali. Volcanoes National Park is where the mountain gorillas are, and the two treks have almost nothing in common beyond the word "trekking." A gorilla permit runs $1,500 per person to encounter a single habituated family for an hour, in bamboo and montane forest at altitude, moving at the pace of an animal that has no reason to hurry. Golden monkeys, endemic to the Albertine Rift and considerably more entertaining to watch, are trekked separately in the same park at a lower cost and shorter approach.
Most itineraries built around Nyungwe House treat the volcanoes as the second half of the journey rather than a detour: south for the forest's density and diversity, north for the single, concentrated encounter with a gorilla family. The contrast is the point. One trek rewards patience with abundance. The other rewards patience with proximity.
Where You Stay
One&Only Nyungwe House sits inside a working tea plantation, its six wooden villas built low and wide, in dark slate and terracotta that settle into the hillside rather than announce themselves against it. The twenty-two rooms and suites open onto private decks that face rows of tea on one side and the forest wall on the other, each with its own open fireplace for the cold mountain evenings. There is a heated infinity pool that looks out over the forest canopy, a spa built around a deep-tissue treatment performed with hands and wooden sticks, and a kitchen that changes its menu daily with whatever the surrounding valley has produced that week. Nothing about the property competes with the forest beside it. It is built to be a quiet threshold, not a destination in itself.
How the Journey Unfolds
Mornings start early and are dictated by the forest, not the schedule: rangers track a chimpanzee community's overnight movement before dawn, and departure time follows their radio call rather than a fixed hour. A trek can run two hours or five. Afternoons slow deliberately, tea plantation walks, spa treatments, or simply the deck and the fire, before the canopy walk or a second primate trek the following day. When the itinerary turns north, the pace changes entirely: a half-day transfer, a single dawn departure for the gorilla trek, and then a shorter, quieter stay before the return to Kigali. The two halves of the trip do not blend into each other. They are meant to feel distinct.
The Occasionist Lens
Most travellers arrive in Rwanda with gorillas as the entire plan, and Volcanoes National Park alone as the itinerary. That version of the country is real, but it is also partial. Nyungwe holds the depth that a single gorilla encounter, however extraordinary, cannot: thirteen primate species, an ancient forest structure, a canopy walk that puts you inside the ecosystem rather than beside it. This journey suits travellers who assumed Rwanda's wildlife story began and ended in the volcanic north, and who are willing to spend a few unhurried days finding out how much more of it there is.
Planning This Journey
The dry seasons, June to October and December to February, offer the firmest trails and the clearest forest visibility for both chimp and gorilla trekking, though Nyungwe's density means it rewards a visit in any season with proper rain gear. Fly into Kigali, then continue roughly five to six hours southwest to Nyungwe by road, or arrange a shorter flight to Kamembe. Gorilla permits sell out months ahead during peak season and should be secured before flights are booked. Most travellers sequence Nyungwe first, then move north to the volcanoes before returning to Kigali for departure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What primates can you trek in Nyungwe Forest?
Chimpanzees are the primary trek, alongside separately permitted tracking for Angola colobus, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and blue monkeys. Nyungwe holds thirteen primate species in total, though not all are tracked on foot.
How is chimp trekking different from gorilla trekking?
Chimpanzees move fast and range widely, so a trek can take anywhere from two to five hours and involves more physical pace. Gorillas stay closer to a known territory and move slowly once located, making the encounter calmer but the permit considerably more expensive.
Can Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Park realistically be combined in one trip?
Absolutely. The drive between the two is five to six hours by road, or a short flight connects them via Kigali. Travellers typically do Nyungwe first, then continue north for the gorilla trek before flying out of Kigali.
Do I need separate permits for each primate trek?
Yes. Chimp trekking, colobus and mangabey tracking, gorilla trekking, and golden monkey trekking are each sold as separate permits through the Rwanda Development Board, and gorilla permits in particular should be booked well in advance.
What's the best time of year for primate trekking in Rwanda?
June to October and December to February bring the driest trails and easiest visibility for both Nyungwe and the volcanoes. March to May and November are wetter and quieter, workable with the right gear for travellers who prefer fewer other visitors on the trail.
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