3 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking and Lake Kivu from Kigali
3 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking and Lake Kivu from Kigali is the relaxed way to do Nyungwe Forest without the brutal 1-day rush.
Nyungwe National Park is Rwanda's largest rainforest – 1,019 km², 500 chimpanzees, 13 primates, 310 birds. Chimp permit $250 pp, canopy walk $60 pp, Kivu boat $25-40 shared. Learn more on our Nyungwe chimp & canopy page.
Mid-range $650 pp for 2 sharing – most booked | Solo $820 | 3 pax $580 pp | 4+ $540 pp
Budget from $580 pp. Includes Land Cruiser, guide, 2 nights BB, chimp $250, canopy $60, Kivu boat, all fees, water.
3 Days Itinerary – Nyungwe Chimpanzee & Lake Kivu
Day 1 Canopy afternoon, Day 2 Chimps morning + Lake Kivu sunset, Day 3 Napoleon Island boat + return to Kigali.
06:00 – Pickup in Kigali, scenic drive 225km / 5.5hrs to Nyungwe
We collect you from hotel or Kigali Airport. Drive via Nyanza King's Palace quick photo and Huye (Butare) for lunch and Ethnographic Museum optional $10. After Huye, endless tea plantations – you are near Nyungwe National Park. Arrive Gisakura around 1:00 PM, check-in, cool forest air.
14:00 – 16:00 – Nyungwe Canopy Walk at Uwinka $60
Your ranger meets you at Uwinka Visitor Centre. 30 min walk through orchid-filled forest to the trailhead. Then the famous suspension bridge – 90 meters long, 50 meters high, swaying gently above canopy. Below is untouched rainforest, above are turacos, hornbills, monkeys. 2 hours total, easy fitness, not for extreme fear of heights. Must be pre-booked – we handle it. See full details on canopy walk guide.
• Gisakura Guest House – simple & clean, closest – $70
• Emeraude Kivu Resort – lake view, hot shower – most booked – $130
• One&Only Nyungwe House – luxury inside tea – $800+
Dinner $15-25 extra, nights 10-14°C – lodge gives blanket.
05:00 – Coffee, 05:30 – Briefing at Cyamudongo / Uwinka
Short drive to trek start. Rangers check permit + passport, groups max 8. We always request Cyamudongo Forest first – smaller, open, higher chimp chance. Briefing on how to behave near chimps – 8 meters distance, no flash, low voice.
06:00 – 11:00 – Into forest for chimpanzees – 1 hour with troop
Trackers already out, radio contact. You walk following calls, broken branches, fresh dung. Forest is steep, muddy – boots mandatory. When found, 1 hour starts. Hear pant-hoots echoing, watch feeding in figs, grooming, babies on mothers' backs, juveniles playing. After hour, walk out slowly – watch for colobus and L'Hoest's monkeys.
11:30 – 15:00 – Drive to Lake Kivu, Kibuye / Karongi 2.5 hrs
Quick checkout, drive downhill from 2,400m to 1,460m at lake. Tea turns to lake views. Arrive Kibuye for late lunch – fresh tilapia, lake breeze.
• Rwiza Village – simple, garden – $90
• Cormoran Lodge – best lake view + beach – $140 – most booked for this tour
• Lake Kivu Serena – luxury beachfront – $250
Lake Kivu has no hippos/crocodiles – safe to swim. Water 22-24°C.
07:00 – 09:30 – Boat ride – Napoleon & Peace Islands
Morning boat 2 hrs with local guide – $30 shared boat. First Napoleon Island with 5,000+ straw-colored fruit bats hanging in euphorbia trees, then Amahoro (Peace) Island for local banana beer tasting, swimming, fishermen with traditional boats. Optional coffee washing station visit $5. Tilapia breakfast on beach if you want.
11:00 – 17:00 – Drive back to Kigali 3.5 hrs via Congo-Nile Divide
Leave lake, climb to Congo-Nile Divide viewpoint – where rainfall splits to Atlantic and Nile. Lunch stop in Kibuye or Karongi. Arrive Kigali 5:00-5:30 PM. We drop at hotel or Kigali Airport – perfect for 9PM+ flights. Want to stay longer? Add 1 night at Kivu for $90 – we arrange, no extra transport if continuing to Volcanoes next day.
After steep forest trek, your legs need lake. Kivu gives you swimming, beer, fresh fish, slow morning – you return to Kigali rested, not exhausted like 1-day trips. This is why honeymooners book 3 days, not 2. If you want gorillas next, we can drop you in Gisenyi – no extra cost.
2026 Private Price – 3 Days / 2 Nights – Permits Included
Includes: Private 4x4 Land Cruiser + driver-guide, 2 nights BB, chimp permit $250, canopy $60, Lake Kivu boat $30, all park fees, bottled water, packed breakfast Day 2. Excludes: Lunch/dinner $15-20 each, porter $10, insurance. Full park info on Nyungwe National Park.
Check Chimp & Kivu Availability – WhatsAppFAQs – 3 Days Nyungwe Chimpanzee & Lake Kivu
How much is chimpanzee permit and canopy walk in Nyungwe 2026?
Chimp permit is $250 per person foreign non-residents, canopy walk $60 pp. Both included in our price from $650 pp for 2 sharing. Permits must be booked early – we check on WhatsApp +256771026496.
Is Lake Kivu safe to swim?
Yes. Lake Kivu has no hippos, no crocodiles, no bilharzia. Water is 22-24°C, clear, safe to swim. That's why we add it after forest trekking – you relax, swim, sunset boat to Napoleon Island with 5,000 bats.
What is the difference between 2 Days and 3 Days Nyungwe tour?
2 Days Nyungwe – 1 night near forest, chimp + canopy, return to Kigali tired, from $440 pp. 3 Days Nyungwe & Lake Kivu – 1 night forest + 1 night lake, boat ride, beach, relaxed return, from $650 pp. Most honeymooners choose 3 days.
Can you do 3 Days Nyungwe + Lake Kivu as solo traveler?
Yes. Solo price mid-range $820, budget $740. You get private 4x4 + guide. We can also try to join you with other travelers to share cost – ask us on WhatsApp.
What to pack for chimp trek + Lake Kivu?
Hiking boots, long trousers, rain jacket, gloves, small daypack. For Kivu: swimsuit, light shirt, sunglasses. Lodges provide towels. Nights 10-14°C in forest, 20°C at lake. See our Nyungwe Park guide for full list.
