Nyungwe national park in the south of Rwanda is one of the iconic destinations to track Chimpanzees in Rwanda. The park has two distinct places called Cyamudongo and Uwinka where most of the Chimpanzees are spotted.
Tracking these closest relatives of humans in the dense forest of Rwanda is a tricky and fun-filled activity which travelers can enjoy with the tips of their guides.
Tricks to track Chimpanzees:
Foot Prints:
The chimpanzees move inside the jungle with knuckle-walking leaving their knuckle prints which is helpful to track their exact location.
The nest:
Chimpanzee’s nests are very helpful to track them as they use tree branches and foliage to build nests that are used for sleeping. Once you spot a nest you can spot the chimps around to the place, while the nests are worth watching itself.
The dung of the Chimp:
The dung of the chimpanzee can help you to guess how recently a chimpanzee has been in the area.
Discard part of food:
When chimpanzees have their foods they leave discard parts of the fruit and the leaf’s wads which also help to track them.
Rules to follow when tracking Chimpanzees:
- Obey your guide
- If you found anything in the forest just leave it where you spotted it
- Don’t smoke
- Don’t provoke the chimpanzees
- Keep 8 meters distance while watching these primates
- Don’t eat or drink in front of Chimpanzees
- Speak in a low voice and don’t use flash while clicking pictures of them.