Timing your trip
best time to visit nyungwe forest
A montane rainforest in southwestern Rwanda, home to chimpanzees, large Angolan colobus troops and a high canopy walkway. The dry months of June to August give the firmest trails and the most settled weather for walking.
seasonal guide to nyungwe forest
For the firmest trails and the fewest washed-out mornings, come between June and August, or in February during the short dry season. The chimpanzees follow the fruiting trees and move with them, so no month makes a sighting certain. April and November are the wettest and hardest for trekking, and the rains bring the best birding.
month by month details
January falls in Nyungwe's short dry season, a good month for walking. Trails are mostly dry to mildly damp and the canopy walkway is comfortable, with cooler, often misty mornings and days around 20 degrees Celsius.
The chimpanzees follow the fruiting trees and move with them, so a trek can be short or long in any month and no season makes a sighting certain. Angolan colobus troops remain reliable along the standard trails, and forest birds are vocal. A solid month for hiking and the walkway.
February is one of the most settled months in Nyungwe, with dry footing and clear forest views. The short dry season holds, so trails are good underfoot, the canopy walkway is at its best, and showers are occasional rather than constant.
Chimpanzee trekking is popular and the walking is straightforward, though the chimpanzees follow the fruiting trees, so some treks run long. The large colobus troops are easy to find and the cool, stable conditions suit long hours on the trails. A dependable month for primates and walking, with birding still good if not at its wet-season peak.
March opens the long rains, trading firm trails for a greener forest. Rain becomes frequent, trails turn wet and slippery, and the canopy walkway sees more mist and cloud.
There is an upside. The chimpanzees follow the fruiting trees and move with them, so the season says little about a sighting, and colobus troops stay easy to find. This is also when birding lifts, with breeding underway and migrants still present. A month for those who will accept mud in exchange for active birds.
April is the wettest month of the year in Nyungwe, with long rains and the most difficult trails. Trekking is strenuous on slippery, muddy ground, and the canopy walkway is frequently rain-affected. Full waterproof gear is essential.
Colobus troops stay easy to find, the chimpanzees range as the fruiting trees take them, and birding is excellent with active breeding and lingering migrants. But the consistent heavy rain makes this a hard month for most travellers and a poor choice for anyone wanting comfortable hiking or reliable canopy-walkway weather.
May closes the long rains, with conditions easing as the month goes on. Trails stay wet but become more manageable than March and April, and the forest is at its greenest. The canopy walkway is still prone to mist and showers.
The chimpanzees range as the fruiting trees take them, and colobus viewing is good. Birding holds up well, with the forest vibrant and breeding continuing. A shoulder month for travellers happy to trade some mud for fewer visitors and active wildlife.
June opens the long dry season and the start of Nyungwe's prime trekking. Trails firm up quickly, the canopy walkway approaches dry-season comfort, and showers become much less likely. Days are pleasant and mornings cool.
The chimpanzees follow the fruiting trees and move with them, so the season says little about a sighting, but the walking to reach them is as good as it gets. Colobus troops are easy to find along the trails and birding remains strong. One of the best windows of the year for time on foot.
July sits at the core of the dry season, the high point of the trekking year. Trails are among the driest and most comfortable of the year, mornings are crisp and the canopy walkway gives clear forest views with stable footing.
The chimpanzees follow the fruiting trees and move with them, so the season says little about a sighting, but this is the easiest hiking of the year, which is what makes the middle of the dry season the prime time here. The large colobus troops show well and general forest birding is good. This is high season, so expect more visitors on the popular trails.
August holds the dry season, with settled conditions into late month. Footing stays dry and non-slippery, the canopy walkway is reliable, and conditions are comfortable for long days in the forest.
The chimpanzees range as the fruiting trees take them, and the trekking to reach them remains straightforward. Colobus sightings are consistent on the standard routes and mixed flocks make for pleasant canopy birding. A short shower is still possible, but this is one of the most dependable months of the year.
September stays mostly dry early on, then begins shifting toward the short rains. The first part of the month keeps good trails and comfortable canopy-walkway conditions, with showers becoming more likely as the weeks pass.
The chimpanzees follow the fruiting trees and move with them, so early September generally trumps the later weeks for dry footing rather than for sightings. Colobus troops remain easy to find and birding picks up as the rains return. A good month if you plan for the earlier half.
October brings the short rains and wetter trails. Mud and slippery approaches return to the trails and the canopy walkway sees more rain and cloud, so proper rain protection matters.
The chimpanzees follow the fruiting trees and move with them, so the season says little about a sighting, and colobus troops stay easy to find. Birding improves markedly as breeding resumes and the first migrants arrive. A month for travellers who will accept wet conditions for better birds.
November is one of the wettest months in Nyungwe, at the peak of the short rains. Frequent, heavy rain leaves trails very muddy and challenging, and the canopy walkway is often misty and slippery. This is demanding trekking weather.
The chimpanzees range as the fruiting trees take them, colobus troops stay easy to find, and birding is at its best with breeding and a high number of migrants present. But for most travellers the persistent rain and difficult footing make November a hard month, best suited to dedicated birders.
December starts the short dry season, with the rains easing through the month. Trails begin to firm up and the canopy walkway becomes comfortable again, though conditions are still improving and some short showers can linger.
Footing improves as the weeks pass, and the chimpanzees range as the fruiting trees take them, so a sighting is reached on better ground than in November. Colobus viewing is good, resident birds are active with some migrants remaining, and visitor numbers are lower than the July to August peak. A promising shoulder month, with the most settled conditions arriving later as the short dry season holds.
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frequently asked questions
June to August, and again in February.
Those are the dry seasons, when the steep trails are at their most manageable and the chimpanzee tracking is less of a slog. June to August is the longer and more reliable of the two.
It is still a rainforest, so rain is possible on any day of the year.
March to May and October to November are the wet months, when the ground is heavy going and the forest is at its most atmospheric.
The fruiting seasons, and they follow the rains rather than the dry.
Chimpanzees go where the fruit is, so in the wetter months from roughly September to November and March to May they gather lower and closer to the trails, which can mean a shorter trek. In the dry months they range wider and higher.
The trackers are out before you every morning either way.
So the driest month is not automatically the easiest one, which is unusual and worth knowing.
Yes, and it has real advantages.
The forest is at its greenest, the waterfalls are full, the birding is at its best and there are far fewer visitors. The chimpanzees are often lower down, and permits are easier to get.
What you trade is the footing: steep, slick trails and a strong chance of being soaked.
If you are fit and properly equipped it is a fair trade. For a first visit we would still book the dry season.
Cooler than people expect of equatorial Africa, and the altitude is why.
The forest sits high, so days are mild rather than hot and the evenings need a warm layer and often a fire. Mist sits in the valleys most mornings.
The humidity makes it feel damp all year, even in the dry months.
Pack a fleece and a waterproof alongside the light clothes, and do not assume a rainforest means heat.
The wetter months, and particularly the short rains from September to November.
Nyungwe holds a long list of Albertine Rift endemics found in very few other places, and the wet season brings breeding activity, calls and easier identification. The dry months are still excellent and the walking is easier.
A specialist guide changes the day entirely here.
Tell us if birds are the reason for the trip and we will book the guide rather than leave it to the lodge rota.
June to August, or January and February.
Those windows are dry in both the Virunga volcanoes in the north and the forest in the south, so one set of dates carries the whole Rwandan route. Permits for both are held months ahead for the June to August window.
March to May is the wettest across the country.
We would allow two nights at Nyungwe and two at Volcanoes as the minimum, with a night on Lake Kivu between them.
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Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape a journey that is both thoughtfully considered and expertly delivered.
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