Chimpanzees. Rwanda
We went to Rwanda for the gorillas and because we wanted to learn more about the genocide that took place in 1994. Of course, I also wanted to visit schools. So, when the opportunity to go and experience chimpanzees came up, we naturally agreed and wanted to go—but it wasn’t the thing we were most excited about. Probably for that very reason, we ended up being completely blown away when the encounter happened.
To meet the chimpanzees, we had to drive seven hours from the capital, Kigali. Not bad at all, since along the way there was also a school I visited (I may write about schools separately). Rwanda is one of the best places in Africa to see wild chimpanzees in dense, ancient tropical rainforests. The heart of this experience is Nyungwe National Park, one of the oldest and most biodiverse montane rainforests in Africa. Chimpanzees share the most DNA with us, which alone makes meeting them incredibly intriguing. Unlike gorillas, chimpanzees are fast, loud, extremely social, and constantly on the move. Trekking to see them is more about following sounds—they shout, scream, hoot, while branches sway and snap overhead—and that’s how you realize you are surrounded by chimpanzees. The guide said that around 400–500 chimpanzees live in Nyungwe National Park, in communities with multiple males and females. These communities can split up and regroup throughout the day.
Our trek started very early in the morning, because that’s when chimpanzees are most active and easier to find, before they disappear high into the forest canopy. Now that I can compare, the trek itself wasn’t especially difficult, although we had been warned it could be physically demanding: steep slopes, dense vegetation, slippery ground, and so on. In our case, the search went downhill, and at times our bodies almost went numb just thinking about the fact that the entire way back would have to be climbed uphill! Because of that, we were incredibly lucky—after less than an hour of trekking, we finally saw them jumping through the trees.
Actually, we heard them first—all the stories about how loud chimpanzees are – absolutely true! The moment we saw them, all the fatigue vanished—we tilted our heads back and stared, following their noisy group. Like gorillas, chimpanzees face serious threats: habitat loss, transmission of human diseases, and poaching. Rwanda protects chimpanzees much like it does gorillas: a strict permit system (we arranged permits while still in Lithuania!), limited visitor numbers, specially trained guides, and more. By the way, the trek started in Nyungwe National Park, but not at the park headquarters—we drove to a specific spot that turned out to be just a roadside.
We got out of the car and—well—there was jungle immediately, and straight into the jungle we went. At first it even seemed like there was no way through, but what helped was that guys with machetes walked in front, clearing the path. Believe me, it’s a truly extraordinary feeling—walking through such a primordial forest, full of sounds and moss, where it feels like you can barely see the sky because there are so many layers of vegetation.
Chimpanzees run through the trees, and yet the sense of similarity to humans is truly uncanny. Because the sun hadn’t risen yet, looking up was quite blinding—I saw flickering leaves and monkey shadows, and sometimes my skin literally tingled, because you could almost forget yourself and think that what you were seeing was a human silhouette. Since you’re allowed to be with the chimpanzees for an hour, by the end we had adjusted, started seeing them better, and even getting closer—but at the beginning there were truly awe-inspiring moments. It also really felt like they were communicating with each other—and the guide confirmed this. For example, males form alliances, overthrow leaders, and maintain power through strategy rather than sheer strength, meaning that not only physical power matters, but also social intelligence. I found it absolutely fascinating that chimpanzees recognize themselves in mirrors, adopt orphans, help injured group members, and so on.
The sweetest moment was seeing a baby. Unlike its mother, who was eating, the little one was swinging from branches and playing wildly. Chimpanzees give birth every 4–6 years, their infants nurse for a long time, and even after weaning remain dependent on their mothers because they still have so much to learn. The guide said that because of this, chimpanzees have relatively few offspring—their upbringing simply requires enormous investment. Whenever the mother we were watching moved, the baby instantly clung to her and moved along—despite having just been playing completely independently!
And here’s another interesting and sad fact: chimpanzees experience grief—there are documented cases of mothers carrying deceased infants for days or even weeks. It was also funny that sometimes chimpanzees miscalculate whether a branch will support their weight—but of course, they’re quick, so everything usually ends smoothly! In general, they are incredibly clever: they intentionally use sticks to fish for termites, stones to crack nuts, and leaves as sponges to drink water. I was absolutely fascinated to learn that different chimpanzee communities use different tools, passed down through learning from one another, and that many of their communication signals (gestures, facial expressions, sounds, body language) are intentional—can you imagine?! When we asked how they manage to find them when they move so fast, we were told that chimpanzees like to eat seasonal fruits, so trackers—who know their habits well—have a good idea of where to look at certain times. Chimpanzees are omnivores, by the way—they eat fruits, leaves, seeds, insects, eggs, and meat (yes, including smaller monkeys!).
Before meeting the chimpanzees, we watched Jane (2017) on Netflix, which features National Geographic archival footage revealing Jane Goodall’s research and legacy. I truly recommend watching this—or something similar—so that you know more and understand more. Only then can you truly appreciate what you are seeing, its uniqueness and value. If you just go and watch chimpanzees in the treetops (and, with patience, closer), I believe the impression would not be THIS powerful.
On the way back, we climbed uphill the entire time, but the guide was kind-hearted and always let us stop to rest. For me, this walk through an ancient tropical forest was true forest bathing—Shinrin-yoku. It was a complete immersion in nature, experienced through all the senses. I don’t know how much it lowered my blood pressure, but I was truly just HERE and NOW. When I tilted my head back and saw the canopy shimmering, it felt like that alone would be enough to become a lifelong memory—I had never imagined that the flickering of leaves could be so similar to the shimmer of the sea in spring sunlight. When I touched moss dripping with moisture and felt water droplets running across my fingers. When I heard the chimpanzees’ calls, which in that environment felt perfectly natural. When I smelled that ancient forest—eucalyptus and something else. All of it was simply unreal. I kept reminding myself that chimpanzees can be (and are!) aggressive. That they attack neighbors. But at the same time, they experience the full range of emotions: joy, jealousy, fear, anger. And—amazingly—they play.
And I felt immense joy and pride that there are women like Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, whose dedication to science has helped us better understand not only primates, but ourselves.
