Vyanda Forest Nature Reserve
A lowland forest reserve in the southwest, with chimpanzees in it.
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Vyanda protects a block of lowland and mid-altitude forest inland from Rumonge in southwestern Burundi, and it holds a small population of chimpanzees along with other primates and forest birds. It is one of the few places in the country where chimpanzees survive. The reserve is small, the terrain is steep and the forest is under pressure from farming and charcoal on its edges. The reserve covers around four and a half thousand hectares and adjoins other forest patches along the escarpment.
What you actually see
- The chimpanzees - one of the few surviving populations in the country.
- The lowland forest - the woodland type the reserve protects.
- The other primates - the monkey species sharing the forest.
- The steep terrain - the broken ground the reserve covers.
When to go
June to September is the dry season and the practical window. The rains from October make the tracks impassable. Chimpanzee tracking starts early.
Honest expectations
Chimpanzee sightings are unlikely and tracking is not habituated. Access needs a guide and four wheel drive on rough tracks. There are no facilities.
Nearby
Rumonge is west, and Kigwena is northwest.
What to pack for Vyanda Forest Nature Reserve
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.