Golden monkey trekking

Golden monkey trekking is carried out within the Virunga region of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Golden Monkeys are a subspecies of sykes monkey referred to as blue monkeys. The golden monkeys (Cercopithecus Mitis Kandti) at times are referred to as a distinctive race of the blue monkeys. The primate is bamboo associated and listed endangered by the World Conservation Union.

Golden monkeys are endemic to the Albertine rift valley and are characterised with bright long golden hair mixed with orange body, cheeks and tails, black limbs and crown. They are considered to be the most beautiful and cute monkey species in Africa. Golden monkeys live on the lower slopes of the Virunga mountains. They feed on the bamboo shoots and occasionally look for ripe fruits, sprouts, lichens, leaves, flowers, small invertebrates and insects on the ground. These primates are curious, active and playful. They live in troops of about 100 led by an Alpha male. Golden monkeys are threatened by human encroachment on their land and civils with some parts of the Virunga region like DRC.     

Where to do golden monkey trekking

Mgahinga National Park. 

The park offers a chance to track golden monkeys in Uganda with two habituated groups and semi-habituated troops are available for experiential tourism. Mgahinga National Park hosts over 3000 golden monkeys with other primates like gorillas, blue monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys among others.

In Rwanda, golden monkey trekking is carried out in Volcanoes National Park with two habituated troops. Most of these golden monkeys live around the slopes of Mount Sabinyo. They can also be found in Nyungwe National Park and Gishwati Forest Reserve, however Tracking is not organised in these places. 

In Democratic Republic of Congo, golden monkeys can be found in Kahuzi -Biega and Virunga National Park in the eastern part of the country. However, golden monkey trekking is not yet fully open to visitors in Congo due to security reasons.  

Golden monkey trekking 

Golden monkey trekking is done in Uganda and Rwanda and the activity has no specific number of people required for tracking and the age limit is 12 years. Just like gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking starts with a briefing from the park headquarters. The visitors are briefed about the dos and don’ts of golden monkey trekking at 7:00 am. The actual trek starts at 8:00 am and tourists may decide to hire porters who will help them with luggage. Visitors hike through forests in search of golden monkeys, however the activity is less strenuous than gorilla trekking.  It takes a shorter time because the monkeys do not build new nests everyday so there is no need for pre-trackers to trace them every morning. 

Each day of golden monkey trekking is different because of weather and troop movements decide on how the activity will go. Trackers allocate golden monkeys by looking out for fresh leftovers of bamboo shoots. It is easy to allocate these monkeys during the rainy season as they are always under shelter and when it gets too windy. The wind makes it difficult for monkeys to locate the predators and also need to stay alert. When tourists encounter the golden monkey family, they are given one hour to spend with them (to take photographs and observe their behavior). You will also be allowed to follow them when they are climbing trees.

The habituated groups are not shy around humans and may come close out of curiosity. If you are interested in a shorter tour to see primates including gorillas, then you can consider our 3 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Golden Monkey Trekking. 

Golden Monkey Experiential tourism is a new product for visitors to the park that allows them to have an insight and a better understanding of what it means to research, conserve, and protect an endangered species.

Mgahinga National Park offers golden monkey habituation experience, as the golden monkeys are trained to get u8sed to human presence. This experience is carried out by a team of researchers, guides, scientists, and park rangers and it allows visitors to spend four hours with these creatures. 

Golden monkey trekking permits

For those interested in the primate safari, a golden monkey permit in Uganda costs $100 per person for foreign non-residents and Shs 100,000 for East African Residents. This cost includes the park entry fee, the guide fee and the one hour you spend with the golden monkeys. These permits can be booked on ground from the Park headquarters in Ntobeko Visitor Center or from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Uganda. In Rwanda the permits are booked from Rwanda Development Board and each person pays $100. Tourists who wish to spend more quality time and understand the detailed information regarding the golden monkeys can visit this Park for the engaging golden monkey habituation experience that costs more compared to tracking.

Golden monkey experience is overshadowed by gorilla trekking and most times they are combined with golden monkey being a side activity.

Packing list for golden monkey trekking

There are several requirements that a tourist needs to have to have a memorable experience.some of these items include; long sleeved shirt, long trousers, hat, rainy jacket, packed lunch, camera, waterproof hiking shoes, walking stick tp support you when hiking, porter to carry your luggage, insect repellent. 

Accommodation  during golden monkey trekking

There are a number of accommodation facilities in Mgahinga National Park. These facilities range from budget, midrange and luxury. Some of these facilities include; Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp for budget tourists, Mount Mgahinga Lodge for mid range. 

How to access Mgahinga Gorilla National park for golden monkey trekking

The park is located in the Bufumbira county in Kisoro district, about 15 kilometers (9.3 mi), by road, South of the town of Kisoro and approximately 55 kilometers (34 mi) by road West of Kabale which is the largest town in the sub-region.

From the capital Kampala, Mgahinga National Park is 510 km away using the route that passes through Kabale and Kisoro. The journey from Kampala to Kabale covers 434 km for about 8 hours on a good tarmac road. You will then take a further 76 km to Kisoro on a mountainous tarmac road. The main entrance to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is at Ntobeko 14 km from Kisoro.
Tourists can also access the park from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. From the main trailhead of Bwindi at Buhoma, Mgahinga is almost four hours’ drive away.
Mgahinga can also be reached by air from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro airfield. There are daily flights to this destination.

Generally, visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is worthy to be under your consideration because reaching the park will quench your curiosity for mountain gorilla tracking, golden monkey trekking and an unforgettable encounter with the Batwa trail. You shouldn’t miss out on Sabyinyo mountain hike. All these spectacular experiences will leave you with great memories about your Uganda safari.