Golden monkey trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Golden monkey trekking in Uganda and Rwanda; Golden monkey trekking is an active activity that involves tourists moving into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated golden monkeys and once found spend one hour with them in their habitat. Golden monkey trekking in Uganda is done in Mgahinga gorilla national park which is located in southwestern part of Uganda in Kisoro district and golden monkey trekking in Rwanda is done in Volcanoes national park.
Golden monkey trekking experience
Golden monkey trekking in volcanoes national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park is an exciting and active activity that starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will be divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated golden monkey family to trek and an experienced park guide. Golden monkey trekking takes about 2 hours to 5 hours depending on where they are located and during trekking, you will follow trails of leftover bamboo shoots, leaves. Once the golden monkey are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat where you will be able to watch them feed, play, jump up in tree branches, learn about their behaviors, take photos and record videos to show people back home.
Mgahinga gorilla national park also offers golden monkey habituation experience where the wild golden monkeys are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Golden monkey habituation experience in Mgahinga gorilla national park takes a minimum of 2 to 3 hours to be complete and involves a team of researchers, park guides, rangers among others. Tourists who engage in the habituation experience will get an opportunity to spend four hours with the golden monkeys.
Cost of golden monkey trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda
Golden monkey trekking permits are legal cards that are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to all visitors above the age of 15 years allowing them to visit habituated golden monkey families and spend one hour with them in their natural environment.
A golden monkey trekking permit in Volcanoes national park costs 100 USD per person for all nationalities while a golden monkey trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park costs 100 USD per person for foreign non residents, 80 USD per person for foreign residents and 60,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A golden monkey habituation permit costs 140 USD per person for foreign non resident, 110 USD per person for foreign residents and 120,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
Best time to go for golden monkey trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Golden monkey trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period there is less or little rainfall in the national parks therefore access roads to the parks and golden monkey trekking trails will be dry and slippery which make trekking easy compared to the rainy season when the trails are muddy and slippery which make trekking difficult.
Golden monkey trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can also be done in the low season during the months of March to May and October to November because during this period there is plenty of food for the golden monkeys therefore they will easily be located hence travelers will not be able to trek deep in the forest.
What to pack for your golden monkey safari in Uganda and Rwanda
There are a number of items that travelers should pack/carry when going for their golden monkey trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda including long sleeved shirt and trouser, waterproof rain jacket, hiking shoes, warm sweater, insect repellent, camera and extra batteries, walking stick, energy snack and drinking water, a pair of binoculars, a hat and sunscreen, backpack among others.
This is an interesting activity that can be combined with other activities like gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, wildlife viewing, boat cruise, guided nature walks, cultural tours among others for unforgettable memories. For more information about golden monkey trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website to book an affordable safari package.
