Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda is one of the most popular hikes in Volcanoes National Park. Seeing the smaller and nimbler monkeys is fun and adventurous way to explore Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The forest is also a home to the greatest Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda.
Golden Monkey in Volcanoes National Park
The Golden monkeys are named because of their bright orange bodies, they are indigenous to the region and more elusive than the gorillas and these fast-moving monkeys will certainly keep you on your toes.
Learn about the very beautiful Golden Monkey has a golden body, cheeks, and tail with contrasting black limbs, crown, and tail-end. Not much is known about their behavior; other than they live in social groups of up to 30 individuals and their diet consists mainly of leaves and fruit – it is believed they eat insects too. Restricted to the highland forest of the Virunga especially near bamboo, they share this habitat with their big Brother the Mountain Gorilla, inhabiting a small area that overlaps the territory of one of the Gorilla families Together, they face the same threats; snares, human encroachment etc. and are listed on the IUCN Red List of critically endangered species.
Golden monkey trekking usually takes from 2 to 4 hrs. Once you come to the habituated families, you will spend the allowed one hour with them as they go about their daily life; adult monkeys frolic in plain view, feeding on bamboo leaves and leaping from perch to perch while females carry their young, completely oblivious of on-lookers.
Visitors planning to do Golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park need to secure a Golden Monkey trekking permit well in advance. The fee is US$ 100.00 for nonresident visitors
More about Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
At the start of the golden monkey trek, walking sticks are provided for free and porters are available for 10 USD pp. About 8 in our group and only 30 minutes to reach the group, but the family of monkeys are shy and reserved, See larger families deep in the jungle that were very comfortable around us humans. On a golden monkey trek, the standard time allowed is 1 hour, but it’s very relaxing as the monkeys don’t run away, in fact, they’ll come to you if you’re sitting down. Important to not have any food on display when the moment comes. Great experience to see golden backs swinging from bamboo to bamboo just at farm length away.
This park has so many excellent opportunities to do and see spectacular sights but participating in a Golden Monkey trek is one of the experiences that are unique to this area as these monkeys live nowhere else in the world. They are easily accessed after a brief hike and that is not very strenuous. The terrain is gently rolling, not steep or rugged. Get to see a large number of individuals and have ample time to observe and photograph the Golden monkeys of Rwanda.
It is not difficult to get good photos, but a longer lens is recommended as they can be more active and move away from you if you get close. There is a very large and aggressive stinging nettle in the area, so wear thick pants and be cautious when touching the plants around you.
Other than the golden Monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park, most tourists visiting the park opt to do a gorilla trek and visit the mountain gorillas. Get to see these beautiful gorillas (mama gorilla with her juveniles. This is such a great experience that you won’t forget. True, the gorilla trekking is expensive but it is so worth a memorable experience for a lifetime. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in Bwindi Forests National Park and most tourists that have been to park Volcanoes have labored to visit Bwindi forest
Golden Monkey trekking and Gorilla trekking in Rwanda should be on everyone’s bucket list. You can complement your visit to Rwanda’s park Volcanoes after your golden monkey trek with a chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe Forest National Park or visits Akagera National Park for a wildlife game safari experience for what Africa is proud of filled with nature