Golden Monkey Trekking in Uganda: Exploring the Virunga Mountains

The Virunga Mountains are one of the most emblematic natural areas in East Africa, and a magical place among the things to do in Uganda. These mountains of volcanic origin are world-famous as the habitat of the mountain gorillas, but they are actually home to many more species. One of them is among the least known and most threatened primates: the golden monkey (Cercopithecus kandti).

During my 10 days Uganda safari, I didn’t only visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to go gorilla trekking in Uganda. I also decided to go to this park for the chance to observe and photograph golden monkeys.

The Virunga Mountains: the only place where you can see golden monkeys

Golden monkeys are a species endemic to the Virunga Mountains. This primate can therefore only be found in the wild in this region, which spans areas of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Within the Virunga massif, these primates can be seen in four national parks: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the DRC.

Given the lack of security in the DRC, it is much more common to do golden monkey trekking in Uganda or Rwanda.

What is the best time of year for golden monkey trekking in the Virunga Mountains?

The best time of year to visit the Virunga Mountains and see golden monkeys is during the dry season, which generally runs from December to February and from June to August.

During this period, the weather is more stable and the trekking trails are safer. Although the weather can change quickly in the mountains, planning this activity for the dry season will increase your chances of finding these threatened and enigmatic primates.

How much does golden monkey trekking Uganda cost?

The cost of golden monkey trekking in the Virunga Mountains is the same in Uganda and Rwanda. It costs 100 dollars. This includes the park entry permit and the cost of the guide and the trackers, who are key to doing this activity safely and having a much better chance of locating the primates.

What does golden monkey trekking Uganda involve?

Golden monkey trekking works in a very similar way to mountain gorilla trekking. The first step is to get the permit to do this activity. It is advisable to get it in advance (you can do it directly through the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), but it is much easier to book it through a local agency).

Once you have the permit, on the day of the activity you need to go to the Mgahinga National Park Visitor Center. It is recommended to arrive at 7:30 in the morning. From this point, where the ascent of Mount Sabyinyo also begins, the trek to locate a group of golden monkeys starts.

The trek is done accompanied by a guide and two armed rangers. Since golden monkeys feed on bamboo, they are usually found in the same area. However, they are not easy to locate. For this reason, a group of trackers go out to find them before the visitors start walking.

Generally, the group of primates is located in around two hours. It is a family of golden monkeys that is used to humans and, thanks to that, they are confident around visitors. Once the primates are found, you are only allowed to spend one hour with them.

My experience: face to face with the golden monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

The day after having the chance to see mountain gorillas in Uganda, I headed back to the Virunga Mountains, specifically to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, to try to see golden monkeys.

After an introduction to the ecosystem of this Ugandan park and a traditional dance performed by a group from the local community, I set off. This activity is not as popular as mountain gorilla trekking, so there were only 5 of us (plus the guide and the rangers).

During the first part of the trek we had to climb a fair amount of elevation to reach the altitude where the bamboo forest is located. Once there, the trackers, who had already located the primates, communicated with the guide so that we could find them. We had to walk a little over two hours until I saw the first golden monkey.

Unlike the mountain gorillas, these little primates were full of energy and never stopped moving nimbly through the bamboo trees. Photographing them was a challenge. It was a great experience to hear their sounds and, above all, to watch how they interacted with each other, ate and leapt from branch to branch.

Just as happened during the mountain gorilla encounter and with the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda, the hour allowed with them flew by. When we had already gone over the time limit, I had to follow the guide to find the path again and begin the return to the national park information centre. Shortly after 12:30, I arrived at the starting point.

My guide was already waiting for me there. We drove back to the hotel where I had slept, the Travellers Rest Hotel, and after lunch and collecting my luggage we set off for the last stop of the trip: Lake Bunyonyi.