Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park

Golden Monkey Trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park: Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is one of Africa’s parks close to a city; it is about two hours’ drive from Kigali and is home to several primates, other animals, and plant species; the park is characterized by a montane forest, primarily bamboo forest; the park was originally named “Parc national des volcanoes” in French.

It was gazetted in 1952 as a means of protecting the park’s critically endangered species; it is famous for mountain gorillas, but it is also one of the few remaining places to find the golden monkey; others can be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in southwestern Uganda, but they are part of the same Virunga region. The golden monkeys can only be found in the vast Virunga volcanic area, which stretches from Northern Rwanda to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the southernmost section of Uganda.

The golden monkey is one of the rare species listed on the IUCN red list, distinguished by its bright gold color around its checks, back, and tail. The golden monkey is very playful, with the best capturing moments in pictures, they are more than exciting to watch, they are unique in appearance, and the bamboo forest of the volcanoes national park is a habitat of the rare and angelic species.

Golden monkeys are herbivorous in nature, eating about 20-40 plant types, occasionally feeding on insects but not often seen doing so, the majority of their food plant is bamboo leaves, this must be their best diet because even tracking them lookouts are always in the bamboo area, the primate species is known to humans and continues doing activity as usual despite the presence of humans. Male golden monkeys weigh between 4.5-7 kilos and live in groups of up to 30 individuals, each led by a male Alpha.

Golden monkey tracking, like gorilla tracking, begins at the park headquarters with a morning briefing before departing to track the two habituated families, one group has 80-100 members along the foothills of mountain Sabyinyo, treks take 2 or more hours and visitors are only allowed 1 hour with the golden monkeys, porters can be hired to accompany you in case you require assistance.

Tracking may need some physical fitness because it includes going over terrains. Along the route, you may see park animals, monkeys, and bird species. It may appear exhausting at first, but it will be highly gratifying at the end of the day since you will not only enjoy the time, but you will also build memories that will stay forever.

It is advisable to make yourself comfortable in order to have a full experience of the golden monkey. The high land regions are chilly due to the high-altitude location, so bring warm clothes, water proof boots, rain gear, hand gloves, and any other personal goods.

Permits to observe the golden monkey should be purchased ahead of time, and activities to volcanoes national park can be combined for a greater experience, as well as an addition to other protected conservation areas such as Nyungwe forest national park for chimpanzee trekking tours combined with the canopy walk.

How much is a Golden monkey trekking permit in Rwanda?

A Golden monkey trekking permit in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park costs 100 USD per person.

How to book a Golden Monkey Trekking Permit in Rwanda.

Golden monkey trekking permits can be obtained directly through the Rwanda Development Board, a tourism organization in Rwanda. The permits may be obtained through a tour organization such as Explore Rwanda Tours, which can save you time and effort. When you book through a tour operator, you will contact us with the days, month, and year you wish to participate in golden monkey trekking, and we will verify the availability of permits and get back to you. You will pay a deposit for the permit and provide us your passport information, which will be used to obtain a permit, and we will purchase one for you.

Though a golden monkey trekking permit in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park may be acquired on the spot, it’s best to reserve 3 months before the trekking date because they can be competitive and sell out, especially during peak season, which runs from June to August and December to February.

Best Time for Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda.

Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda may be done at any time of year, but the optimum time is during the dry season, which lasts from June to August and December to February. There is less rainfall in the forests during this period, making entry to national parks easier and forest routes practicable, as opposed to the rainy season, when there is substantial rainfall, making the trails muddy and treacherous.