Golden monkey permits in Mgahinga 

Golden monkey permits in Mgahinga.  Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga involves trekking through the forest in search of the golden monkeys. Golden monkeys can be identified by their body structure, which is bigger than that of normal monkeys, their playful nature and the golden brown hairs covering parts of their body. They are an endangered species, live in communities under the leadership of the alpha male, and tourists need a trekking permit before they can access the Golden monkeys in their natural habitat. Golden monkeys, just like Mountain gorillas, undergo habituation to ensure that they are cordial with humans. However, their playful nature does not go away, and they will keep you on your toes throughout the entire trek.

Most Popular Safaris

3 Day Gorilla Trekking safari

8 day Uganda safari via Kigali

5 days gorillas and chimp safari

8 days gorilla tracking tour

19 day best of Uganda safari

15 days Uganda Rwanda safari

18 day Uganda Ultimate Safari

16 day primate game and culture

11 days gorilla tracking safari

5 days gorilla and Nile river source

17 day Uganda birding and wildlife

Golden monkey trek permits in Mgahinga 

The Golden monkey trek permit is a legal document/ticket that is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to tourists 12 years and above, giving them access to the golden monkeys in Mgahinga National Park. We advise our clients and other tourists to book the golden monkey trek permits at least 3 to 6 months or more before the tracking date. The golden monkey trek permit in Mgahinga is UGX 40,000 for East African citizens, $60 for foreign non-residents and $50 for foreign residents. 

The cost of the golden monkey habituation permit is slightly higher than the normal gorilla trekking permit, and this is because tourists get to spend more time with the golden monkeys during the habituation process. The cost of the habituation permit helps in the conservation and habituation of the golden monkeys and is currently 120,000ugx for East African citizens, $140 for foreign non-residents and $110 for foreign residents with resident or work permits. 

How to book Golden monkey trek permits

Golden monkey trek permits can easily be booked through a trusted tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris. The steps and process of booking a trek permit start with you contacting us with your trek dates, that is the date, month and year when you wish to trek the golden monkeys, and we will go ahead and check for the availability of the permits on the dates that have been provided. If the permits are available on the dates provided, we will proceed to ask for your personal details like a copy of the biodata page of your passport with names, date of birth, photo, nationality and passport number available, the number of permits you are purchasing and you have to make payments as soon as possible because the permits are in high demand. After we have confirmed the payments, we then proceed to purchase the permit on your behalf and send you a copy as proof of purchase. When coming to Uganda for the safari, make sure that you come with a printed copy of the permit. For more information about the purchase of the golden monkey permits, get in touch with us at Encounter Africa Safaris. 

The golden monkey permits inclusions and exclusions

The golden monkey permit covers an hour with the golden monkeys, park entrance fees, security during the trek and 24/7 security for the entire national park, support to the local community, like the Batwa, in the form of infrastructure, the government tax and ranger guide fees. 

It however does not include accommodation for the tourists, personal shopping, tips, additional activities carried out on the safari, premium drinks, cigarettes and transport. 

The Golden monkey trekking experience 

Golden monkey trekking is an activity that starts early morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations that have to be followed throughout the trek, and after meeting the Golden monkeys. The briefing is carried out by experienced guides, and after this meeting, the trek starts with each group having an armed ranger and guides. The trek time can take between 30 minutes and 5 hours or more, depending on where the golden monkeys are located on the day of the trek, because they keep on the move in search of food. They are small creatures and usually don’t leave behind evidence of their last seen location. Therefore, you have to search for them by following the leftover bamboo shoots and leaves. After locating the golden monkeys, you have an hour with them studying their behaviour, taking photos and recording videos. 

Golden monkey habituation: Tourists can spend more time with the Golden monkeys when they go for the habituation experience, which takes the whole day. Golden monkey habituation starts with a briefing about the dos and don'ts of trekking, and the trek starts right after the briefing. You need to be physically fit to participate in the habituation process because golden monkeys are playful primates and are always on the move. Once you get to the golden monkeys, you have four hours studying them in their natural habitat, monitoring their lifestyle, how they care for each other, breastfeed, groom the young ones, and you have the chance of taking photos and recording videos. 

FAQS about Golden Monkey tracking in Mgahinga 

Tourists planning a golden monkey trek safari to Mgahinga National Park always have questions about the safari, and below are some of the most frequently asked questions. 

Is golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga difficult? 

Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga is not difficult. However, you need to have some level of fitness since the national park is filled with a variety of topography ranging from hills, steep slopes, valleys and mountains. Pack right and you will have the best golden monkey trek safari in Mgahinga. 

What are the rules (guidelines) for trekking golden monkeys in Mgahinga? 

Golden monkeys are an endangered species, and for this reason, rules and regulations were set up to ensure that they are fully protected while in their natural habitat. Keep in mind that these rules have to be followed, and some of these include the following: 

• Listen and follow the instructions of the guides. The guides and rangers know the national park well because of the experience and training they have.
• The safe distance is 7 meters because this helps to minimise the spread of diseases and stress to the primates. 
• Do not attempt to tiuch, feel or make any physical contact with the golden monkeys. This is to protect both you from chimpanzee attacks and infections to the chimps.
• Flash photography disrupts the day-to-day peace of the Golden monkeys, and it is prohibited. Use the natural light to take good photos of the Golden monkeys. 

• Feeding the golden monkeys was banned as it can be harmful to their health and can negatively affect their natural behaviours. 

• Smoking is banned to protect both the golden monkeys and their natural habitat from forest fires. 

• Dispose of all the litter in the designated areas in the national park including human waste.

• Stick with the group and the paths that have been set by the guides. There are other wildlife species in the national park, and this can disrupt their peace/ 

• Always respect the national park by not spitting on the vegetation, plucking the vegetation, or disturbing the wildlife and protect the wildlife and yourself from harm. 

• Keep your phones on silent mode to avoid startling the golden monkeys with sudden noise. 

• The number of people in a tracking group might be limited to protect the golden monkeys and avoid overwhelming them with huge crowds. Usually, it is 8 people during the normal golden monkey trek and 4 people during the golden monkey habituation experience. 

• The tourists have an hour with the golden monkeys after they have been located. 

What can I pack for the Mgahinga Golden monkey trek? 

There are several essential items that you can pack for your Golden monkey trekking safari in Mgahinga and these include strong comfortable hike boots, neutral colored trousers and long-sleeved shirts, long socks, waterproof rain jacket/coat, warm sweater, a camera with extra batteries and lenses, binoculars, snacks and refillable water bottle, insect repellent, sunscreen, garden gloves, a walking stick, first aid kit, sunglasses and a sunhat among others. 

What is the cost of the golden monkey safari in Mgahinga? 

The cost of the golden monkey trek safari depends on the safari package you have chosen, and these include the budget, mid-range and luxury packages. There are several factors to consider when costing a golden monkey trek to Mgahinga, and these include: 

The season (time) of travel: There are two seasons in Mgahinga, which are the dry and rainy seasons. The dry season/ peak season is characterised by high prices from the different service providers like transport, driver guides, accommodation and many others. Whereas the rainy season, also known as the low season, comes with discounts, offering a much more budget-friendly safari to tourists. 

The number (group size) of people in a safari group: The more people that are booked on the safari or in the group, the less the cost of the safari per person, because the costs like transport are shared among the group. But when travelling as a solo tourist, the entire cost of the safari falls on you. 

Other activities combined with golden monkey tracking: The more activities combined with golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga, the higher the cost of the safari because each of these activities is costed separately, and the destinations might be different. 

The number of days spent on the safari: More days on the safari mean a higher amount of money spent on the safari because most of the service providers, including accommodation, vehicle hire, charge per day. 

What other activities are done in Mgahinga National Park? 

Mgahinga has other interesting activities that can be combined with Golden monkey trekking and these include gorilla trekking where tourists have an hour with the habituated gorilla family, bird watching with numerous bird species that can best be seen during the months of November to April when the migratory birds are available, guided nature walks to the nearby villages and through the forests getting tourists a closer feel of the jungle, enjoying the Batwa cultural walk where you have an even more deeper understanding of their culture and mountain climbing on the three volcanic mountains in the national park which include Mount Muhavura, Gahinga and Sabinyo. 

Where can I stay during the Golden monkey trek in Mgahinga? 

Mgahinga is not as big as other national parks in the country, and most of the accommodation is found in the nearby towns of Kisoro. The accommodation can be categorised into budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities, and these include the Mucha Hotel, Lake Muhele Safari Lodge, Mutanda Lake Resort, Amajambere Iwacu Community camp, Ntebeko Homestay, 3way Gorilla Resort, Travellers rest Hotel, Lake Chahafi Resort, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Mubano Hotel, Gorilla triangle Lodge and Ichumbi Hotel Kisoro, among others. 

How do I get to Mgahinga for Golden monkey trekking? 

Road is the commonly used mode of transport because of the beautiful scenery and affordability, and you can drive from Kampala through the Masaka , Mbarara to Kisoro and then to the park headquarters, and this will take you 9 to 10 hours. Tourists driving can access Mgahinga from Rwanda by car, and tourists fly to Kigali International Airport, from where you can drive for 3-4 hours via the Katuna border or Cyanika border to Mgahinga National Park. 

Air transport is a faster way of getting to the park, and domestic flights can easily be arranged from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro airstrip, from where you will connect to the park headquarters using a safari vehicle. The flight  from Entebbe/Kajjansi Kisoro can take between one and a half hours.  

When can I go for golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga NP? 

Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga National Park can be done throughout the year, but the best time is during the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because there is little or no rainfall during this period and it is easier to trek through the forests with dry trek routes. It is also much easier to see the golden monkeys during the drier months, with the thinning out of vegetation giving tourists clearer views of the golden monkeys and other species in the national park. 

For more information about Golden Monkey trekking in Mgahinga, you can reach us at Encounter Africa Safaris.