Travel expert advice on the golden monkey habituation experience in Mgahinga National Park

Travel expert advice on the golden monkey habituation experience in Mgahinga National Park. The golden monkey habituation experience that is carried out in Mgahinga National Park offers a unique opportunity for tourists to observe the golden monkeys in their natural habitat. Be prepared to spend four hours with the golden monkeys trekking through challenging hikes, beware of potential rains and note that the length of the trek depends on where the golden monkeys are located. Planning a golden monkey habituation experience is easy with the right information and an experienced tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris, and in this article, we are going to be looking at what golden monkey habituation is, how to plan for the safari, what to expect and what is needed for the safari. The expert advice in this article will help you plan an unforgettable safari and get to know more about the endangered species.

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How to plan for the golden monkey habituation experience in Mgahinga

The golden monkey habituation experience in Mgahinga can be planned by using the following steps. 

1. Purchase of the habituation permit

The golden monkey habituation permit is a legal document issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to tourists planning on participating in the exercise. The habituation permit gives you more time with the golden monkeys and it has to be purchased in advance for better planning of the safari.

The cost of the golden monkey habituation permit: The cost of the golden monkey habituation exercise in Mgahinga is $140 for foreign non-residents, $100 for foreign residents and UGX120,000 for East African citizens. The cost of the permit covers conservation fees, ranger guide fees, security during the exercise and at the national park and also covers ranger and guide fees.

Getting the golden monkey habituation permits: Getting the golden monkey habituation permit is easy and can be done through a trusted tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris. Contact us with a date that is the month and year when you wish to participate in the golden monkey habituation process. We will proceed to check for the availability of the permits and once we confirm their availability, we will proceed to forward the banking details for you to make the payments for the permit. After the payments have been made and confirmed, we will proceed to make the purchase of the permits and send a scanned copy to your email.

• Decide on when to go for the golden monkey habituation

Golden monkey habituation can be done throughout the year, however, the best time is during the dry season (December to February, June to September) because these months present some of the best trekking conditions with dry trek routes, thinning vegetation which makes it easy to spot the golden monkeys and little or no rainfall that disrupts the habituation process. The dry season is, however, a peak season and is an expensive time to travel for the habituation exercise due to the increase in the costs of many of the services, including transport and accommodation.

The wet season, from March to May and October to November, comes with rainfall, muddy and slippery routes, which disrupt the entire process, making the habituation difficult. The wet season is a low season and comes with discounts, especially on accommodation.

• Plan for accommodation

Accommodation has to be booked in advance during the planning process, especially during the peak season. And since there are no accommodation facilities within the national park due to its size, you can choose from the budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities that are found near the park in the nearby towns.

Some of the accommodation you can choose from after consulting with your tour operator include Mubano Hotel, Mgahinga Gorilla Triangle Lodge, Travellers Rest Camp, Mucha Lodge, Lake Muhele Safari Lodge, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp and Montana Guest House, among others.

• Organise transport to Mgahinga National Park

Getting to Mgahinga National Park for the golden monkey habituation experience is easy and you can either use road or air transport. Road transport is the most commonly used mode of transport because it is affordable and has beautiful scenery.

Road: Tourists can drive from Kampala or Entebbe to Mgahinga National Park and this takes about 9 to 10 hours. Although the journey is a long one, you get to experience the beautiful scenery on your way to the national park.

There is also an option of driving 4 to 5 hours from Kigali in Rwanda to Mgahinga National Park using the land border of Katuna or Cyanika. You will need to have a golden monkey trekking permit and all the documents needed at the border.

Air: Charter flights can be arranged from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip and this takes about an hour and a half. After landing, a representative will drive you the rest of the way to the national park or your hotel. This is the fastest way for tourists to get to Mgahinga National Park but note that it costs more than driving.

The golden monkey habituation experience

Starting early morning with a briefing at the park headquarters, golden monkey habituation is an interesting activity that is carried out in Mgahinga National Park. The morning briefing is with the lead guides where they will re-echo the rules and regulations that you have to follow when with the golden monkeys and what to expect during the trek. Immediately after the briefing, you get to join a group of researchers, rangers and guides and proceed with starting the trek within the national park. The whole team follows the trail of bamboo shoots and sometimes leaves that are left behind by the golden monkeys, and this can take about 1 to 5 hours, depending on where the golden monkeys are located. Remember, these are playful primates that keep on moving from place to place, and that is why you need to be patient.

During the trek, you will be able to see the different primate species, which include baboons, L’Hoest monkeys, black and white colobus and bird species, among others. Once you find the golden monkeys under the habituation process, you get to spend four hours with them as you learn and monitor their behaviours, watch as they go about their daily activities like feeding, grooming and caring for the young ones. The four hours are your chance to take photos and record videos.

After the four hours are up, you will trek back to the park headquarters or your lodge to prepare for other safari activities. Contact us for more information.

What to expect during the golden monkey habituation experience

The one thing that you should remember is that you are going into the wild, and although the golden monkeys are habituated, you are still in their territory, and they are still wild animals, so you need to be patient during the entire habituation process.

You should, however, expect a challenging hike through the thick montane forests, steep slopes and varied landscape, the rains that come in throughout the year (they are also common during the dry season), and therefore you need to be ready for them. You have four uninterrupted hours with the golden monkeys but the hours can be cut short by the guides and researchers if there is something wrong with the primates.

You will not be allowed to have access to the golden monkeys without being accompanied by an armed ranger guide and researchers. Expect muddy trails during the wet season. The duration of the trek depends on the location of the golden monkeys, and it can take 30 minutes to 5 hours. Expect to see other wildlife species during the exercise.

What to bring for the golden monkey habituation experience

Tourists always want to know what they should bring for the habituation experience, and this is why we have come up with a list of all the essential things that you will need for the golden monkey habituation experience in Mgahinga NP.

• Long-sleeved shirts and trousers: these are to protect your hands and legs from the sun, insect bites and scratches. They should also come in neutral colours to easily fit in with the forest surroundings.
• Hiking shoes: these help to navigate through the trek trails. They should be waterproof, comfortable and knee-length.
• Rain gear: the rain gear to bring includes a waterproof rain jacket, coat and poncho. These are to protect you from the rain and also keep you warm.
• Socks: the socks keep you warm and trousers are tucked into the socks to prevent ants and other insects from crawling up your legs.
• Warm clothes: these include sweaters and scarves. The weather in Mgahinga tends to be cold, especially during the morning and evening hours.
• Water and snacks to keep you energetic throughout the trek.
• Insect repellent. To protect yourself from insect bites.
• Local currency, especially changed money, helps you with personal purchases and tipping of ranger guides and porters.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat for sun protection
• A walking stick that will help you navigate easily through the trek
• A camera and a pair of binoculars
• A waterproof backpack

Golden monkey habituation experience rules and regulations

The golden monkeys are best known for their playful and distinct gold fur. They are endangered species that need to be kept safe at all times and this is why tourists are advised to follow all the rules and regulations during the trek and when with the golden monkeys. Keep in mind that failure to follow the rules might lead to being banned from accessing the golden monkeys. Below is a list of rules that you have to follow during the habituation exercise.

• Always follow the guide and the instructions that they give. They are knowledgeable and experienced about the terrain, the forest and the behaviour of the golden monkeys.
• No flash photography when with the golden monkeys because the flash stresses and disturbs the golden monkeys.
• Maintain a safe distance of 7 to 10 meters from the golden monkeys after locating them. This helps reduce the stress on the animals and the risk of contamination of diseases from humans to the golden monkeys.
• Do not attempt to touch the golden monkeys because it is prohibited.
• A limited number of people are allowed to participate in the habituation exercise per day to limit the negative impact of large crowds on the golden monkeys and their natural habitat.
• Always respect the environment by not leaving any litter lying around and you should also avoid spitting on the vegetation.
•  You have strictly four hours with the golden monkeys during the habituation process.
• Keep your phones on silent and communication should also be done in low tones to avoid startling the golden monkeys.
• Always stick with the group and on the designated paths. Do not wander off into the wild because other wildlife lives within the national park.
• Do not attempt to touch the golden monkeys. This is to protect both the monkeys and the trekkers
• Feeding is strictly prohibited as human food can be harmful to the golden monkeys.

Other activities carried out in Mgahinga National Park

You can decide to add on other safari activities after the golden monkey trekking to your safari, but these have to be on your itinerary before travelling to Uganda. Some of the activities that are carried out in Mgahinga include gorilla trekking, bird watching, taking on the Batwa trail, visiting the Kisoro villages, golden monkey trekking, and climbing the volcanic ranges found in the national park, including Mount Muhabura, Mount Sabinyo and Mount Gahinga.

In conclusion, golden monkey habituation exercise is the best way tourists can get more information about these endangered species, and they support their continued conservation by participating in the exercise. We will help you organise your safari for you at any time of the year. Follow the expert advice of the guides, and you will have one of the best safaris in Mgahinga National Park.

For more information about golden monkey habituation, get in touch with us at Encounter Africa Safaris.