Compare Golden Monkey Trekking in Uganda & Rwanda.
It is reasonable that you would like to evaluate which of the two locations would provide you a better experience as Golden Monkey Trekking is a frequent activity on gorilla safaris in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. Using our travel experience, we wish to assist you in making the comparison.
Apart from few variations, golden monkey trekking is essentially like gorilla trekking. Golden monkeys, for instance, are native to the same high altitude rainforests found in central Africa, much as mountain gorillas.
Only on the slopes of the Virunga Mountains shared across three national boundaries in three protected national parks are golden monkeys found. Other groups have been recorded further south in Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda and Kahuzi Biega National Park in DRC.
Golden monkey trekking, on the slopes of the Virungas, only takes place in Rwanda’s Volcanoes and Uganda’s Mgahinga National Parks; few groups have been Habituated for tourism.
Guided golden monkey trekking events everyday in both locations, starting from the park headquarters at 07:30 and searching for a Habituated golden monkey group into an unknown length (probably 30 minutes to 4 hours).
Staying with the primates in both locations for an hour, visitors may see their unique traits and social interactions. Uganda provides a more complete experience of remaining with the golden monkeys for at least fours hours, what is called as the golden monkey Habituation experience.
Let us now examine a more detailed analysis of golden monkey trekking in Rwanda and Uganda.
Trekking with Golden Monkeys in Rwanda
Rwanda has two Habituated Golden Monkey Groups for tourists exclusively in Volcanoes National Park, offering golden monkey treking. One on Mount Karisimbi’s slopes and the second on the bamboo grove atop Mount Sabyinyo. With about 80 to 100 members in a single group, these soldiers are said to be the biggest.
At Kiningi Visitor Centre, Trekkers leave for the golden monkey walk at 07:00. Unlike the gorilla trip, the number of trekkers is not restricted; the Golden Monkey permit now is $100 per person. Either schedule the permit ahead of time or reserve at the park headquarters early on the morning of the hike.
The cost and procedures involved in getting a permit in Rwanda are relatively similar to those in Uganda. Both nations charge the same for the permit; thus, there is no restriction on the number of visitors as the activity is not as popular as gorilla trekking and trekkers will seldom count more than a dozen on a given day.
You will have to spend a night close to Kiningi if you want to be ready for the experience. Very few visitors wild drive from Kigali to see the golden monkeys that same day.
Rwanda provides one regular trip at 07:00, the same time gorilla expeditions start, unlike Uganda, which gives the experience twice a day. The time implies you will have to spend one ot two more nights to view the golden monkey as most park tourists come to see mountain gorillas and add golden monkey trekking to their vacation.
Usually lasting three nights, a gorilla and golden monkey vacation in Rwanda spends one in Kigali and two nights outside Volcanoes National Park on the foot of the Virungas.
Trekking golden monkeys in Rwanda has the drawback in that independent and frugal visitors will find it difficult to arrange a safari there from Uganda. Rwanda Tourism has positioned itself on the top end of the pricing range, which makes it challenging for budget tourists to get reasonably priced logistics and lodging.
Otherwise, monitoring golden monkeys in Rwanda has somewhat comparable experience in both nations.
Trekking with Golden Monkeys in Mgahinga
Uganda provides golden monkey treking at Mgahinga under one Habituated group consisting of around thirty people. One of a kind and special group only found in Mgahinga National Park, Uganda offers the golden monkey Habituation experience with the second golden monkey group.
Golden monkeys in Mgahinga browse in the bamboo forest zone, around two kilometers from the Ntebeko tourist center, so walking time is quite precisely calculated compared to trekking in Rwanda.
You may decide to go on the 07:30 or 14:00 golden monkey walk in Mgahinga. First, ask the park headquarters as timing depends on the amount of guests on a given day.
Your trekking party will follow an experienced guide radioing ahead for the site of the Habituated monkeys after briefing at Ntebeko park headquarters; two armed rangers will monitor your security into the bamboos slopes to locate the golden monkeys.
On a fortuitous trip, you could come across mountain gorillas or one of the most well-known forest residents—forest buffalo, elephant or duiker. Mgahinga is a biodiverse reserve with more than 70 animal species and many bird species to keep your eye on while your walk.
Like in Rwanda, the golden monkey permit in Uganda costs $100 per person and comprises one hour seeing the monkeys, a guide, two rangers, park admission fees. The habituation permit costs, per person, $140 plus fees.
Your tour agency or operator may book your golden monkey permit straight ahead at UWA headquarters in Kampala or on the Ntebeko section headquarters on the trekking day. See the experts for precise information on permits.
For independent and frugal visitors particularly, combining golden monkey trekking with gorilla trekking on one tour in Uganda is much more reasonably priced than in Rwanda. The gorilla plus golden monkey permits in Rwanda alone go $1700 per person, whereas in Uganda they run $800. The difference may earn you more than two more nights in Uganda’s savannah parks north of Mgahinga or a decent lodge on the edge of the forest.
Uganda will provide you a wider range of safari activities than Rwanda to complement your golden monkey walk-through other than gorilla trekking. Comparatively to Rwanda’s four parks and a few tourist locations, Uganda has 10 safari parks and numerous more attractions.
Usually beginning with a night in Entebbe (32 km outside Kampala), a golden monkey safari in Uganda would travel around 10 hours across the hilly countryside to the southwestern edge and stay two nights outside Mgahinga National Park. On each of the two mornings, you will hike the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys before driving north to spend some more evenings in the savannah parks.
Typically, active travelers stay in Mgahinga for another day of birding throughout the park or hiking the Virunga Volcanoes.
Visitors’ lodging in Mgahinga is rare when compared to plenty of hotel around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Most visitors prefer to sleep in Kisoro town, around one hour’s drive away, with a decent range of accommodation options.
Though the golden monkey parks in Rwanda and Uganda are open all year long, the greatest time for golden monkey treking is during the dry seasons of June through August and December to February.
The walking paths are simple to follow in the dry months, so you know you will have a great time free from rain. But everyone decides to visit these primate locations during the dry seasons, so availability of accommodation might be a major challenge during preparation. If our visitors are to come during the dry months, we advise them to reserve their golden monkey trekking lodging months in advance.
The rainfall pours into the area in March, April, May, October, November. Most visitors will avoid visiting Rwanda and Uganda during this period, but not for independent visitors hoping to take advantage of lowered rates on amenities. If you can withstand the rain, this is the ideal time to visit for cheap gorilla and golden monkey treking.
What Items To Bring
Both Rwanda and Uganda have you spend evenings at a high altitude of around 3000m / 7185 feet; it becomes rather cold in the late hours and sometimes suddenly rains. Pack clothes to stay dry and warm during your travel.
Trekking follows somewhat steep paths with sometimes rough, muddy footing. Stow a pair of lightweight, waterproof walking shoes, pants and gaiters. To guard your arms, you will want a long-sleeved shirt; to keep your devices dry, you will want a waterproof bag.
Golden monkey hiking is physically taxing, hence pack light and you may not want more weight dragging you down.
On the plus side, you may pay twenty dollars to hire a porter at the tourist center if your load is hefty and you lack confidence in your physical ability. They will carry your daypack and get you through difficult circumstances. Besides, it’s a great opportunity to help local communities surrounding these parks and boost your self-awareness of your influence.
Arranging a golden monkey safari trip
After weighing golden monkey trekking in Rwanda and Uganda, your budget, additional activities you choose to include into your vacation, and availability of accomodation and permits will essentially dictate where to go.
While activity-wise visitors would prefer Uganda over Rwanda, budget-conscious travellers will avoid Rwanda and choose Uganda. Those independent tourists seeking the in-depth adventure experience will go toward Uganda.
Either choice you choose will enable Katland Safaris Ltd to assist you plan a golden monkey trekking safari at both locations. We will discuss all the local grounds management and logistics, including your lodging, food, and transportation.
