Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is an exceptional and exciting tourist activity that involves trekking on foot into the thick forest searching for the habituated golden monkeys. Once you have seen them, you are allowed to spend one hour with these primates in their authentic environment. Click here to see our recommended mountain gorilla trekking safaris.

The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is situated in the Kisoro district, just perched in southwestern Uganda. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s only protected area and is home to the endangered golden monkeys. Click here to see our recommended mountain gorilla trekking tour.

Although golden monkeys can be viewed in other tourist destinations, such as the Virunga National Park and Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, they actively play and feed themselves on bamboo shoots, ripe fruits, branches, and insects, and they always jump from one tree to another.

Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park starts with a morning briefing regarding the rules, regulations, and expectations at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Headquarters.

After the briefing, travelers start their trek in the jungle with an experienced Uganda Wildlife Authority guide who will take them into the forest for approximately 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the golden monkey’s location, because they tend to move while looking for food. Golden monkeys are always small.

Once you have seen golden monkey troops, you are only allowed to spend an hour with them in their natural environment, which allows you to take photos, learn their behaviors, and enjoy them as they jump from one tree to another.

Golden monkey trekking permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority through a tour operator like Devine African Safaris to any traveler over 15 years of age, allowing him or her to see the golden monkey family in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is an adventurous destination best known for the mountain gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking safaris. Mountain gorilla trekking involves movement in dense forests, searching for mountain gorillas in their natural environment.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park mountain gorilla trekking starts with an early morning briefing at the park’s headquarters at 7:00 am, and then after, trekking begins in the African jungle with a knowledgeable park ranger who is conversant with all the trekking trails.

Golden monkey trekking

Golden monkey trekking is another active tourism activity that can be done at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. It starts with a briefing at the headquarters regarding the rules and regulations to be followed during golden monkey trekking.

After the briefing, tourists are allocated a well-experienced park guide, and your trekking begins in the forest, which takes between 30 minutes and four hours depending on the location of golden monkeys because they move from one place to another looking for food. 

Volcano climbing

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is attached to three dormant Virunga-chained volcanoes, and hiking to any of these peaks is an adventurous experience.

The Virunga chained volcanoes include mount Muhavura, which is the highest volcano standing at 4,127 meters above sea level; hiking to the summit of Muhabura takes between 8 and 10 hours; mount Gahinga, and mount sabinyo, among others.

Bird watching

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to over 184 bird species, including Albertine endemics, migratory birds, and forest birds, making it an ideal bird-watching destination in Uganda. These birds can be best seen along the gorge trail between Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabinyo, within the bamboo trails, among others.

Batwa trail experience

Mgahinga gorilla national park is another interesting tourist activity at Mgahinga gorilla national park, where tourists get an interesting opportunity to interact with the pygmies who used to stay in Mgahinga forest before the national park was gazetted.

Uganda's Golden monkey trekking can be carried out throughout the year, although the best time to do it is in the dry months, which are also considered the peak season in the months of June to September and from December to February.

The long dry season in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the best time to tour and lasts from June to September. The short dry season happens in the months of December to February, and it is another good season to travel in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Although Mgahinga can be visited throughout the year.