We finally saw the creature we had been zigzagging through the bush to find after two hours of unrelentingly trekking up and down muddy, steep jungle hills during our golden monkey tracking tour. As the monkeys became accustomed to our presence, they relaxed and returned their focus to locating lunch, although first it was simply a red-gold blur of movement through the trees.

In Uganda, I was tracking golden monkeys. I soon realized that tracking golden monkeys was just as thrilling and fulfilling as tracking their larger counterparts, even though most visitors travel to Uganda to track gorillas and chimpanzees.

Why It’s Important to Pay Attention to Golden Monkeys

Being a golden monkey that craves attention must be difficult. They simply don’t seem to attract many fans, despite their best efforts. The monkeys have decked themselves out in a stunning multicolored coat of rusty red, blazing orange, dark black, blue, and yes, gold, to attract our attention.

In other locations, they have become accustomed to people and would joyfully leap and dance about guests who are human without any worries. Nevertheless, we tend to overlook the golden monkeys in spite of their best attempts. This beautiful primate is so underappreciated that, until recently, the golden monkey was thought to be merely a new subspecies of the more common blue monkey. So why should we, the celebrity-obsessed humans, be so blind to an animal that is so beautiful and enjoyable to watch?

Sadly, the golden monkey decided to settle in the high, overcast volcanic forests found in and around Rwanda’s and Uganda’s Virunga highlands, as well as in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo or DRC). The mountain gorilla, the most mysterious of all primates, can also be found in these forests. Therefore, the golden monkeys play in the background, with very few human visitors making the effort to go and view them, while the entire monkey industry concentrates on mountain gorilla tourism and conservation.

Only two parks now have troops habituated for tourist visitation, despite the fact that endangered golden monkeys can be found across the Virungas and nearby areas. We’ve covered these in greater depth below.

1. Gorilla National Park in Mgahinga

The smallest national park in Uganda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, is actually a better place to see golden monkeys than gorillas, despite its name. Here, you can observe monkeys in two different ways. The normal visit, which is comparable to the golden monkey trips available in Rwanda, only allows you to spend an hour with the tiny guys.

The far more extensive “Golden Monkey Habituation Experience” is significantly more fascinating and exclusive to Mgahinga. The behavior of the monkeys here has been the subject of an ongoing investigation. You may spend four hours with the monkeys and observe the scientists as they examine them if you sign up for the habituation experience. This offers a unique “behind the scenes” look into primate science in addition to providing you with the opportunity to learn a great deal about golden monkey behavior.

2. Volcanoes National Park

Rwanda’s Volcanoes National area: Most tourists leave the area immediately after seeing the mountain gorillas, but the more perceptive decide to stay another day and see the golden monkeys. The experience is comparable to the typical sight at Mgahinga, but since it’s in Rwanda, it might be a bit more elegant, and the walking is simpler and frequently quicker than in Uganda. Two troops are accustomed. Sabyinyo is the bigger troop and the one that gets visited the most. There are perhaps 80 to 100 monkeys in this group.

Important Information for Golden Monkey Trekkers

You will frequently need to walk swiftly through the thick forest to keep up with golden monkeys, who are far more active than gorillas. It’s more akin to chimpanzee watching than gorilla viewing in many ways.
Typical visits last no more than an hour.

The number of persons who can participate in a golden monkey expedition is unlimited. That being said, groups of more than a few persons are uncommon.
The minimum age to visit is not set. This is one primate encounter that your kids can have with you if you’re traveling with them. However, be in mind that tiny toddlers may probably find the walking quite challenging.

In Rwanda and Uganda, a typical golden monkey journey costs $100 and $50, respectively. In Uganda, the habituation experience costs $100.