Golden Monkey Tracking in Rwanda

Besides mountain gorilla trekking and Chimpanzee trekking, Rwanda also offers a more unique primate tracking experience, Golden Monkey Tracking. Just like mountain gorillas, Golden Monkey Tracking in Rwanda is a thrilling primate tracking adventure that takes you to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Trekking golden monkeys in Rwanda entails navigating through the thick forests with uneven terrains to search for these elusive creatures. Golden monkeys are an endangered primate species that are only found in the Virunga region that stretches through Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Golden monkeys are a subspecies of the Sykes monkeys sometimes referred to as the Blue monkey. They are endemic to the Virunga region and only a few thousand are still left in the wild. They are known for their social structures and usually live in groups of up to 60 individuals. Just like most primate species, the dominant adult males play a key role in defending the group, protecting females, and maintaining the group’s social structure.

The female golden monkeys on the other hand are known to form close social bonds, that help with cooperation and group cohesion. Females are responsible for caring for the young and maintaining strong relationships within the group. The other members of the group are the Offspring and juveniles which are integral members. A Golden monkey tracking safari in the volcanoes grants you a rare opportunity to encounter these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.

Golden monkeys are primarily herbivores and usually feed on fruits, bamboo shoots, and at times small insects. Unlike gorillas that spend most of their time dwelling in the ground, golden monkeys are light allowing them to spend most of their time swinging from one tree to another.

Where to go for Golden Monkey Tracking in Rwanda? – Where to see golden monkeys in Rwanda?

Golden monkeys live in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Volcanoes National Park is located in the northwestern corner of Rwanda, near the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Although popular for inhabiting a healthy population of mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park is also home to an endangered population of Golden monkeys. For those looking forward to experiencing another primate adventure besides mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Golden Monkey tracking is the best option for you.

Golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park starts very early in the morning. Visitors gather at the visitors center from where they are briefed about the trekking experience, trekking guidelines, and some safety tips before indulging the forest to search for these primates. After the briefing, you’ll follow the lead of your ranger guide into the forest to search for the golden monkey. The trekking experience may last for a few hours and after locating these primates, you finally get the chance to observe them as they go by their day. The experience is really thrilling. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to film and take photographs of thes beautiful primates in the jungle.

To trek golden monkeys in Rwanda, you need to have booked the golden monkey tracking permit, a legal document that grants you access to the trekking premises. The Golden Monkey tracking permits are issued by the Rwanda Development Board, a government organ responsible for protecting the park and its inhibitors.