Golden Monkey Habituation in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in southwestern Uganda in Kisoro district, this region is part of the greater Virunga massif comprising countries like Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mgahinga National Park is known for harboring one habituated gorilla family known as Nyakagezi which is open for trekking hence tourists can encounter gorillas in their natural habitat.

Apart from gorillas, Mgahinga also hosts various bird species like the Rwenzori turaco endemic to the region. You can as well enjoy hiking the three dormant volcanoes of Sabyinyo, Muhabura and Gahinga.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is also unique for hosting a good number of primate species like the golden monkeys. Tourists can only enjoy golden monkey trekking and habituation in this place within Uganda.

Similar to gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking enables one to meet these delightful primates in their natural habitat.

Golden Monkey Habituation in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Golden monkey habituation is the process of training a group of golden monkeys to get used to humans, in other words reducing their fear of human interactions. During this process, researchers and conservationists train these primates to get accustomed to human observers as they learn about their different behaviors.

Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga National Park is a unique and ultimate activity that will get you to interact with these primates in their natural habitat since it is the only place to meet them in Uganda.

Golden monkeys have a habit of avoiding humans so that’s why they have to be habituated before they are open for trekking. This activity can take about 2 years for the primates to get trained and used to human nature.

You are advised to be fit and flexible enough before embarking on this activity because Mgahinga National Park lies in the southern part of mountains Sabyinyo, Muhabura, and Gahinga.

The Gorilla Habituation experience starts early in the morning with a short briefing session at the park headquarters where you are given guidelines on how to behave once you get to encounter these primates and you are placed in groups of 8 individuals to meet each golden monkey group.

Experienced park rangers, conservationists and researchers will join you to start trekking in the park trails as you follow the broken bamboo shoots left behind. This activity takes about 3 to 5 hours depending on where the primates will be found since they are fond of moving from one place to another.

During the activity, you can see other primates like olive baboons, red tailored monkeys, grey cheeked monkeys and white and black colobus monkeys. Once the golden monkeys are found, you are given about 3 hours to be with them in their natural habitat as you closely observe their behaviors and ways of interaction with one another, enjoy seeing them jump from one tree branch to another and breastfeeding.

Make sure to follow rules and regulations like keeping a distance of about 8 meters from the golden monkeys because being too close can provoke them into being violent and aggressive. You are free to take a good number of pictures and videos to create memories and show your friends back home.

Cost of Golden Monkey Habituation in Mgahinga National Park.

Foreign nonresidents pay USD 100

Foreign residents pay 80

East African citizens pay UGX 100,000

Best Time to Do Golden Monkey Habituation in Mgahinga National Park.

Golden monkey habituation is open throughout the whole year, but the best time is during the dry seasons of September, June, December and February.

This is regarded as the best season because the park trails are dry and less slippery and the vegetation is always thin which enables you to have a clear view of the golden monkeys compared to the rainy season where vegetation is always thick hindering you from seeing the primates at a close range.

Packing list for Golden Monkey Habituation.

Hiking shoes
Camera and binoculars
Insect repellent
Long sleeved shirts and trousers
Packed food and drinking water
Walking stick
Waterproof backpack
Waterproof jacket
Extra batteries.
Sun screen
Sun glasses
Hat
Local currency to give potters and rangers

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.Game drive security is assured.Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.

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