How golden monkey trekking is done in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
Golden monkey tracking is one of the most popular and exciting tourism activities in Rwanda. Nonetheless, gorilla trekking tops the list as the most exciting and thrilling tourism activity in the “Land of a Thousand Hills”. Therefore, there are various options for visitors to engage themselves in several thrilling adventure activities depending on their choice.
The thrilling golden monkey tracking experience kicks off in the wee hours of the morning at exactly 7 am at Kiningi, the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park. It’s at this point the visitors will get to encounter the park rangers and tour guide personnel. These will take the guests through the entire briefing process on what, how, and where to track the golden monkeys.
These charismatic primate species prefer settling in the lower slopes of Volcanoes in the bamboo forest. This makes it easier to track considering the gentle flatness of the area. Once the golden monkeys are tracked, visitors can spend a quality time of one full hour with these primate species. This is where visitors get to learn various traits, feeding habits, and behaviorism of these charismatic primate species. The golden monkey tracking process takes about 4-5 hours depending on various factors. These include the location of the monkeys, temperature, weather, and the nature of tracking trails. Unlike mountain gorilla trekking where the tracking process takes quite a long period, it’s way different from golden monkey tracking. Hence time for other thrilling tourism activities.
Golden monkeys can easily be tracked by following their leftovers of bamboo shoots and leaves. Golden monkey tracking also involves tracking these primate species through guided nature walks in volcanic forests by also following their footprints, nesting sites, and vocalization. Once the golden monkeys are tracked and located, visitors can enjoy observing them in their natural habitats from a safe distance of 7-10 meters. Distance should be maintained to avoid direct physical contact with the primates considering humans’ contagious diseases such as flu, and cough that are very harmful to the monkeys.
Photography is allowed for memories back at home, yet this should be done with no or limited flashlight. Visitors are also advised to stay within their allocated groups, avoid uneasy movements, and follow tour guides and park rangers’ instructions. Feeding and direct touching to the primate species is not allowed. Visitors should also ensure that they are in their best health before engaging in the whole golden monkey tracking process. Therefore, should bear their vaccination cards and other health-related documents in check. The physical fitness required for golden monkey tracking is less demanding as it requires limited hiking, especially on the lower slopes.
Golden monkey tracking permit fees in Volcanoes National Park
The cost of the golden monkey trek permit is USD 100 for foreign non-residents, USD 80 for foreign residents, and USD 65 for East African community citizens. These fees include park entry fees, government taxes, and ranger fees making it affordable for all visitors.
Best time to do golden monkey trekking
Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda’s majestic Volcanoes can be done throughout the entire year. However, the best and most favorable period for golden monkey tracking activities in Volcanoes is the dry season of the month. The tracking trails are passable considering the dried-up tracking trails, with less or no mud at all making the whole golden monkey experience an exceptional one. Visitors are also able to have clear views of not only the golden monkeys but also other primate species. These include olive baboons, chimpanzees, bush babies, and mountain gorillas. Other large mammals that can be spotted by visitors in the golden monkey tracking process may include elephants, buffaloes, and Sitatunga, to mention but a few. Several antelope species can also be sighted during golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park. These may include kobs, Impalas, and Topi along with other carnivore species like leopards, lions, serval cats, and hyenas.
Hence the best time to have the most outstanding wildlife experience and noteworthy golden monkey tracking in Rwanda’s volcanoes is the drier period of June, July, August, September, December, January, and early February. It should also be noted that golden monkeys are mostly active in this particular season. This makes it an ideal moment for the most remarkable golden tracking experience in Rwanda. The wet rainy season is quiet considering the muddy and slippery nature of the tracking trails. This makes the whole tracking process a stressful one. The thick vegetation cover also tends to cover up the trails making them impassable hence challenging to the trackers and visitors. Even though the wet rainy season remains challenging, most visitors especially those on a budget, find it favorable in terms of costs. This is because the golden tracking permits are not in high demand making them affordable. There’s also ample space during this particular season as the park is not so congested compared to the peak season.
