Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is where to go golden monkey trekking in Uganda. Golden monkey trekking is one of the countless gems of exploration there’s in the thick rainforests in Uganda. Golden monkeys are subspecies of the blue monkeys. They inhabit the Virunga mountain ranges and in Uganda they can only be found in Mgahinga National Park.
Golden monkeys feed mainly on invertebrates, flowers, young bamboo leaves, shrubs, bamboo branchlets and shoots. They also snack on fruits. The golden monkey species is listed as endangered species on the IUCN Red list since their existence is threatened by certain activities that are of potential harm to the ecosystem including tree extraction, encroachment on their habitat and plenty of other reasons that put their habitat and themselves at a huge risk of extinction.
Mgahinga as the habitat for golden monkeys and host of the golden monkey trekking activity.
Mgahinga National Park stands out as the only place that hosts golden monkeys in Uganda. Therefore, it hosts golden monkey trekking activities. Find this pristine place in the southwest of Uganda in Kisoro district. This beautiful National Park contains 3 of the 8 Virunga mountains on an area of about 33.9 square kilometers. The three Virunga mountain ranges are Mount Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhabura.
They form the beautiful scenery that is good for sightseeing and photography as the travelers undertake the exciting golden monkey trekking adventures in the greenery scattered all over the slopes of the mountains.
It is the smallest National Park in Uganda but hosts some of the most exciting tourist activities and awe-inspiring species of flora and fauna that travelers find so attractive and enjoy watching up close when they visit.
Mgahinga National Park was established in 1991 with the main aim of protecting and conserving the diverse biodiversity it is bestowed with for the future generations and to curb their extinction.
Accessibility of the National Park.
Travelling to Mgahinga National Park takes about 10 to 11 hours through the Kampala – Mbarara – Kisoro road. The National Park can also be accessed by air. Travelers willing to embark on the golden monkey trekking activity can fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Kisoro airstrip where they can be picked up by tourist guides to help them access the National Park in comfortable tourist vehicles to embark on the exciting activities.
Behaviours of golden monkeys.
Golden monkeys are known to travel in groups. They showcase a high level of communal behavior as they travel in small groups of five and larger groups of up to 60 members.
The golden monkeys inhabit higher elevations. This partly explains why they live in the Mgahinga region of the Virunga mountain ranges.
Golden monkeys sleep in small subgroups of about four to six individuals. They wander through the forests and later return to their the places of sleep. They usually find comfortable sleep in the bamboo plants and that’s where they reside on the slopes of the mountains.
Golden monkeys usually feed around their sleeping area and return back to sleep after a long day of feasting on bamboo shoots, fruits and other flora delicacies.
How much does Golden Monkey trekking cost in Mgahinga National Park?
Golden monkey trekking activity in Mgahinga National Park costs $60.00 per person for the foreign non-residents. It is $50.00 per person for the foreign residents. If you are Ugandan, or from the East African Community, Uganda shillings 40,000 per person is what you pay.
Best time to visit.
The dry seasons have been proven over time as the very best seasons for the visits. Most travelers claim that it is their best time to embark on the exhilarating golden monkey trekking activity in Mgahinga National Park. Dry seasons in this region take two forms that is to say the long and short dry seasons. Long dry seasons run from early June to late September. Meanwhile, the short dry seasons run from early December to early February.
It is important, however, for visitors to remember that the activity is not only limited to the dry seasons. It is also done during the wet seasons of the year. Every season comes with different experiences and the wet seasons might also surprise the visitors. Yes , they can turn out to bring never to be forgotten experiences of a lifetime. For instance, during the wet season, the trails are muddy, hence forcing you to be physically fit to be successful.
