Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda

Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda: Rwanda has a rich diversity of wild animals found in different parks across the country. Mountain gorillas and golden monkeys are in Volcanoes National Park; the big five (lions, buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, and elephants) are in Akagera National Park; and chimpanzees are found in Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Golden monkeys are some of the primate species living in the dense, bamboo-forested areas of Rwanda. These golden monkeys are found in Volcanoes National Park (a home to mountain gorillas), where two troops have been habituated, and Gishwati-Makura National Park, where they are still going through habituation and are yet to be open for tourism activities.

Compared to other monkeys, the golden monkeys are gorgeous in appearance, with brightly colored fur and long golden hair mixed with orange. They mainly live in social groups of over 30 individuals led by an alpha male. They live in larger groups and spend most of their time high up in the trees, particularly bamboo trees. This is because their diet mainly consists of these bamboo shoots, leaves, fruits, and insects.

To see the golden monkeys of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, you need to participate in trekking activities. You need to have a golden monkey trekking permit purchased from the Rwanda Development Board. They are documents that you present at the Kinigi headquarters of Volcanoes National Park to be allowed to participate in the activity.

Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda

Apparently, golden monkey trekking is only carried out in Volcanoes National Park, and it’s carried out on two troops. Early in the morning, the trekkers meet at the briefing (Kinigi Headquarters) point, where they present their trekking certificates to the park authorities. After the briefing is carried out, trekkers know the rules and regulations of the activities.

Trekking with the golden monkeys is done in groups, which are formed by the armed ranger guides at the briefing center. Each of the groups is led by armed ranger guides who know the best trails to use and also protect tourists from anything that could be dangerous. Before leaving the briefing points, trekkers could hire porters in case they have excess luggage.

Trekking to see the golden monkeys of Volcanoes National Park is done using a number of trekking trails. The armed ranger guides and trekkers move around the forest looking for areas where these golden monkeys spend most of the time, and these areas include the bamboo areas. The golden monkeys feed mostly on bamboo shoots, seasonal fruits, flowers, small invertebrates like spiders, and insects.

After a few hours of searching, the golden monkeys are located in the jungle, and trekkers get to spend 1 hour around them. These are spotted playing from one tree to another, breastfeeding, hunting, or mating, to name a few. Golden monkeys spend most of the day hunting for food, and when the bamboo is scarce, they resort to eating flowers, fruits, and small insects.

After spending an hour around the golden monkeys, trekkers move out of the jungle with the help of armed ranger guides. They meet other forest attractions, some of which may even include the mountain gorillas, mammals, primates, and birds. Trekkers are awarded trekking certificates, which show that they have successfully trekked to the golden monkeys in their natural habitat.

The most appropriate time to visit Rwanda for golden monkeys

June to September and December to February are the best times to visit Volcanoes National Park. These are characterized by little rainfall and little sunshine, offering great views of the golden monkeys and other forest attractions since the vegetation is short and scattered. The trekking trails are also dry and easier to walk through, making it easy to locate the monkeys.

Golden monkey trekking may still be carried out in the low season months, which occur from March to May and October to November. Tourists should, however, know that there is plenty of rainfall, which may make the activity less interesting, as the trekking trails may be muddy and slippery. The vegetation is always tall, which may lead to unclear views of the golden monkeys and other forest attractions.

Tourists visiting Rwanda for golden monkey trekking are advised to come with rain jackets, waterproof hiking shoes, a pair of gaiters, long pants and shirts, a light backpack, gardening gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent, energy-giving snacks, a drinking water bottle, a camera, and a pair of binoculars, to mention a few.

Where to stay on a safari in Rwanda

During a golden monkey trekking safari in Rwanda, tourists have lots of accommodation places they can stay at. These range from budget to mid-range to luxury options, and where to stay depends on someone’s budget. Lodges include One and Only Gorilla’s Nest, Sambora Kinigi, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Wilderness Bisate, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, and Five Volcanoes Boutique, to mention a few.