Is golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga national park worth the money?

Is golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga national park worth the money? Yes, golden monkey trekking is worth the money in Mgahinga national park. The fact that golden monkeys can only be found in Mgahinga national park in the whole of Uganda makes encountering them in their natural habitat worth the price.

To see habituated golden monkeys in their natural habitats, tourists need a golden monkey trekking permit and entrance fee to Mgahinga national park. A golden monkey trekking permit costs $60 for foreign non-residents, $50 for foreign residents, and UGx40,000 citizens of East African member states.

The golden monkey trekking permit excludes the park entrance fee which is $40 for foreign non-residents, $30 for foreign residents, $25 rest of Africa and UGX20,000 citizens of East African member states. The entrance fee and golden monkey trekking fees can be used for 1 day.

Based on the figures above, we think golden monkey trekking experience is worth the money. At such an affordable fee you are able to visit Mgahinga and see the golden monkeys which cannot be found anywhere else in Uganda. Tourists who are interested in encountering these monkey species in their natural habitats should know that it’s always worth it as one leaves the jungle satisfied.

The golden monkey trekking experience in Mgahinga national park

Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga national park is carried out every day by tourists who have valid trekking permits. The activity starts early in the morning at the park headquarters where trekkers are taught about the rules and regulations of activity. Armed ranger guides are letter assigned to lead the trekking in the jungle where they start to search for these primates with bright-colored fur which has golden hair mixed with orange.

In Mgahinga there are habituated and semi-habituated golden monkey groups in the park. During golden monkey trekking, trekkers look for the fully habituated golden monkeys and the activity takes 2 to 3 hours to locate them. While searching, trekkers have chances of spotting some of the animals, birds, and water sources within the park.

When a golden monkey is located in the Gahinga bamboo vegetation, armed ranger guides give trekkers 1 hour to be around the gorgeous monkey species. This allows them to learn about their behaviors, and also watch them carry out daily activities like feeding, playing from one tree branch to another, mating, and many others.

After spending the given hour around the golden monkeys, the trekkers start their journey out of the jungle. There are chances of meeting the endangered mountain gorillas moving around the forest, and some of the wildlife that finds shelter in the park. The activity is always worth the money because every tourist gets quality time around these monkeys in their natural habitat.

What to pack for golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga national park?

To enjoy the golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga, tourists must visit the park well prepared with the equipment required for the activity. These include waterproof hiking shoes, long-sleeved clothes, a light backpack, long cotton stocks, a pair of gaiters, sunglasses, gardening gloves, insect repellent, sunscreen, a camera and extra batteries, a drinking water bottle, and energy giving snacks to mention but a few.

When is the best time for golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga national park?

Tourists interested in seeing the golden monkeys in Mgahinga national park should use the period between June to September and December to February if they are looking for the best time. These months have little rainfall and plenty of sunshine received throughout the day and this favors the activity.

During the dry season, the trekking trails are dry and passable, vegetation is short and scattered with good views of golden monkeys and other wildlife within the park. Tourists can still use the rainy season to visit Mgahinga but there is plenty of rainfall and little sunshine which leaves the hiking trails muddy and slippery.

How to get to Mgahinga for golden monkey trekking?

Mgahinga national park can be accessed by road transport or air transport in a day. From Entebbe, it takes 9 to 10 hours and from Kigali, it takes less than 4 hours. Air transport is the quickest way to get to Mgahinga national park but it’s costly. Aerolink Uganda and Bar Aviation Uganda have flights to Kisoro airstrip where tourists use road transport for a few hours and get to Mgahinga national park.

By road transport, tourists from Kigali connect to Mgahinga national park by using the Cyanika border. Tourists from Entebbe go through Kampala, Mpigi, Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kabale, and then Kisoro where the park is located. This journey is long but tourists get to have stopovers along the way where they enjoy great views of different attractions.