Mountain gorilla, Bwindi, Uganda Gorillas and Wildlife Safaris

Uganda Gorilla Trekking Golden Monkey Tracking - 4 Days

Gorillas and Wildlfe Safaris Hall of Fame Trip Advisor RecommendedThe gorilla tracking experience has been described by many as not only as exceptionally memorable and incomparable but also as momentous for one's life.  In this 4 day Uganda Gorilla Trekking Golden Monkey Tracking we are adding the golden monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to make your Uganda visit of maximum benefit with the endangered and endermic primates' species.

We shall arrange for you to trek the mountain gorillas in Bwindi and after that, track the endangered golden monkeys. Uganda has over 53% of the habituated mountain gorillas families and you stand a very high chance of seeing them on this gorilla tour with us.

Just like the gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking starts with tourists arriving at the Park headquarters by 7:30 am for pre-tracking briefing (on the dos and don’ts of tracking the golden monkeys). The actual trek begins at 8:00 am. Hiking through the forests to sight the golden monkeys is not so strenuous like gorilla trekking because golden monkeys live in lower areas, so tourists do not track for more than 3 hours. When tourists encounter the golden monkey family, they are given one hour to spend with them (to take photographs and observe their behavior). With this activity, there is no minimum number of tourists who track each group and age limit is 12 years.

Uganda Gorilla Trekking Golden Monkey Tracking - 4 Days

Uganda 4 day Bwindi gorilla trekking tour with golden monkeys tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

This 4-days gorilla trek tour and golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers you more time with the unique primates of Uganda at an affordable cost in Uganda's most popular national parks.

  • Day 1: Start from Entebbe or Kampala or Kigali, drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with stopover at Equator and other places for photos.
  • Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
  • Day 3: Golden Monkey Tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
  • Day 4: Depart from Bwindi back to Kampala/Entebbe

Day 1: Start your Uganda Gorilla trek and golden monkey tracking tour by driving to Bwindi impenetrable N. Park (the mountain gorillas' home)

We shall arrange for the tour guide to meet with you in Kampala/Entebbe/Kigali at 07:00 hours before starting the gorilla trek tour on your drive heading to the mountain gorillas' sanctuary of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Bwindi forest is located some 500 km from Kampala the capital of Uganda, a distance we take ±7 hours to cover by road (or 4 hours from Kigali).

En route, there is a local community popular for making local drums and crafts and a fruit market. Stopover, admire, and buy yourself souvenirs. Proceed to the Equator line taken as one beautiful scenery in Africa - the pathway of the sun and take photographs. 

The drive to the mountain gorilla sanctuary is over 7 hours from Entebbe or Kampala, most of the time on the smooth-surfaced road with about 45 minutes of dusty murram. You could choose to fly to Bwindi if you don't feel like driving. One-way flights range from 280$-360$ pp.

Uganda Gorilla Trek Accommodation options  (all on a full board basis)

Up-market: Four Gorillas Lodge | Chameleon Hill Lodge

Moderate: Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge | Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

Low Budget: Gorilla Haven Lodge Rushaga 

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Our first primates encounter with the endangered primates is with the Bwindi mountain gorillas today when we enjoy gorilla trekking in the deep afro-montane jungles.

From your previous night's accommodation, the driver guide will be meeting you and driving to the Bwindi Park office for a briefing before trekking into the jungles in search of the mountain gorillas. Before your actual trek, there is normally a team that surveys and locates where the gorillas are so that the park rangers have a bit of an idea as to where to find the gorillas. So after the pre-trek briefing, you will be allocated to a gorilla tracking group. Some gorilla groups require a bit of driving (normally 20-30 minutes) while for others, it is just a walk to the trek trailhead.  Your gorilla trek passes through the thick undergrowth of the forest where the paths are just made for the day. and when you finally get closer to the mountain gorillas, you should be sensing their presence by the dung smell, broken tree branches, and previous night's nests.   The walking can sometimes be tough and long, but when you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomforts will be quickly forgotten. When the gorillas are sighted, visitors will be guided to within 6 meters from the gorillas, and sit around them for a whole hour while gazing into their big round eyes.

While most of today's forests are no more than 12,000 years old, Bwindi's vegetation has been weaving itself into tangles over at least 25,000 years, in the process accumulating a lengthy species list. This includes 310 species of butterfly, 51 reptiles, 200 trees, 88 moths, and an exceptional 120 types of mammal including 10 primates. The latter includes chimpanzees, L'Hoest's, red-tailed and blue monkeys, black and white colobus, baboons, and Bwindi's most famous resident, the mountain gorilla.

Bwindi is a prime destination for birdwatchers. Its 350 species include seven which are IUCN red data listed and 90% of all Albertine rift endemics, species which are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa.

Uganda Gorilla Trek Accommodation options available (all on a full board basis)

Up-market: Four Gorillas Lodge | Chameleon Hill Lodge

Moderate: Ichumbi Hotel Kisoro

Low Budget: Gorilla Haven Lodge Rushaga |  Rushaga Gorilla Camp 

Day 3: Golden Monkey Tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

It is our day for another endangered primates' encounter, this time tracking the golden monkeys in Mgainga Gorilla National Park. After breakfast transfer to the Mgahinga National Park headquarters for briefing and later begin the hike over the volcanic terrain in search of golden monkeys in the bamboo forests.

The Golden Monkey may not be the most well-known primate, but is certainly an enjoyable, little creature that is worth visiting. It is a small curious monkey, golden in color, and loves to scamper around the trees. Golden monkeys are named after their golden-orange fur, and like mountain gorillas, are also considered endangered species. Conservation efforts have been put in place by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to ensure that the monkeys are protected – especially from poachers.

There is a habituated family of monkeys in Mgahinga, where tourists can track and stay with them for a period of four hours depending on where they nested the previous night and how far it is from the starting point.

It is estimated that Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has between 3000-4000 golden monkeys grouped in troupes of the 30s led by a principal adult male. Golden monkeys are primarily to be found in the bamboo forest that skirts the lower slopes of the volcanoes. They are quite more active in the bamboo canopy.  Golden monkeys are opportunistic feeders. What they feed on could be the availability of fruits, leaves of bamboo trees, shoots of bamboo, shrubs, flowers, and invertebrates, and these make it restricted to the highland forest, mostly the bamboo forest.

Golden monkey tracking starts at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park headquarters at 7:30 a.m. for a pre-tracking briefing (on the dos and don’ts of tracking the golden monkeys). The actual trek begins at 8:00 a.m. Hiking through the forests to see the golden monkeys is not as strenuous as gorilla trekking because golden monkeys live in lower areas, so tourists do not track for more than 3 hours. When tourists encounter the golden monkey family, they are given one hour  (0r 4 hours in case you are doing the habituation experience) to spend with them (to take photographs and observe their behavior). With this activity, there is no minimum number of tourists who track each group and the age limit is 12 years.

Accommodation options available (all on a full board basis)

Up-market: Four Gorillas Lodge | Chameleon Hill Lodge 

Moderate: Ichumbi Hotel Kisoro

Low Budget: Gorilla Haven Lodge Rushaga 

Day 4: Departure to Kampala/Kigali/Entebbe (Daily flights to Entebbe can be booked as well)

We shall be ending the Uganda Gorilla Trekking Golden Monkey Tracking tour with a drive back to Entebbe or Kigali.

We check out from the lodge/ camp at 8 am for a drive down the grassed and terraced escarpments of southwestern Uganda while taking in the breathtaking sights of the hills of the region dubbed ‘the little Switzerland of Africa’.

This area is a highly fertile, mountainous region with steep-sided hills covered from top to bottom in neatly terraced cultivated rows. Not to miss as we traverse Mbarara are the impressing longhorn Ankole cattle. A remarkable highlight of this journey is the Equator line and surely you will cross it as we have a brief stop here.

We will be in Entebbe in the evening before your flight back home.

Included in the prices for the Uganda Gorilla Trekking Golden Monkey Tracking

  • Accommodation for the gorilla trek as indicated on the program (on a fullboard basis)
  • 1 gorilla permit per person
  • Golden monkey trekking permit
  • Sightseeing as noted in the trip itinerary
  • Park fees
  • Entry fees
  • Airport transfers
  • Ground transportation by private 4WD vehicles
  • Additional guides/porters where appropriate

Excluded

  • Flight tickets and departure taxes
  • Travel documentation (visas)
  • Travel and medical insurance
  • Optional excursions
  • Excess baggage charges
  • Tips and gratuities for your guides and accommodation staff
  • Laundry
  • Beverages other than mineral water in the vehicle and at mealtimes with meals
  • Items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, postage fees, and so on

Talk to Our Uganda Gorilla Tracking Tour Specialist

Enquire about uniquely different gorilla tracking  experience in Uganda.

Talk to our Uganda gorilla trek experience designers to start planning your Uganda safari.

Past Clients' Testimonials about our Uganda Gorilla Tours

  • star rating  My sister organized an itinerary through Gorillas and Wildlife Safari. We love that it was Uganda-owned. She worked with Ivan to put together a fabulous itinerary through Rwanda and Uganda... read more

    608savannahw
    31st August 2023

    star rating  Amazing experience with Gorillas and Wildlife Safaris - We did a 7 night, 8 day gorilla and Safari tour. It was fantastic - we had such a great time. Ivan was quick to respond to all... read more

    Marissa W
    29th August 2023

    star rating  My wonderful 13-day trip across Uganda - I just returned from my wonderful 13-day trip across Uganda with Gorillas and Wildlife Safaris. My interactions with Ivan as well as my guide, Huzaima, were fantastic. Ivan was very... read more

    Jafar M
    19th August 2023
  • star rating  Amazing experience from the start! - We cannot recommend Gorilla and Wildlife Safaris enough! From the very beginning in planning the trip, Ivan was extremely responsive to all our questions and very helpful in creating the... read more

    323kristalb
    10th August 2023

    star rating  Simply perfect, flawlessly executed - There are so many good things I want to say about our trip, Ivan, and our guide Richard that I'm worried this will be a book. To keep myself in... read more

    Krysten_SF
    9th July 2023

    star rating  A Fantastic 15-day personalised safari with a great company and superb guide - We finally managed to complete the trip we had planned for 2020 that we all understand was delayed due to covid.

    I have to say that the communication in... read more

    Jimmysigs
    24th June 2023

More information about the Uganda Gorilla Trekking Golden Monkey Tracking Tour

 

Golden monkey Tracking in Mgahinga

Golden monkeys trekking golden monkeys Mgahinga. Uganda Gorilla Trekking Golden Monkey Tracking

The Golden Monkey may not be the most well-known primate, but is certainly an enjoyable, little creature that is worth visiting. It is a small curious monkey, golden in colour and loves to scamper around the trees. Golden monkeys are named after their golden-orange fur, and like mountain gorillas, are also considered endangered species. Conservation efforts have been put in place by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to ensure that the monkeys are protected – especially from poachers.

There is a habituated family of monkeys in Mgahinga, where tourists can track and stay with them for a period of four hours depending on where they nested the previous night and how far it is from the starting point.

It is estimated that Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has between 3000-4000 golden monkeys grouped in troupes of 30s led by a principal adult male. Golden monkeys are primarily to be found in the bamboo forest that skirt the lower slopes of the volcanoes. They are quite more active in the bamboo canopy.  Golden monkeys are opportunistic feeders. What they feed on could be by the availability of fruits, leaves of bamboo trees, shoots of bamboo, shrubs, flowers, invertebrates and these make it to be restricted to the highland forest, mostly the bamboo forest.

Golden monkey tracking starts at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park headquarters at 7:30 am for pre-tracking briefing (on the dos and don’ts of tracking the golden monkeys). The actual trek begins at 8:00 am. Hiking through the forests to sight the golden monkeys is not so strenuous like gorilla trekking because golden monkeys live in lower areas, so tourists do not track for more than 3 hours. When tourists encounter the golden monkey family, they are given one hour  (0r 4 hours in case you are doing the habituation experience) to spend with them (to take photographs and observe their behavior). With this activity, there is no minimum number of tourists who track each group and age limit is 12 years.

Other Memorable Uganda Gorilla Trek Experiences You Might Like

Sabyinyo Volcano, Uganda

Uganda Gorilla Trekking Sabyinyo Volcano Hike – 4 Days

Tree climbing lion, Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda Gorilla Trek and Safari in Queen Elizabeth NP

Uganda Gorilla Trek and Safari in Queen Elizabeth NP – 4 Days

Uganda gorilla safari two treks Silverback and young gorilla, Bwindi, Uganda gorilla tour 2 treks

Uganda Gorilla Tour with 2 gorilla treks- 4 Days

Kibale chimpanzee- uganda gorilla tracking chimpanzee

Uganda Gorilla trekking chimpanzee Tour – Bwindi & Kibale- 4 Days

Uganda Lake Bunyonyi gorilla trek Bwindi Canoeing tour Gorillas and wildlife safaris

Uganda Gorilla Tracking & Lake Bunyonyi canoe Trekking – 4 Days

Top Trip Report Photos from Uganda Gorilla Trekking Golden Monkey Tracking Tours