The overview
Golden Monkeys are magnificent, one-of-a-kind monkeys located on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes, which are shared by Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Golden monkey trekking in Uganda is done in Mgahinga gorilla national park in southwestern Uganda. This four-day safari takes you to Mgahinga National Park to discover this uncommon kind of monkeys and to learn about the traditional lifestyle of the Batwa who live in the park’s vicinity.
The detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Mghainga National Park
After breakfast, the driver guide will pick you up and take you on a 7 to 8-hour journey to Kisoro in western Uganda, at the base of the Virunga Volcanoes. Enjoy the twisting roads of the ‘thousand hills’ and the wonderful vistas along the way, then check into the lodge and enjoy the afternoon at leisure in preparation for all the trekking in the days ahead. Dinner and a night at the lodge
Meal plan: All meals are included
Day 2: Golden monkey trekking
After breakfast, transfer to the Mgahinga National Park headquarters for an introduction to the golden monkeys and your trekking equipment. After the briefing, your ranger guide will accompany you into the jungle to seek Golden Monkeys, along with enforcement authorities to assist if you encounter threatening wild buffaloes and elephants. The golden monkeys are more active than the gorillas, and you will follow them as they wander about and feed. They enjoy eating bamboo shoots, as well as fruits, plants, and occasionally insects. Spend an hour looking at them and capturing pictures and videos when you locate them. After that, you return to the resort for lunch and afternoon relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge
Meal plan: All meals are offered
Day 3: Batwa cultural trail experience
The Batwa are an indigenous tribe who lived in the woods of the Mgahinga and Virunga volcanoes and relied on them for a living until they were turned into national parks in order to aid in the protection of gorillas, golden monkeys, and other animals and flora. They were hunter-gatherers who coexisted with nature. Today you will meet some of the Batwa, who will lead you through the forest and explain the way they lived, relied on the forest, and survived animal attacks. This journey will take you on the ‘Batwa route,’ which was designed in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to convey their experiences of coexisting with wildlife and raising families in this bush.
Watch the Batwa demonstrate numerous traditional skill sets, including making a fire by rubbing sticks together, building a bivouac in which they resided, trapping and hunting skills, shooting targets with a bow and arrow, and fetching water in a bamboo cup. Learn about food-collecting, nutritious leaves, plants, berries found in the forests, and tree bark used as medicine by the Batwa. The trek closes with a group of ladies singing a mournful song about the death of their beloved forest and their want to return to what is now a national park within the 342-m-long Garama Cave. The Batwa Trail Experience lasts about 7 hours before returning to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Meal plan: All meals are included
Day 4: Departure day
After a leisurely breakfast, the driver guide will drive you to Kampala city, where you will continue to the airport for your planned flight back home or to the resort, bringing this safari to an end.
Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch