Golden Monkey Trekking

Golden monkey trekking is one of Africa's most delightful and often overlooked wildlife encounters, and the perfect companion to a gorilla trek. Found only in the bamboo forests of the Virunga Mountains, these endangered primates are unmistakable, with vivid golden-orange fur set against a black face, limbs and tail. Where gorillas are calm and contemplative, golden monkeys are the opposite: fast, playful and endlessly energetic, and tracking them means following the sound of snapping bamboo until you find yourself surrounded by dozens of them leaping through the canopy and feeding on shoots, largely unbothered by your presence. The trek is considerably shorter and easier than gorilla trekking, usually two to four hours on gentler terrain, making it ideal for families and those seeking a lighter hike, and once the troop is found, you spend one joyful hour in their company. Golden monkeys can be tracked in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, making this a lively, affordable and thoroughly memorable addition to any Virunga adventure.