difference between gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

Golden monkey trekking in Uganda or Rwanda is one of the unique activities that allow tourists to encounter with one of the worlds rarest primates. Golden monkeys are among the most sought creatures in the World after gorillas. These creatures are very social animals, and they usually live in group of about 80 monkeys.

Golden monkeys are famously known for their striking golden orange fur, very playful and agile making them one of the fascinating creatures in the world.

Where to do golden monkey trekking from in Uganda and Rwanda?

Mgahinga national park.

Nestled in the southwestern parts of Uganda lies Mgahinga national park a home to the golden monkeys. The park is part of the large Virunga conservation area that is also shared with Rwanda and Congo.

Mgahinga is a home to the gorillas and the golden monkeys earning herself a name where silver meets gold and offering tourist a chance to interact with both these unique primates.

Volcanoes national park.

Golden monkeys in Rwanda are found in volcanoes national park. The park covers a portion on the Virunga conservation area and it is famously known for gorilla trekking. Volcanoes national park is situated in the northwestern parts of Rwanda.

The Golden monkey trekking experience.

Very early in the morning, the experience starts up with a briefing at the parks head quarters. The briefing involves trekkers learning more about the rules and regulations to follow while in the forest.

After the briefing, then you will have to go in the forest with a group of people. Hiking allows tourists to see some bird species and also some animal species. In the forest only one hour will be offered to you to spend with these creatures.

The one hour includes taking photos, see them play, see them feed and many more. After the one hour you will have to come out from the forest and the experience will have ended.

Difference in Trekking golden monkeys in Uganda and Rwanda.

Habituated golden monkey groups.

If your interested in which country that has more habituated groups both Uganda and Rwanda have the same number of habituated groups. Rwanda has 2 habituated groups available for tourism.

Trekking golden monkeys in Rwanda is done with in volcanoes national park.  The groups are said to have about 80 to 100 individuals in a single group

Uganda also has two golden monkey groups that can be trekked throughout the year. Giving you a chance to encounter golden monkey in their natural habitats.

The difference between Uganda and Rwanda Accessibility.

In cases of accessibility, Rwanda is having the most accessible national park that is volcanoes national park. The park is more accessible from the airport because it is just a 2 hours drive.

While.

For the case of Uganda, Mgahinga national park is a bit far from Uganda’s capital city. Trekking golden monkey can be done from Uganda capital, Kampala. The drive will take between 8 to 10 hours. Or you can start your golden monkey trekking from Kigali, the Rwanda

Trekking experience.

The trekking experience is generally the same as the terrain is almost the same since both parks are part of great Virunga massif range. However, the terrain of Mgahinga national park is a bit steeper making the trekking in Uganda a bit more challenging compared to trekking golden monkey from volcanoes national park of Rwanda.

Affordability (permit cost)

The cost of golden monkey trekking in Uganda’s Mgahinga is 80 dollars and can be paid to Uganda wildlife authority or through authorised tour operator.

The cost of golden monkey trekking in Rwanda’s volcanoes costs 100$ and can be paid to Rwanda development board or through authorised tour operator.

Golden monkey habituation.

Tourists interested in spending much time with the golden monkeys Uganda becomes your rightful destination. Golden monkey habituation is only done with in Mgahinga national park and Rwanda does not have it.

The price of a golden monkey habituation permit in Uganda costs around $100 for foreign non residents, $ 80 for foreign residents and shs 100,000 for foreign non residents.

How to book for your golden monkey permit?

Booking a golden monkey permit either in Uganda or Rwanda is very simple. A permit can be obtained through booking online either at Rwanda development board website or Uganda wildlife authority website.

The other way of accessing a golden monkey permit is by booking with trusted tour operators either with in Uganda or Rwanda.

What to pack for your golden monkey trekking?

Before going for golden monkey trekking, you need to pack the necessary requirements such as

Good hiking shoes.

You need to carry good hiking shoes that will help you as you hike through the hilly and mountainous steep slopes as you search for the golden monkeys.

Long sleeved shirts.

Hiking for golden monkey trekking involves you passing through thickets and thick vegetations of the park so you need to pack long sleeved shirts.

Insect repellents.

Always carry insect repellents that will help you from insect bites. Remember Africa has many insect species.

Rain coats.

Please pack your rain coat since Rain is very unpredictable incase it rains as your trekking.

Safe drinking water.

Please carry safe drinking water in your water bottles incase you need to drink as you hike.

Binoculars and cameras.

Always carry your camera which will help you take clear photos while binoculars help you to see the far away creatures.

Sun screens.

Please carry sun screens that will help you from direct sunlight as your trekking your golden monkeys.

Best time to carry out golden monkey trekking in Uganda and Rwanda.

Golden monkey trekking is an all-year-round activity implying that it can be carried out at any time of the year. The best time to carry out golden monkey trekking is generally the dry season. The dry season covers months like (Dec to Feb, June to July).

The dry season is the ideal time for visiting golden monkeys because they are less rains thus easy trekking since the trails are not slippery.

However golden monkey trekking can still be carried out during the wet season and one enjoys thrilling experiences. The wet season usually runs from Sept to November. During the wet season tourists are able to enjoy the experience with ease since people are less crowded.

Whether trekking golden monkeys either in Uganda or Rwanda the experience is generally the same.

Golden monkeys can be traced with in the two countries and leave you with both remarkable and un forgettable memories however selecting where to trek from depends on some factors such as accessibility, affordability and may more.

Tourists interested in an affordable trek mixed with many experiences, Uganda is number one choice while tourists who consider accessibility Rwanda is very ideal.

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