Reviews: Golden Monkey Trekking

"A fun trip to see another local monkey." Read more about this whole safari

"The Golden Monkey trek was the least demanding.

They are very close to the edge of the forest. There were so many.

Loved every minute." Read more about this whole safari

"This was an excellent "warm-up" for the gorilla trek we did the next day.

I was somewhat skeptical beforehand about this excursion, but this turned into an excellent opportunity to see golden monkeys at close range, and also to have a "dry run" of common elements with the gorilla trek: wake up and move-out, equipment, and acclimating to the altitude.

This was extremely enjoyable and we highly recommend!" Read more about this whole safari

"The golden monkey trek started at Volcanoes National Park where rangers assigned trekkers into groups. We then drove to the starting point of the trek with our private driver/guide where me met the rest of the group. Our group of about eight was accompanied by several guides.

The trek took us through fields of potatoes and flowers allowing us to gain an understanding of how local villagers farm. The guides took time along the way to point out birds and plants.

We found a large family of mischievous golden monkeys up on a hillside at the edge of a potato field. The golden monkeys like to steal potatoes from the fields, so local farmers have to keep them away. We watched the group of monkeys at the edge of the field and then followed them into an adjacent bamboo forest. We had plenty of time to view the golden monkeys, which included individuals of all ages. The trek through the fields and up the side of the hill was easy." Read more about this whole safari

"Golden monkey trekking was a great experience!

All groups meet at the Volcanoes National Park headquarters where you're assigned a group and guide in the morning. You then drive to the park entrance for golden monkeys, receive a walking stick (highly recommended), hire a porter ($10+tip, optional), and are well on your way to find the monkeys. Our group of four was in a group with a couple and the it took us about 1.5 hours to reach the area where our golden monkey family was.

We learned a lot about the land, some plants, and the people during our trek as you pass by villages and farms on the way. Once we got to the monkeys, we spent an hour with them. There were so many and they ranged in age and size. The monkeys get fairly close so there are good opportunities to get amazing photos. Note that the trails in the forest were really muddy so be prepared for that. We were also rained on towards the end of our hour with the monkeys but that didn't really dampen our moods--we were already expecting it.

Definitely an experience we recommend!" Read more about this whole safari

"We loved watching the golden monkeys. The trek was easy and we got very close to the monkeys.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and experienced." Read more about this whole safari

"A very gentle trek and the monkeys are great fun and come very close. We did it as an acclimatisation day which worked very well" Read more about this whole safari

"The Golden Monkey Trek was very fun.

The monkeys ended up coming out of the forest, so we saw them very quickly. Although at first we were disappointed we didn't see them in the forest, it ended up being great! We were able to get amazing pictures with the monkeys, and the hour with them flew by. The hike was more of a "hard walk" so is very easily doable.

The walk also had amazing scenery and backdrops with the volcanoes, and we were able to see various landscapes and the villages nearby.

So glad we did this!" Read more about this whole safari

"We were lucky to hit the golden monkeys on a day when they weren’t too far away. We had about an hour – still a trek – of walking each way. It always seems longer returning because you don’t have the anticipation to spur you on.

Our hour with the golden monkeys was extremely enjoyable. The essentially ignored our presence, so we had some pretty close encounters. One monkey ran across my path and nearly stepped on my feet. Their behaviors climbing in the trees, balancing on branches, pulling leaves to eat, is fascinating, and so nearly human!

Hiring a porter is definitely worthwhile. Even if you believe you won’t need one, it’s good for the economy. The good it does is far in excess of the modest cost." Read more about this whole safari

"While most come to Rwanda to embark on a gorilla trekking experience, the golden monkeys should not be overlooked!

They are incredible to observe!" Read more about this whole safari