Golden Monkey Tracking in Rwanda: Permits, What to Expect and Tips

Golden monkey tracking in Rwanda takes place in the bamboo forest of Volcanoes National Park, at the foot of the Virunga volcanoes. A golden monkey permit costs US$100 per person for foreign visitors, the minimum age is 12, and once you find the troop you spend one hour watching them feed and leap through the bamboo. It is usually a gentler walk than gorilla trekking and pairs naturally with it. Here is what to expect and how to plan it.

Golden monkey tracking at a glance

Where	Volcanoes National Park, north-west Rwanda
Permit	US$100 per person for foreign visitors
Minimum age	12
Time with the monkeys	One hour once the troop is found
Start	Morning briefing at the park headquarters at Kinigi
Drive from Kigali	About 2.5 hours to Volcanoes National Park
Best combined with	Mountain gorilla trekking on the day before or after

What are golden monkeys?

Golden monkeys are a striking monkey with a gold and orange back and a dark face, found only in a small part of the Albertine Rift, including the Virunga volcanoes. They are listed as endangered and live in large troops in the bamboo zone on the lower slopes of the volcanoes, where young bamboo shoots and leaves make up much of their diet.

Where gorillas are calm and slow, golden monkeys are quick and restless. They jump between bamboo stems, chase each other and come down to the ground to feed, so the hour feels lively and full of movement.

What a tracking day looks like

Your guide drives you to the park headquarters at Kinigi for the morning briefing, where rangers assign groups. From there you drive to the trailhead and walk through farmland to the edge of the park, then into the bamboo. Trackers go out early to find the troop, so the walk is often short, although it depends on where the monkeys are that morning.

Once you reach the troop, you have one hour with them. The ranger guide keeps the group together and explains what the monkeys are doing. Afterwards you walk back to the vehicle, usually in time for lunch at your lodge.

How fit do you need to be?

Golden monkey tracking is usually easier than gorilla trekking, with gentler ground and a shorter walk. It still takes place at altitude and the paths can be muddy, so a reasonable level of fitness helps. It is a good choice for travellers who want a primate experience with less climbing, and for families with children aged 12 to 14, who are too young for gorilla trekking.

What to pack

• Waterproof hiking boots with good grip
• Long trousers and long sleeves, as bamboo and nettles can scratch
• A light rain jacket
• Garden gloves for gripping vegetation
• A camera with a fast shutter speed, as the monkeys move quickly; flash is not allowed
• Water and a snack

Golden monkeys and gorillas on one trip

Most travellers track golden monkeys on the day before or after their gorilla trek, staying at the same lodge near the park. It adds a second, very different primate encounter for a modest cost. Our 6 Days Double Gorilla & Golden Monkey Safari (from US$5,500 per person, 2 sharing) places it between two gorilla treks to rest your legs, and our 6 Days Kigali Culture & Gorillas (from US$3,700) and 5-day luxury gorilla safari (on request) both include it.

For everything about the gorillas themselves, read our gorilla trekking guide, and for the park as a whole, our Volcanoes National Park guide.

When to go

Golden monkey tracking runs all year. The dry seasons, June to September and December to February, give firmer paths and clearer light for photographs. In the rainy months the bamboo is muddier but the park is quieter. See the best time to visit Rwanda.

Golden monkey tracking: frequently asked questions

Related guides: chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe, how many days you need in Rwanda, what a Rwanda safari costs and Rwanda visa requirements.

Written by the Epic Rwanda Safaris team in Kigali. Permit fees checked October 2026; the Rwanda Development Board sets permit prices and they may change.