Permits · Mgahinga Gorilla NP
Golden monkey tracking permits in Mgahinga
Permit options
Golden monkey tracking
1 hour with the troop
Walk with UWA rangers into the bamboo on the lower slopes of the Virungas, then spend an hour with a habituated troop.
$100/ person
Rates shown are the Uganda Wildlife Authority tariff for foreign non-residents, per person, and exclude our service and transport. UWA reviews its tariff periodically — we confirm the current rate and availability in writing before you pay.
Request on WhatsAppPairing it with a gorilla trek
Mgahinga is Uganda's corner of the Virunga volcanoes, shared with Rwanda and the DR Congo. It's one of only two places in Uganda to see mountain gorillas, and the place to track golden monkeys.
Many travellers track gorillas one day and golden monkeys the next, or do the monkeys first as a gentler warm-up. We book both permits together so the dates line up.
Getting there
Mgahinga is near Kisoro in the far southwest, a long day's drive from Kampala. Most itineraries break the journey at Lake Bunyonyi, or combine it with Bwindi's southern sectors, which are close by.
The final roads are steep, so we recommend a 4x4.
What to bring
Walking shoes with good grip, long trousers, a rain jacket and a camera with a fast shutter speed. Golden monkeys rarely sit still for long.
Recommended cars for this trip
How booking works
Permits are the one part of a Uganda trip you cannot leave until the last minute. Here is how we handle it.
- 01
Send us your dates
Every permit is tied to one named person on one tracking day, so we start from your travel window.
- 02
We check UWA availability
Gorilla permits sell out months ahead in June–September and December–February. We confirm what is actually open.
- 03
Passport details
The Uganda Wildlife Authority issues each permit against a passport, so we need a scan per trekker to file it.
- 04
Permit in your name
Once paid, UWA issues the permit and we arrange the drive and the pre-dawn transfer to the trailhead.
Contact
Let's plan your next trip
Tell us where you dream of going or which car you need, and we'll get back to you within one business day.