![Endangered golden monkeys foraging on ground in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda wildlife](https://images.followalice.com/5M7xtHhWpYY8tsnvH6ozKQ/7130227c6b973474f63d1dae95032e66/Endangered_golden_monkeys_foraging_on_ground_in_Volcanoes_National_Park__Rwanda_wildlife.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=1200&h=1200)
Why you should do a golden monkey trek before your mountain gorilla trek
Did you know there are no primates living in the wild in North America? Nor in Europe, unless you count Gibraltar? So for many, a trip to Africa to see mountain gorillas is the perfect moment to see some other rare primates too! Enter the golden monkey.
Golden monkeys live alongside mountain gorillas
![Golden monkey in Mgahinga National Park. Monkeys in rainforest. African safari.](https://images.followalice.com/5rSjAcnEzgSjlwgwtcXOo2/29a7fa8220977f1544956007192a575d/Golden_monkey_in_Mgahinga_National_Park._Monkeys_in_rainforest._African_safari..jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
![Scenic view of Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabyinyo seen from Mount Muhabura in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda](https://images.followalice.com/6ZxJkAWcq7nsc0Bu1Xpqzm/90b64fa0b6f15706ff6caec15ac6c3eb/Scenic_view_of_Mount_Gahinga_and_Mount_Sabyinyo_seen_from_Mount_Muhabura_in_the_Mgahinga_Gorilla_National_Park__Uganda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
Golden monkeys are endangered
![Endangered golden monkey sitting in eucalyptus tree in Virunga forest of Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.](https://images.followalice.com/6ol1JrctVXvihwgEkOyB4s/356ab2e342b3360f3931ecf754a4c00c/Endangered_golden_monkey_sitting_in_eucalyptus_tree_in_Virunga_forest_of_Volcanoes_National_Park__Rwanda..jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
![Silverback mountain gorilla eating in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda](https://images.followalice.com/52wgH5oawYnRZtxXu9erLX/4487e8675d68109ec4abff0ac51aaefe/Silverback_mountain_gorilla_eating_in_Mgahinga_Gorilla_National_Park__Uganda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=534)
![A hiker wearing all weather clothes and a backpack against a Mountain background at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda](https://images.followalice.com/26VXV1kRhZxJVGFk6I9FUz/9f1fab28ab92046cd65b9ef75bfe1fa7/A_hiker_wearing_all_weather_clothes_and_a_backpack_against_a_Mountain_background_at_Mgahinga_Gorilla_National_Park__Uganda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
A golden monkey trek helps you to acclimatise
Altitude sickness tends to strike from around 3,000 m above sea level, though for some it can appear at a lower altitude, especially if you've flown in from sea level.
![Sign post for end of forest zone in Mgahinga National Park, Uganda](https://images.followalice.com/28XZGGacLYj3hr0HTTAgDj/eab1cfd9981aeb268fa23cbb4804eb48/Sign_post_for_end_of_forest_zone_in_Mgahinga_National_Park__Uganda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
![Tourist filming mountain gorilla in bamboo forest of Volcanoes National Park, Virunga, Rwanda](https://images.followalice.com/6mYSHXxofGRWIWgmqCE3RU/4a9682fee28f371b5fe3cf6a885f2378/Tourist_filming_mountain_gorilla_in_bamboo_forest_of_Volcanoes_National_Park__Virunga__Rwanda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
![Close up of resting mountain gorilla seen through foliage in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda](https://images.followalice.com/4sQKjrSMPo2kdGcN7nVkYe/c5bfcb2da5e9abbfb8f89ea2793e6ce5/Close_up_of_resting_mountain_gorilla_seen_through_foliage_in_Volcanoes_National_Park__Rwanda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
By doing a golden monkey trek first, you're helping your body acclimatise to the high altitude before asking it to likely go even higher on a gorilla trek.
One hike in the Virungas simply isn't enough!
![Scenic view of a swamp at Mount Gahinga in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda](https://images.followalice.com/3CQgutXPaBtEhirHYFKWUY/8f77086a2139a2edfcefed0f50332837/Scenic_view_of_a_swamp_at_Mount_Gahinga_in_the_Mgahinga_Gorilla_National_Park__Uganda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
![Endangered golden monkey sitting on buffalo wall in Virunga forest of Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.](https://images.followalice.com/7BhpV7cfJMOiRr9QG6VJP/17f0f2dcd908f940ae05cb40a14ec87f/Endangered_golden_monkey_sitting_on_buffalo_wall_in_Virunga_forest_of_Volcanoes_National_Park__Rwanda..jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
![Common stone chat, Virunga, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda](https://images.followalice.com/59ISg2fBFmg5Clkeo2vEGw/ce80e5e88736576c2f5bc660e7739f10/Common_stone_chat__Virunga__Volcanoes_National_Park__Rwanda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
![Scenic view of Kisoro Town seen from Mount Muhabura in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda](https://images.followalice.com/7DepIBZXWEvUmj68M5ApQQ/c28154091b665845c9964e7c5ef57ea8/Scenic_view_of_Kisoro_Town_seen_from_Mount_Muhabura_in_the_Mgahinga_Gorilla_National_Park__Uganda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
Golden monkey trekking is relatively cheap
![An infant mountain gorilla seen in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda](https://images.followalice.com/6kPjv3lWp4cgZFX1UnAlfU/00493b229ee246ccf966f05df911ba40/An_infant_mountain_gorilla_seen_in_Mgahinga_Gorilla_National_Park__Uganda.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
Go for broke and trek to see chimps as well?
![Chimpanzee on the branch of the tree in natural habitat, Rwanda](https://images.followalice.com/22Y8lfchDLmGPxaYQtmYzs/b0e46f130ffd173c1eb7857e030f5987/Ours._Chimpanzee_on_the_branch_of_the_tree_in_natural_habitat._Green_natural_background._Rwanda__Africa__1_.jpg?q=80&fit=fill&f=center&w=800&h=533)
East Africa offers three rare and incredible animal encounters that take place on beautiful forest hikes: mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys.