Monkeyland

Monkeyland opened in 1998 as a release site for primates coming out of laboratories, zoos and the pet trade, and the principle is that the animals live loose in about twelve hectares of indigenous forest rather than in enclosures - visitors are the ones who are restricted, moving through on a guided walk of roughly an hour. Several species share the forest, including capuchins, squirrel monkeys, gibbons, lemurs and vervets, and the mix is deliberately multi-species because the residents arrive from everywhere. A rope suspension bridge over a ravine is the halfway point of the walk. Sightings depend entirely on where the troops happen to be, and guides are honest that some walks see far more than others. It shares a site and a combined ticket with Birds of Eden. Feeding, touching and carrying food are not allowed.

What you actually see

• Free-roaming primates - animals loose in twelve hectares, visitors on a guided route.
• A multi-species mix - capuchins, squirrel monkeys, gibbons, lemurs and others together.
• The rope bridge - a suspension crossing over a forest ravine.
• Rescued residents - animals from laboratories, zoos and the pet trade.

When to go

All year; early morning and late afternoon are most active. Two hours including the walk.

Honest expectations

Sightings are genuinely variable - a quiet walk can see very little. Walks are guided only and leave on a schedule. The forest paths are muddy after rain. Combined tickets with Birds of Eden make it an expensive stop.

Nearby

Birds of Eden is on the same site; the Bloukrans bridge is east.