Our monkey safaris are fun, exciting and extremely informative. Our guests leave Monkeyland with a greater understanding of primates and the unrelenting threats they are facing in the world today.

...be educated about the primate species and other animals who live in our world today. Our knowledgeable rangers will tell you all about these fascinating creatures as you encounter them in their magnificent home. They will also point out, identify and explain the many wonders of life in the forest, from the rich diversity of bird life to the intricate workings of the forest itself.

...walk across the 128m suspension bridge in Africa.
The longest suspension bridge in Africa. Part of the safari for those who wish to, is a walk across a rope bridge which spans a canyon above the forest canopy giving you a birds eye view of an otherwise seldom seen part of the forest and its inhabitants.

...learn to appreciate your closest living relatives
The arrival of any new primate at Monkeyland is important, as this signifies possibly the only chance that individual primate will ever have of being free. When seeing Monkeyland’s primates moving about freely in the forest and enjoying their newfound freedom, it is difficult to believe that they were previously caged.

One of the true joys of our safaris is finding and observing the various species in the forest, as they go about the foliage foraging and doing the things wild monkeys do. The instincts of animals born and bred in captivity become dormant. An important objective of the “Eden Syndrome” is the release of the primal instincts. Only then are these lovely creatures equipped to lead a natural life.

…lunch and shop
All safaris start and end at the Main Lodge building, which boasts a large sunny deck, the Forest Café and a well stocked curio store. We are proud of the service of our friendly staff, whether you are ordering something from the kitchen or just relaxing in the ambiance of the surrounding forest, whilst as monkeys forage and and climb around in the trees.

All the exotic monkeys at Monkeyland come from captive conditions. After a rehabilitation and reintroduction period, known as the “Eden Syndrome”, they are released into the multiple canopy forest of Monkeyland to spend the remainder of their lives as free-roaming primates.

All the primates at Monkeyland are under the custody of Touch A Monkey’s Heart Foundation, a non-profit animal welfare company REG NO 008-464 NPO. Touch a Monkey’s Heart Foundation continuously strives to make the world a better place for our closest living relatives.

Birds of Eden, encapsulates 2 cubic hectares of indigenous forest and houses previously caged and rehabilitated birds, excluding raptors. The sanctuary is also home to a variety of free roaming miniature monkeys, such as cotton-top and golden-handed tamarins.

As with Monkeyland, Birds of Eden is a world first. The sanctuary is larger than the UK Millennium Dome, it’s free-flight capacity is larger than any individual free-flight dome in the world – including the famous Kuala Lampur & Jarong Bird Park.

Birds of Eden is home to a wide variety of birds, however the sanctuary aims to become home to the largest collection of free flight African birds (as catalyst), but it will also always offer pet bird owners the opportunity to free their birds (including exotic species, after a quarantine period) into the sanctuary to live a better life.

At Monkeyland one cannot walk around the forest without having a ranger present. We offer a one hour guided walk through the forest, where the ranger will track down the primates and tell you more about them.

On the other hand, Birds of Eden has a 1.2 km wooden walkway, along which visitors can stroll at their own pace. If required, guides for Birds of Eden can be pre-booked or booked on the day of arrival.

We are often asked whether we sustain our sanctuaries on government funding and/or private donations. The answer to this is no. Both Monkeyland and Birds of Eden are totally self-sustaining by means of the tours we conduct in the forest. Every patron, or rather tourist, entering our forest directly assists us to sustain Monkeyland and Birds of Eden. Furthermore, the funds we manage to save, after expenses, enable us to develop further sanctuaries and rehabilitate many more bird and primate species into our sanctuaries.

In a nutshell, Monkeyland and Birds of Eden strive to achieve an effective balance between conservation and economic reality. As result of this, our sanctuaries are tourism driven, totally sustainable and will never rely on hand-outs.

Dictionaries define a sanctuary for animals as merely a place where animals are protected from hunting. A true sanctuary for primates and/or birds should, however, also be a place of refuge to protect them from much more than hunting. They must also be protected against exploitation, abuse, neglect and improper care.

At both Monkeyland and Birds of Eden, care exceeds the regulations regarding animal welfare. Our sanctuaries are, above all, safe havens where animals are rehabilitated, both physically and emotionally. Part of this rehabilitation is the reintroduction to members of their own species, through a process known as the “Eden Syndrome”. If the animal is to behave naturally in a free environment, it must first be allowed to return to its natural state.

We only create sanctuaries. Places where the animals can be as natural as possible, where they are free living, where they are not caged and they can do as they please.

No, we do not support or have any affiliation with the Pet Trade.

There are no primates or birds that are well suited as pets. Any specie of primate or bird is actually a wild animal and should be free. Both birds and monkeys become frustrated when kept as a pet.

The primates and birds cannot simply live off the berries and grubs they find in the forest. There are feeding platforms throughout the forest for the primates at Monkeyland and the birds at Birds of Eden. A variety of fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables are laid out each day. The primates do forage through the forest eating leaves, seeds and some insect prey, but 99% of the food they consume we supply. Ditto regarding the birds.

Part of the safari fee funds the buying of the food from various outlets. Don’t fool yourself to think they eat food which is past its sell by date. The food our primates and birds eat is the same fruit, vegetable, nuts etc. that you purchase.As with humans, monkeys and birds have taste buds so why on earth would they want to eat inferior food?

There is a 6.5-meter fence surrounding 12 hectares of forest at Monkeyland for two reasons. Firstly to keep the primates in and secondly to keep predators or other wild animals out. The primates are happy at Monkeyland, they have everything they need, and therefore they have no reason or need to leave.

2 cubic hectares of our sanctuary’s property has been used for Birds of Eden, and the remaining 28 hectares serves as a green belt for the wild animals such as vervet monkeys, baboons, bushpig and various buck species who live in the surrounding forests.

Simply said – because you will relish every moment. It is wonderful to see both primates and birds live a life of freedom. No cages, just enjoying life, as they should in a wild and natural habitat.

By visiting you are also directly assisting us with our conservation projects. Every cent we make is used for conservation.

Anytime between 8am and 5pm is perfect for a visit. Remember, our primates and birds are free and we can therefore not predict their daily movements.

Our primates and birds are wild and continue with their day-to-day activities, come rain or shine so you won’t miss anything. The only reason the tour will stop is if the client does not want to continue.

Monkeyland is situated ± 20 minutes outside Plettenberg Bay just off the N2. It is ±6 hours from Cape Town, 2 hrs 30 min from George, 45 min from Knysna and about 1 hour 30 min from Jeffrey's Bay.

The closest airport is Plettenberg Bay, though there is a restricted service flying into this small airport. Alternatively, the airports in George is next closest and then there is Port Elizabeth airport.