Apes' Den

NOTE: The Gibraltar Cable Car is currently closed for refurbishment. Reach the Upper Rock by taxi tour (around £35-50 per group) or by walking up via Royal Anglian Way (about 90 minutes, free). The Barbary macaques of Gibraltar are the most talked-about thing on the Rock, and the Apes' Den is where you'll find them in numbers. Perched on the Upper Rock at around 450 metres above sea level, this rocky open area is where the troops gather, especially in the mornings when keepers bring food. They're wild animals. Worth reminding yourself of that when one jumps onto your shoulder without warning. Gibraltar has around 300 macaques split across several troops, but the Apes' Den troop is the most accessible and the one most visitors encounter. These are Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus), the only wild primates in Europe. The legend that Britain will hold Gibraltar for as long as the apes remain is well known here. Winston Churchill reportedly ordered their numbers replenished during the Second World War when they dropped dangerously low. Watching them is endlessly entertaining. The younger ones are boldly curious, tugging at bags and investigating cameras. The older males sit at a distance doing a convincing impression of not caring. Mothers carry infants clinging to their undersides, navigating the rocky terrain with an ease that makes you feel faintly inadequate. A few things to know before you visit. Do not feed the macaques. It is illegal under Gibraltar law and carries a fine. They are well-fed by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS) and do not need tourist snacks. Keep bags zipped and phones in your pocket. They are opportunistic and fast. Do not hold prolonged eye contact with the dominant males. It reads as a challenge and they will respond accordingly. The Apes' Den sits within the Upper Rock Nature Reserve. Entry requires a combined ticket (£19 for adults, covering all major Upper Rock attractions including St Michael's Cave, the Great Siege Tunnels, and the Skywalk). You can drive up via the Jews' Gate entrance. Allow at least 30 to 40 minutes here, longer if you want proper photographs. Early morning visits tend to give calmer, more natural behaviour before the tour groups arrive.