Best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda

Wondering when to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking?! Gorilla trekking in Uganda is an activity like no other. The experience of trekking mountain gorillas in Uganda is even better and more memorable when visitors trek during the best time of the year.

Worldwide, these majestic primates can only be found in four habitats of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The price of a gorilla permit in these three gorilla trekking destinations is different with D.R Congo charging 400USD per permit, Uganda 700USD and Rwanda 1,500 USD.

Best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda

Uganda’s weather is marked by two major seasons: The dry season and the wet season. Each of these seasons occurs twice in a year. The dry seasons begin in December to February and June to August whereas the wet seasons fall in the month of March to May and September to November. Gorilla trekking is an all-year round activity and can therefore be done anytime.

The wet season comes with its own challenges which make gorilla trekking more strenuous. This includes making the forest trails muddy and slippery for trekkers. However, this shouldn’t be a worrying factor as the rains in Bwindi and Mgahinga last for about 2-3 hours and the sun is out again. It is also during the rainy season that travelers to Uganda are able to see the lush green vegetation of the country side. The rain season is also a perfect time for travelers intending to incorporate the gorilla trekking safari with bird watching since it is the breeding season for birds.  It is also not a guarantee that there will be no rain during the dry season as Bwindi and Mgahinga are tropical rain forests that receive unpredictable rains any time of the day therefore the rain factor shouldn’t be a hindrance to the activity.

The dry season (between June to August) is when the conditions are more ideal for the activity (This is also the high and busiest season in the country). It is during this time that the skies are more clear, allowing visitors to watch these primates with less obstruction from over grown vegetation and mist since the gorilla parks are in high altitude areas. This season is also the best for wildlife viewing and therefore visitors may choose to incorporate their gorilla trekking safari with a visit to one of the savanna parks such as Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park or Lake Mburo National Park for a spectacular wildlife viewing experience.

All said, the final decision on when to travel for the gorilla trekking safari lies with the clients, putting into consideration some of the factors mentioned above.