Best Time to go Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
Best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the aspects that most travellers do want to consider when planning a gorilla safari in Uganda. Uganda, The Pearl of Africa, is one of the four gorilla destinations in the world to inhabit or host the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Gorillas in Uganda are inhabited in the lush Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, all located in the south western part of Uganda. The other gorilla destinations in the world are Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda, which together with Mgahinga Gorilla National Park of Uganda form the Virunga Massifs. Gorillas in Uganda can be visited and encountered on gorilla trekking safaris, as well as gorilla habituation experiences in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Due to the wonderful climatic conditions of Uganda and the fact that the country is crossed by the Equator, Uganda is a perfect all year round travel destination. Uganda receives two seasons, the dry and wet season. The wet season in Uganda is received twice in a year, in the months of October to November and Mid-March through May. The dry season in Uganda happens in the months June through September and January through February, having the country receive two dry seasons too in the same year.
The discussion on the best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is high on almost every traveller intending to visit Uganda, and some of those that have visited at a particular time all have their thoughts and experiences on different online and offline travel forums like Tripadvisor. One thing for sure is that gorilla safaris in Uganda take place in the very lush rainforest areas that one of them is actually an “impenetrable” rainforest. These rainforests and mountainous areas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park of Uganda are open for gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experiences all year through, irrespective of the prevailing season. This is because these areas do receive rainfall any time of the day, even if it is the dry season given that the parks are equatorial rainforests and mountainous.
To many, the best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the dry season which is also the high or peak season of travel. The dry season falls in the months of June to September, and January and February. However much they are considered drier months, rains can still fall at any time of the day, though it just won’t be as heavy as they would have been as is in the months of April, May and November.
The dry season comes with a high competition to get gorilla trekking permits as well as gorilla habituation experience permits, given that many travellers do want to travel then; as well as accommodation in the gorilla destinations are usually high-rated and require advance booking. Be sure to start preparations for your Uganda gorilla safari in the dry season much earlier, at least 2-3 months in advance. Expect a bit of crowd in the parks too, especially in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The rainy season is quite honestly hard to hike the jungles given that the paths are rather very slippery and muddy, let alone the rains that do fall. Most a times, it is usually sunny in the morning with the rains falling in the early afternoon hours only for it to shine again in the afternoon.
This makes gorilla trekking in Uganda quite hard, but some travellers do enjoy and welcome the challenge that this poses and therefore choose to take up Uganda gorilla safaris even in the rainy season. During the wet season also, accommodation rates are reduced to lure travellers into visiting; the gorillas are easily encountered given that there is plenty of food for them even at the lower altitudes unlike during the dry season when the gorillas go further high and deeper into the rainforest making the gorilla trek all the more strenuous; also, the crowds are scarce in the parks during the wet season thereby giving travellers some sort of privacy during gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park most especially. To some travellers, this to them is therefore the best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda, in their own perspective. This is mostly taken up by travellers on budget, as well as the very adventurous travellers.
The best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is left to one to choose what they do prefer over the other; gorilla trekking in Uganda is however open throughout the year. Irrespective of the weather and season, say dry or wet season being experienced by the Uganda gorilla destinations, the success of one’s gorilla trekking experience depends on how much one prepared for the activity at hand.
Be sure to mentally and physically ready to hike the deep lush jungles of Africa to encounter the mountain gorillas, which most a times do love being in much higher altitudes. Do some altitude related exercises, as well as carry the essential gorilla trekking gear and once in the parks and feel you do need help, hire the services of a porter who are readily available for hire at an extra cost. Have an experienced tour operator to put together one of the most memorable and once-in-a lifetime experiences you can ever have.
