When to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

If you want to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi, what is the best time to go? Despite the fact that the park is open all year long, locating gorillas is much more difficult during the rainy season, which lasts from April to May and September to November. Considering that the forest is in a tropical area, the weather patterns are variable. There is a considerable drop in temperature from daytime highs of 23 to 26 degrees celsius to nighttime lows of 11 degrees celsius.

The everyday mist, morning or afternoon downpours, cool temperatures, bright skies, and hot sunshine are typical features of the weather in Bwindi Forest. The best months to see gorillas in Bwindi forest are generally regarded to be the dry seasons between December and February and June and September. Prices are typically high due to competition, though, because these are the busiest times of year for gorilla trekking. Your gorilla safari, which must include gorilla permits and lodging, must be scheduled far in advance (at least three months).

Although the dry season can be the easiest gorilla trekking conditions, other visitors prefer to see gorillas during rainy seasons because of the relatively lower costs of the gorilla safari. During longer rains in March, April to May and short ones from October, September to November Uganda Wildlife Authority lowers the gorilla permits for the visitors.

Even though gorilla trekking in Bwindi is much sought after by tourists traveling to Uganda, it continues to be the most environmentally friendly activity ever. Before scheduling a gorilla safari, guests must thoroughly study and comprehend the rules and regulations governing gorilla trekking. Let me walk you through the comparison so you can better comprehend this.

Month by month breakdown.

January – February:  These are usually fairly dry, with Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo, all experiencing good conditions for trekking at a time of year often thought of as low season. It’s among the best time for Gorilla trekking and peak season where tourists storm Gorilla parks to encounter Gorillas in their natural habitat.

March – May: These are wet months, as well as in Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. Mountain gorilla permits in Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  March, April and May are considered as low season and Gorilla parks register low turn-ups.

June – July – August : This is the major Gorilla trekking season – you can as well combine Gorilla watching with wildebeest migration in Tanzania taking place over the plains of the Serengeti. Do book as far in advance as possible at this time Gorilla permits can be sold out before securing yours.

September and October: These are the best time to go gorilla watching if you are also planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, across the border in Tanzania, as conditions are ideal for both activities.

November is another soggy month – but again, Democratic Republic of Congo often lower the price of their permits. It’s a rainy month and low turn up is registered in all Gorilla parks.

By mid-December it’s eased off to light showers and if you are looking for an alternative Christmas holiday, then you could do at lot worse than heading to East Africa to go gorilla watching.