Best Time for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda: Ultimate Guide for  Every Season

When organising African wildlife safari Holiday Tours, it is important to know the Best Time for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda for those looking forward to spotting the endangered primates in their natural habitat. Knowing the best time for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda not only makes people plan adequately for the once-in-a-lifetime exploration of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga National Park and the Virunga Volcanoes (Muhabura, Sabyinyo, Karisimbi, Mikeno, Nyiragongo, Nyamuragira and Gahinga) at the borderline with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo home to the last remaining 1,000 mountain gorillas.

Note that Uganda’s Gorilla Trekking Safari is undertaken all year round, making it possible for visitors to engage in thrilling African adventures, depending on the convenience of the trekkers. It is possible to enjoy the best Gorilla Trek Safari during the wet season (Low Season) and have memorable encounters with any of the 20 Habituated Gorilla Families in Uganda, spending 1 hour watching the gentle creatures. This tour rewards people with the new “Low-season Gorilla Permit” that allows foreigners to pay $600 compared to the $800 Gorilla Permits for the high season travelers hence a good time to have a discounted safari.

The most recommended time to visit Uganda’s two sanctuaries for gorilla safaris (Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park) is during the months from June to September, and December to January. At this time, it is much easier to traverse the thick bushes and move along the difficult terrains during the Gorilla Trekking Safari Adventure in the Pearl of Africa

Gorilla Tracking Seasons in East Africa (Uganda, Rwanda)-What are the two seasons for Gorilla Trek?

A)  High Season (Peak-Period for Gorillas)

High Season is the period characterized by a huge influx of people coming from all-over the world to experience the one in a life time chance to spot the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This period coincides with the dry season that occurs in two periods: Long Dry Season & Short Dry Season between June to September and December to January every year.
The dry season is characterized by less difficult walks along the main walking trails in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga to see the “Nyakagezi Gorilla Family”, a habituated group in this park. During the dry months from June to September and December to January, the rains are low with an average of 60 millimeters received, implying that the main hiking routes are less muddy and the teams of hikers in the jungle will not suffer much. Once the assigned group of apes is found, the trekkers can clearly watch the animals like infants playing in the trees for 1 hour due to the less foliage around them.
To enjoy the scenery at the sanctuaries of apes in Africa, one has to pay for the Gorilla Trekking Permits issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to access their home. The high season fee for the Permit is $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents and UGX 300,000 for East African citizens.

B). Low Season (Low-Period for Gorilla Adventures in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park)

The “Low Season” is the period when few people subscribe for the Gorilla Permit and there is lower turnout by visitors. The low season for Gorilla Tracking is usually in the wet seasons that happen twice a year in the months from March-May and October-November when the jungle possesses thick vegetation cover and slippery trails.

The first wet season starts in March after the short-dry period between December and February and ends in May. The period from March to May exhibits very wet conditions such as heavy rainfall and slippery walking routes. At the beginning of this period in March, the trekking conditions faced by the team of trekkers looking for the families of the gentle apes of Africa include; increasing mud and the hiking routes begin to develop mud after the start of the rains. April is the wettest month to trek for the wild gorillas as it receives high rainfall approximately 165 to 194 millimeters (6.5 to 7.6 inches). It is famous for the most challenging hike in the 4 sectors of Bwindi Park (Rushaga, Buhoma, Ruhija and Nkuringo). After the rains reduce to a moderate level in May, visitors in this month are spoiled with beautiful sceneries, lush green rainforests, and quiet jungles and they have the whole park to themselves.

The second period of the Low Season starts in October and ends in November. It is the period after the High Season running from June to September, the dry months that many people prefer to trek in Mgahinga and Bwindi. Rains are normally scarce away people who are not prone to difficult terrains and want easy exploration of the national parks for gorillas. However, the total cost of the safari in the low season is much lower compared to the high period making it more budget-friendly. It comes with the Low-Season Gorilla Permits costing $600 per head to spend 1 hour with the silverbacks and their gorilla families.

What is the most Budget friendly time for Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda? Best time to organize a Budget-friendly Uganda trekking safari for Gorillas

The Low Season is the most budget friendly time to organize the Gorilla Tracking Safari in Uganda. This period is influenced by the high rainfall experience in the two wet seasons in East Africa taking place from March-May and October-November. Despite the advantages of the dry season travel in the months June-September and December-February, the wet season provides some of the best encounters with the creatures in the montane rainforests of the Virunga Massif (Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Virunga National Park in D.R Congo) and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
It rewards primate lovers with a low lodge rate (30% discount), fewer visitors to the park, Low Season Permits ($600 compared to the normal standard permit at $800), shorter treks to the nearby families, to mention.

What is the best time to start the Gorilla Trekking Adventure on the day for trek?

While embarking on the Uganda Wildlife Safaris, it is important to bear in mind that the trek starts early morning at the visitors’ receiving point at the two primate sanctuaries of Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga Park. The trekkers are expected to be awake by 5:00 am, head for breakfast, carry a packed lunch from their accommodation and drive to the reception of the park. The staff expects visitors to be at the park by 6:00 am, welcomed with a traditional dance, grouped into groups of 8 members, assigned a Habituated Gorilla family and briefed about the rules and guidelines of the gorilla tracking tour. After that the trek starts under the lead of a ranger guide, porters to carry the backpack and trekkers are given Gorilla Walking Sticks to help them
hike through the rugged terrains and bushes.

What is the Best time to book for the Gorilla Trip?

To avoid delays and inconvenience in travel for the Uganda Holiday, the best time to book for the Gorilla Trip/Safari is 6 months before embarking on the journey to East Africa. Booking for the safari can be done before a recognized travel agent or tour operator in East Africa and you will be guided on the various Gorilla Trekking options to help you enjoy the Ultimate Africa Wildlife Experience. If you are looking forward to enjoying a tour in the home of the endangered primate of Africa, book with us today. Nirvana Safaris Ltd is a leading tour operator organizing numerous travel experiences to East Africa and we have created lasting memories for many of our clients who have taken part in the thrilling exploration of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.