Best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda

Best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda; gorilla trekking is an adventurous and the most famous activity that attracts tourists in Uganda. Gorilla trekking in Uganda involves moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the endangered mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two destinations that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in southwestern region. Uganda is known for harboring half of the world’s mountain gorilla population which makes it the most visited gorilla destination. Apart from Uganda, gorilla trekking is also done in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda

Gorilla trekking in Uganda during the dry/ peak season

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season there is less or little rainfall in the gorilla destinations therefore vegetation will be thin which helps you to view the mountain gorillas and other wildlife species clearly and also access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes trekking easy.

Though the dry season also known as the peak season is the best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda there are some disadvantages such as scarcity of gorilla trekking permits due to higher numbers of tourists and high accommodation rates for luxury lodges.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda during the wet/ low season

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can also be done in the wet season also known as the low season in the months of March to May, October to November. Though the wet season is characterized by heavy rains, tourists can still carry out their gorilla trekking activity because it doesn’t rain the whole day. There are a number of advantages for tourists who want to visit the mountain gorillas during the wet season such as availability of many gorilla trekking permits which favors last minute travelers, fewer tourists in the gorilla destinations which gives you an opportunity to enjoy the park with fewer crowds and most luxury lodges offer discounts hence favoring budget clients.

Gorilla trekking experience

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park starts early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing you will be subdivided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Gorilla trekking takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where the gorilla families are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, view different bird species, plants, mammals among others. Once the mountain gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their lifestyle, behaviors, watch them feed, play, breastfeed, groom young ones, take photos and record the moments.

Tourists who wish to visit the mountain gorillas in either Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park are required to purchase a gorilla trekking permit which costs 700 USD per person for foreign non residents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.

Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. Gorilla trekking permits should however be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because they are competitive and usually get sold out quickly especially during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February therefore in order to avoid last minute disappointments you are advised to book in advance.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be done anytime throughout the year therefore it’s up to you to choose the season when you want to visit the endangered mountain gorillas. For more information about the best time to go for gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for affordable gorilla trekking packages in either Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park.