When to visit mountain gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda

Visiting the habituated gorilla families of Uganda and Rwanda has always been a favorite activity for most tourists. For tourists planning to do gorilla tracking in Africa, the first choice must lie between Volcanoes national park of Rwanda, Mgahinga gorilla national park, and Bwindi impenetrable forest national park of Uganda. Rwanda and Uganda have the same average temperature which is 22 and they usually drop at night to 12. The level of rainfalls in the country each year is between 1000-2000mm which good for the growth and increasing in the number of these primates as well as mountain gorilla trekking safaris year to year.

Uganda is among the most and attractive destinations in Africa. The rainy season in Uganda is divided into two seasons that is in between the months of October-November and another one from mid-March to the end of May. The rest of the months are taken as the dry season. These days Uganda has experienced some climate changes which has made it difficult to know the weather as it was years back. This is also important to note that Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is a tropical rain forest so at any time it can rain even in the dry season, and so it is difficult to know when is the best time to visit the mountain gorillas of Uganda. Therefore, tourists are always advised to carry the recommended gear for gorilla trekking so that they complete their dream of seeing the endangered unique primates instead of focusing on the weather.

High season.

The high season is known as the dry season in all-mountain gorilla destinations and this happens between the months of June-August and December- February. During this season, there is little or no rainfall. Therefore, the best time to enjoy mountain gorilla trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda are the months between June-August and December-February when the hiking trails are not too muddy and slippery which makes this activity excellent thus enabling tourists to trek during the dry season.

In addition, December is also considered as the busiest month of the year, this is because most the travelers in the whole world prefer getting a long holiday or vacation when the year is ending. So, if you’re planning to visit or to do gorilla trekking at such time to book your gorilla permits in advance like 3month back before the traveling dates to avoid inconveniences.

Low season.

Tourists who travel during the rainy season, usually experience real adventure to the fullest. this is because during this season the mountain gorilla destinations receive few people in the forest. Also, most of the accommodation facilities offer discounts as few travelers come for gorilla tracking and the hotels and lodges are in less demand than the high season. You can also book your gorilla or chimpanzee permits at the last minute because they are always available during this season.  However, in the rainy season, most of the hiking trails are used to be slippery and muddy which makes gorilla tracking difficult to complete.

Items necessary for gorilla trekking.

While coming for gorilla trekking, you need to be prepared enough to face the challenges that happen when searching for mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. These are items one should carry for trekking gorillas as discussed briefly below: –

Rain Jacket, mountain gorilla destinations are tropical rainforests so, at any time of the year, it can rain, so remember to carry a rain jacket just in case it rains.

Long-Sleeved Shirts, you are advised to wear clothes that cover the full body to protect your body from flies and tropical insects that can affect your body.

Hat and Sun Glasses are also important, especially in the dry seasons.

Insect repellents, it is used to avoid tropical insects that may affect your body like mosquitos.

Mountain gorilla trekking begins very early in the morning so you are advised to carry packed lunch, snacks, and energy drinks, you may get hungry and thirsty and you need a packed lunch, drinking water, and energy drinks. Your lodge can help you to pack lunch and drinking water.

Binoculars:  you also advised to carry a pair of binoculars mostly bird lovers because mountain gorilla natural habitats are also home to other wildlife such as birds, small primates, butterflies, moths, antelopes, forest hogs, and much more.

Tourists are also provided with a walking stick free of charge at the starting point or at your reserved hotel to support you in the muddy and slippery trails as well as while hiking.

Porter fees, you can hire an experienced porter who will help you in hiking long distances. The services for porters can cost $15.

In conclusion, mountain gorillas of Uganda or Rwanda can be visited all year round, and each season offers an unforgettable experience. You are always advised to prepare yourself enough mostly by  improving your fitness and also carry important items so all these will help you to do and enjoy this activity whether in dry or wet seasons. Another important information to note is that always focus on your interests and getting in touch with Wild Epic Safaris now so that we can help you to get a permit for a mountain gorilla trekking tour to Uganda or Rwanda at a low price and enjoy an unforgettable experience.