You can trek gorillas in Uganda every month of the year, and the animals are there whatever the weather. What changes with the seasons is how muddy the trails are, how quickly permits sell out, how good your photographs will be, and what else you can add to the trip. This guide breaks the year down month by month so you can choose dates that suit your priorities.
The short answer
For the easiest walking, choose June to September or December to February. Trails are drier, views are clearer and the chances of a rain-free hour with the gorillas are best. For fewer visitors, easier permit availability and lush green scenery, choose March to May or October to November, and pack good waterproofs. Both work well, and the right choice depends on whether you value comfort or quiet more.
How Uganda's seasons work
Uganda sits on the equator, so it does not have four seasons. Instead, it has two dry seasons and two rainy seasons, though the boundaries shift from year to year and mountain forests like Bwindi get rain in almost every month. Bwindi sits between roughly 1,200 and 2,600 metres above sea level, and the altitude keeps temperatures moderate: mornings can be chilly, and the middle of the day rarely feels hot.
- Long dry season, June to September. The most reliable weather of the year. Rainfall is lower, trails are firmer and skies are clearer, though showers still happen because the forest creates its own weather.
- Short rains, October to November. Rain returns, often as afternoon storms. The forest is green and quiet, and lodges are usually less busy.
- Short dry season, December to February. Another good window, with drier trails and pleasant temperatures. It overlaps with holidays, so permits and lodges are in high demand around Christmas and New Year.
- Long rains, March to May. The wettest period. Trails can be slippery and roads to some sectors can be difficult, but the landscape is spectacular and visitor numbers are lowest.
Month by month
| Month | Conditions | What it means for your trip |
|---|---|---|
| January | Dry, warm days, cool mornings | Excellent trekking. Book well ahead after the holidays. |
| February | Mostly dry, rains starting late in the month | Good conditions and easier permits than January. |
| March | Rains begin | Muddier trails, lush forest, quieter parks. |
| April | Wettest month in many years | Heaviest rain, lowest demand. Bring serious waterproofs. |
| May | Heavy rain easing | Improving conditions, still low demand. |
| June | Dry season begins | Firmer trails, rising demand. |
| July | Dry | Peak season. Permits go fast. |
| August | Dry | Peak season. Best weather and highest demand. |
| September | Mostly dry, first showers late in the month | Still very good, a little easier than July and August. |
| October | Rains returning | Green and quiet, with afternoon showers. |
| November | Wet | Low demand and lush scenery, with some muddy roads. |
| December | Dry season begins | Very popular around Christmas. Book early. |
Treat these as patterns rather than promises. Weather varies from year to year, and even in the driest month you should expect the forest to be damp underfoot.
Does the season change how you see the gorillas?
The gorillas themselves do not disappear or become harder to find in the wet months. Trackers locate families every day regardless of weather. What does change is how far families range in search of food. When fruit is abundant or bamboo shoots are in season, families may move to particular parts of the forest, which can make the walk shorter or longer than average. Your guide cannot predict this in advance, and it is a reason to be flexible about your fitness expectations rather than a reason to avoid a season.
Rain can affect photography. Light under the forest canopy is dim in any weather, and rain makes it dimmer. If photography is important to you, a fast lens and good rain covers matter more than the month of the year. On the other hand, wet fur and mist can create dramatic images, and some photographers prefer the greener, moodier atmosphere of the rainy months.
How the sectors differ in wet and dry weather
Bwindi is large and its sectors sit at different altitudes, so the same month can feel very different from one trailhead to the next.
- Buhoma in the north is lower and warmer. Trails are steep but the forest is a little drier underfoot, and the road from Kihihi and the Queen Elizabeth side is relatively straightforward in most seasons.
- Ruhija in the east is higher, cooler and mistier, with bamboo and montane forest. Expect cold mornings and slick trails after rain.
- Rushaga in the south has a wide range of terrain. Some families range across gentler slopes, while others involve steep valleys, so the wet season affects the difficulty of a given day more than the sector as a whole.
- Nkuringo in the south-west is known for steep hillsides. After heavy rain the descent into the valley and the climb out can be hard work, and we usually suggest a porter and a walking pole.
- Mgahinga sits on volcano slopes at a higher elevation than most of Bwindi. It is noticeably colder, and mud and fog can be heavy in the wet months. The gorilla family there sometimes ranges outside the park, so flexibility matters more than season.
Packing by season
The rule is the same in every month, dress in layers and expect rain, but the balance shifts. In the dry season you may start with a fleece at dawn and be in a T-shirt by mid-morning. In the wet season the priority is keeping dry and preventing chafing from damp clothing, so quick-drying trousers and a proper waterproof jacket matter more than an extra warm layer.
- Waterproof hiking boots with good grip, broken in before you travel.
- Gaiters to keep mud, water and biting ants out of your boots.
- A breathable rain jacket, and a waterproof cover or dry bag for your camera.
- Long trousers and long sleeves in neutral colours.
- Garden gloves for gripping vines and thorny plants.
Weather is less predictable than it used to be
Older guidebooks describe neat rainy and dry seasons, but many people who work in Ugandan tourism now say rains arrive earlier, later or heavier than the calendar suggests. That is one more reason to treat the table above as a guide and to build a little flexibility into your plans. Arrive the day before your trek, keep a spare day around your gorilla date where possible, and avoid packing your schedule with tight connections. A resilient plan handles surprises better than a perfect forecast.
Roads, access and comfort
The biggest practical difference between seasons is the state of the roads. Access roads to some sectors, particularly Nkuringo and parts of Ruhija, are steep and unpaved, and in heavy rain they can become slow or need a four-wheel-drive vehicle. We assign vehicles and drivers experienced on these roads, and we schedule your arrival the afternoon before your trek so that a slow journey does not put your permit at risk. If you are travelling in March to May, allow extra time on drive days and consider flying between Entebbe and the trekking area. See our guide to gorilla trekking in Uganda for how the transport options compare.
Comfort also changes with the seasons. Dry-season mornings are cold enough for a fleece, and rainy-season days can be humid and warm under a waterproof jacket. Whatever the month, dress in layers, wear waterproof boots and gaiters, and carry a rain jacket. Our packing guide lists what we recommend.
Permits, lodges and prices across the year
Demand varies far more than the weather does. June to September and the Christmas to New Year period are the hardest months for permits and lodges, and we advise booking four to six months ahead for those dates. During the wet months, availability is much better and some lodges offer lower rates, though you should not assume every property will discount. Read our permit guide for how allocation works and why the permit should be booked first.
If your dates are flexible, the shoulder months of late May, early June, September and early October can offer a good balance: reasonably dry weather with lower demand than the peak of July and August.
Combining gorillas with other experiences
Seasonality affects what you can add to a gorilla trip:
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale. Possible all year. Sightings are generally reliable in any month.
- Game drives in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls. Easier in the dry seasons, when animals gather near water and grass is shorter. In the wet months, vegetation is thicker and some tracks can be difficult.
- Bird watching. Uganda has an exceptional bird list, and migratory species from Europe and Asia are present from around November to April, which makes the wetter months attractive to keen birders.
- Lake Bunyonyi and volcano hikes. Best on clear days, so more predictable in the dry months. See our destinations guide for options.
How to choose your dates
- Decide your priority. Comfort and photography usually point to the dry months. Quiet and flexibility point to the wet months.
- Check school holidays and public holidays. These are peak times for both international and regional visitors.
- Choose your sector. Some are easier in wet weather than others, and we can advise on this when we talk through your plans.
- Book the permit before flights. Then build the lodge and transport around it.
Have fixed dates?
Send them and we check permits by sector, then suggest the best ways to use the days around your trek.
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