Best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda.
When is the best time to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda? Gorilla trekking is an amazing and daring activity that you shouldn’t pass up while on safari there. Gorilla trekking entails walking through a tropical jungle to find habituated mountain gorillas and spending an hour with them in their natural environment.
Gorilla trekking is practiced in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and in Uganda’s two national parks, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, both of which are situated in the country’s southwest.
Both Rwanda and Uganda provide year-round gorilla trekking, and this article will explain the benefits and drawbacks of seeing the mountain gorillas throughout the wet/rainy and dry seasons.
Trekking with gorillas during the dry season
In Uganda and Rwanda, gorilla trekking is possible during the dry season, which is often referred to as the peak season, which falls in June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. Because there is less or no rainfall in the gorilla destinations during the dry season, access roads and gorilla trekking paths will be dry and passable, making walking easier.
This makes the dry season the ideal time of year to undertake gorilla trekking. Due to the fact that Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Volcanoes National Park are tropical rainforests, rain can fall at any time of day, regardless of the season, thus there is no assurance that there won’t be any during the dry season.
Because there will be less rainfall during the dry season, there will be less vegetation in the forests, making it easier to see the mountain gorillas and other park wildlife and capture stunning photos.
Travelers are recommended to make reservations in advance to prevent last-minute disappointments because gorilla trekking permits are in high demand and typically sell out quickly during the dry season.
Trekking with gorillas during the rainy season
In Uganda and Rwanda, gorilla trekking is also possible during the wet/rainy season, also referred to as the low season, which runs from March to April and October to November. This is because gorilla trekking permits are not as in high demand during this time as they are during the dry season, making it easier to obtain one even for last-minute travelers and allowing you to enjoy the park with fewer people.
Some premium lodges use discounts to draw guests during the wet/rainy season of gorilla trekking, which tends to favor low-budget travelers.
Travelers should bring the necessary gorilla trekking gear, such as hiking shoes, a lightweight, waterproof rain jacket, long-sleeved shirts and trousers, garden gloves, insect repellent, a walking stick, and a waterproof backpack, as the trails become muddy and slippery during the rainy season.
Experiences trekking with gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda
Early in the morning, participants in gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park receive a briefing on the guidelines they must adhere to. Following the briefing, you will be divided into groups of eight, with a park guide who is familiar with the gorilla trekking trails and a habituated gorilla family assigned to each group.
Because mountain gorillas prefer to roam around in search of food, trekking with them in Rwanda and Uganda can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 7 hours, depending on the gorillas’ location. You will be able to see a variety of birds and primates while gorilla trekking. After you locate the mountain gorillas, you will be able to spend an hour with them in their natural environment, where you can observe their daily activities, learn more about their habits, take pictures, and record videos to show back home.
The price of permits for gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda
While gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park cost 800 USD per person for foreign non-residents, 700 USD per person for foreign residents, and 300,000 UGX per person for East African citizens, gorilla trekking permits in Volcanoes National Park cost 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities.
