Uganda being crossed by the equator has a modified equatorial climate with two rainy seasons and because of this people tend to associate these rainy seasons with the best times to trek gorillas. This is true because when it is raining, it becomes hard to hike and trek in the impenetrable forest because of the heavy rains that make the trails too slippery.

That notwithstanding, some gorilla families need to drive for some time to reach at the beginning of the trail heads and because of this, if you don’t have a four wheel drive vehicle you might not make it to the gorillas. Besides that, vegetation tends to grow something that reduces chances of proper visibility and photography. All the above combined, the best time to visit the gorillas is to avoid the most rain seasons in Uganda.

African mountain gorilla trekking safaris is highly thought of as an experience of a lifetime, but knowing the best time to trek and photo these endangered animals is essential. Uganda is blessed with climate made up of two rainy seasons, the short one in October and November and a longer one from mid-March to May. The remaining months are dry although the current variations in weather patterns make it difficult to forecast the seasons.

High season; This is in the months of January, February, June, July, August, September and December where there is less rainfall and sometimes even no rains at all. Most travelers choose to travel during this season because of the dry weather and it is because of this that there is a high demand for the gorilla permits at this time. This means travelers have to book their permits well in advance and pay 30% of the total cost as booking fee. The dry season is perfect for trekking and photographing mountain gorillas, the mountain gorillas are found in the temperate weathered regions with raised landscapes, this means the climate remains cool all year round – perfect weather for length treks.

Low season; this is the best time for people traveling on budget; many people have enjoyed traveling to see the gorillas throughout the low season. The low season is known for its heavy rains between the months of March, April, May, and November, and it is this rainfall that discourages many prospective travelers. Lodge costs in the low season are also more favourable than during high season; since the occupancy rate is low, low prices are set to attract budget travelers. To add to all the discounted rates and with less people trekking mountain gorillas in the low season, the few who trek are allocated to different gorilla families, which provide them with closer and more exclusive interactions with them.

However despite the advantages during this season, rains make trekking and photographing difficult. The grounds become slippery and muddy, together with the showers and droplets, and can make for an uncomfortable or interesting experience for less experienced walkers. But despite the rain the trek will continue! There has never been a whole day lost to the rain. This means that the sun shines shortly after the rain has fallen, enabling trekkers to continue with the activity though slightly wet!

In Uganda, mountain gorilla trekking is done every day not minding whether it’s raining or shining. For all the years that gorilla trekking has been done, no single day has ever been cancelled because of bad weather.