Best time visiting Bwindi Forest
The best time for visiting Bwindi forest for amazing gorilla tracking safaris are June to August and December to February, because these are dry seasons. Whether you are a nature lover or a luxury traveler, picking a holiday at the best time possible is very crucial in your planning process.
December to February and June to August are the dry seasons of the year, in both the north and south of Uganda. These are months usually with less rainfall, so the daytime temperatures peak at the high of 20o C in the south and 300 C in the north. So, these are the best times to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a gorilla trekking experience.
These are still the best seasons for wildlife and game drive safaris in the rest of the national parks in Uganda. Junes is usually the start of the peak season in Uganda, so you’ll need to book far in advance for gorilla trekking permits and lodging in popular safari places.
Low rainfall makes the dry seasons the best for safaris and gorilla trekking in Uganda, thus the best time for visiting the Bwindi forest.
Best time for visiting Bwindi forest and other national parks
In parks like Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, and Murchison Falls, animals are congregating around water sources, which makes it easier to spot them. This is also a great season for gorilla trekking because the dry weather means that the paths are easier to hike through. These seasons are therefore the most popular months for travel.
March to May and September to November are the wettest months in Uganda. Some lodges in parks are closed for renovation while some roads in some parks may be impassable due to rain. They are thus the low seasons for tourism and are not ideal to travel for gorilla trekking and wildlife viewing. However, for the more adventurers who are willing to put up with heavy thundershowers, challenging roads/trails, and difficult hiking to find gorillas, they are the best seasons.
More About Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a tiny island of 330 sqkm of equatorial primeval rainforest, surrounded by a sea of banana and tea plantations. In the middle of a vast, misty, and mountainous jungle, is one of the most biologically diverse places in the world, generally considered to be the hotspot for watching mountain gorillas.
Although it can be difficult to spot much wildlife through the mass of huge trees festooned with vines and creepers, this forest is home to more than 120 species of mammal. There are more than 360 bird species, 310 types of butterflies, and 1,000 different flowering plants. As you walk the trails, you are greeted by a cacophony of animal sounds at every turn.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be reached through air and road transport. For air, scheduled flights are organized from Entebbe International Airport to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrips and then to the different sectors of the park.
If you still have time, you can witness the wildlife action in both Uganda and Rwanda. Find out more about our Rwanda safari packages combing mountain gorillas, chimpanzee trekking, and wildlife encounters.
