Want to know the best time to see gorillas? We will answer that in this article. Mountain gorillas are only found in The Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. They live in four national parks – Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Volcanoes and Virunga National Park. Many Travelers go to these national parks every year for the sole purpose of observing these majestic primates in the wild.
Gorilla trekking is considered one of the most popular wildlife activities while on a visit to Africa. When combined with a standard safari in the Masai Mara or a tour of the Victoria falls, you can have a truly memorable experience. Gorilla trekking is a more expensive activity than the normal wildlife safari. A Gorilla permit in Congo costs $450, in Uganda $800 while Rwanda charges $1500. The Gorilla habituation experience in Uganda costs $1500 (permit alone). This special experience can only be offered in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable forest and allows visitors four hours with the primates. This is different from standard Gorilla trekking where visitors only get one hour to observe the primates after locating them. One question that comes to the mind of most tourists planning on gorilla trekking is when best to visit. When is the best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda? What is the best time to visit gorillas in Rwanda or Congo?
Best time for gorilla trek in Rwanda, Uganda and Congo
It is important to note that Mountain gorillas can be tracked at any time of the year because their movements are not affected by changing seasons. Even though we will be discussing the pros and cons of visiting in a particular time of the year, tourists shouldn’t be too selective on which month to go trekking. In our experience, the perfect time to track gorillas is just after the rainy season has ended and the countryside is still looking green. Getting this time right is not easy considering that global warming has affected weather patterns in Africa making it difficult to predict the beginning and end of the wet and dry seasons. At the end of the day, the final decision of when to visit remains with the traveler. Our part is to help identify the advantages and disadvantages of visiting in each of the seasons.
Like most counties lying along the equator zone, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have two dry and wet seasons. The dry season falls in the months between December to February and again between June to October. Gorilla trekking during the dry season has its advantages. It is also the best time for wildlife safaris in Kenya’s Masai Mara, Tanzania’s Serengeti and the various national parks in Uganda. Visitors can easily combine gorilla trekking with a safari to see the wildebeest migration and safaris in Uganda’s Murchison Falls or Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is the best time to take good and clear photos of the countryside, physical features and the mountain gorillas because there are no obstructions like mist or overgrown vegetation.
The dry season has its disadvantages. It is generally more expensive to travel around this period. Gorilla permits are difficult to find and booking last minute gorilla tours is not easy. The dry season is not the best time to visit for those hoping for an easier trek or being assigned a nearby gorilla group. If you are targeting a particular gorilla group or sector of the park, we recommend that you book your trip in advance. There are those who think gorilla trekking during the dry season denies tourists and particular nature lovers a chance to admire how green Africa is during the rains. Those visiting the countries for the first time may leave with an impression of a dry Africa which is not always the case.
The months of March to May and late October to November are considered rainy seasons – also referred to as low travel seasons. The forests can get very muddy and tracking mountain gorillas becomes more challenging. We cannot rule out mud even during the dry season because mountain gorillas live in rain forests. The rains can occur at any time of the year. It is important to also note that the rains in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo do not go on throughout the day like it is in Europe or North America. It rains for between one to two hours before the sun appears again thus enabling the activity to go on regardless of whether it is raining or not. During the rain season, tourists are given rain jackets to go with it for tracking just in case it rain. Gorilla trekking can never be cancelled because of too much rain. In fact, when raining, the gorillas gather in one place hence allowing tourists to see them closely in one spot. We often receive feedback from Travelers who found gorilla trekking during the rainy season more adventurous despite the mud. You might want to read about the packing list for a safari in Uganda.
Best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda
One of the advantages of tracking gorillas during the rainy season is that you find the park with less visitors/crowds. This implies that you can have the forest all to yourself and have more close encounters with the primates. The fewer trackers are divided into much smaller groups to visit each family. Instead 
of 8 individuals per gorilla family like it is during the dry season, you will be about three per gorilla group. You can also book gorilla permits and a tour a few weeks or days to the trip. Tourists who wish to combine gorilla trekking with birding will find the rainy season perfect. This is the breeding season and the forests are full of activity. Traveling during the wet season is generally less expensive compared to the dry season because most hotels reduce their rates to attract more guests. You can stay in one of the best luxury lodges that would seem too expensive during the peak season. During the low or wet seasons, visitors may also get discounts for gorilla permits in Congo. Congo’s gorilla permits cost $450 during the peak season but can be reduced up to $200 during low season. The price for a Gorilla permit remains the same in Rwanda and Uganda even during the low season.
All in all, the decision on when to go for gorilla trekking rests entirely with the Traveler. Travelers have to take into consideration time constraints, budget, overall fitness, convenience and many of the things discussed above.