
When to go for a Uganda trip
When to go for a Uganda trip? Intending to visit Uganda for an all-inclusive safari trip you will need to know the best time to enjoy a Uganda safari trip due to the unpredictable weather patterns that blanket the equatorial region. In Uganda, any day can receive rainfall and if rain is not an interference to your holiday safari, then we can happily say that a safari to Uganda can happen any time of the year.
We request you to read further and find out when the climate is dry or when the price is a bit lower, or when there are few tourists in the park for planning the best Africa safari experience. Fortunately, all national parks of Uganda are open at any time of the year, even during the covid pandemic. But you may have to follow the rules and regulations of wildlife operating procedures.
Uganda has two weather seasons, the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season which happens in March, April, May, October, and November is characterized by heavy downpours and other short rains. The rainy season is normally the low season for safari trips in Uganda because a few tourists come into the country due to poor road conditions, the trails and tracks in the park beings muddy and slippery. High temperatures and light rains characterize the Dry season. The dry season is a high travel season and this is when most of the travelers visit the country. The dry season brings in more travelers because the weather is good with little or no rainfalls, the vegetation in the park is thin, the roads leading to the park are passable and the trucks and trails are not muddy or sleepy.
The weather ideal for the Uganda trip
Uganda temperatures are so areas easy and favorable for the visitors who are in Uganda for the safaris. Uganda’s average annual highest temperature rate is 29°C and an average low temperature is 17°C, but colder at altitudes above 1300m above sea level including the mountain gorilla National Parks- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park  and Mgahinga. The country is sunny most days of the year with temperatures hardly rising above 29°C.The weather patterns are controlled mainly by the equator which crosses the country with the best place to explore in Kayabwe town in Mpigi district.
The wet season in Uganda
The rainy season in Uganda happens in March, April, May, October, and November. Uganda has two rainy seasons with one running from March through May and has heavy downpours that cannot let you have fun on a safari trip to Uganda. The second rainy season happens in the months of October to November and during this time there are little rains that show off the bright green plains dotted with the most impressive wildlife.
The rainy season does not necessarily mean it rains the whole day obstructing human activity. Heavy rainfall or thunderstorm may happen for 1-3 hours and the rest of the day remain winter-like, but during the short rains, after a few hours the sun may show up and heat up.
And you should bear in mind that the rainfall can stick to a regular pattern once the season begins. For instance, the rainfall can stick to evening hours or specific hours of the day throughout the season.
During the heavy rainy months of March, April and May, it’s not the best time for a safari to the pearl of Africa. Some places and roads may be inaccessible because of washed-away trails. Gorilla trekking in the rainy season is difficult because of slippery and muddy hiking trails, and thick vegetation that does not allow you to clearly spot the wild animals and birds. Because in this season the travelers are few the accommodation facilities close or give discounts.
However, during the short rains of October to November, you can enjoy the low season prices with almost all accommodation facilities giving discounts. Because the vegetation is too much, leaves are all fresh and green and the tree fruits being so many, there are a lot of birds and wild animals to be seen in the jungle. The rainy season is also the best time to spot migratory birds from Europe and North Africa such as black-headed gulls, common cuckoo, turtle dove, and many others.
A gorilla trekking experience is good during the rainy season because the mountain gorillas do not have to forage to higher elevations: they live in lower altitudes to avoid the freezing temperatures up. But you should know that during the rainy season there is heavy rainfall which makes the trails muddy and slippery. The vegetation is also thick making photography difficult.
During the little rains season which happens in October and November, it’s also the best time for a Uganda safari on the plains. The grass is short, green, nutritious and the animals are scattered all over the parks. You don’t have to drive around the national parks for a long time to find the animals.
The Dry season – the best time
The rainy season in Uganda happens in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. During these months there is a lot of sunshine and these are considered the best time for game viewing in Uganda. There is little or no rainfall during these dry months most especially in the northern region of Kidepo valley national park, Murchison falls national park in the northwest. Lake Mburo national park and Queen Elizabeth national park. The dry season is when most of the park animals gather at the water sources to drink water.
In the southwestern part of the country where gorilla trekking activity is done in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla park, the trails are dry, not slippery, and roads leading to the parks are passable, making the dry season the most preferred time for a gorilla trek, gorilla habituation or chimpanzee tracking experience. The animals are easy to spot most especially at the water sources where they gather to drink water, and the vegetation is thin so animals can’t hide.
Some people would prefer the time between June and September when there is little or no rainfall and plenty of food in the national parks. From November to April, bird lovers can easily spot migratory birds from Asia, Eastern Europe, and Siberia regions in the parks. The best time to spot the months of the bird in the park is the morning hours. You can see the rare shoebill stork in the dry season of January, February, and March.
In the dry season of June, July, August, and September, the prices and the cost of a Uganda safari are usually higher, and most travelers prefer these months reason being it is cooler and the rain isn’t bothersome. The parks crowd during the peak season.
The month of December also tends to be crowding with travelers booking for holidays most especially during the Christmas season. You are advised to book in advance of 3-4 months in order to avoid disappointments.
In December trekking mountain gorillas is not so tiresome and finding them will take a short period of time since they are easily found in the lower slopes of the mountains due to plenty of food for them.