Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is known as a whole year activity to any tourist planning to have a gorilla trek safari in Uganda. Being equatorial pleasant, warm and tropical climate with insignificant seasonal variations, it makes it good to visit year-round.
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The presence of various lakes around Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, with unique weather patterns and strategic location of the equator, has made Mgahinga a year-round activity with its neighbor Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
However, for a better experience, the best time for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the tropical rain forests, are months of January – February and June – September. There’s usually less rainfall and sometimes no rains at all. Most travelers choose to travel during these months because of the dry weather that makes it easier to trek gorillas.
During this season, mountain gorillas are found in the temperate weathered regions with raised landscapes, this means the climate remains cool all year round – perfect weather for lengthy treks.
Best Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga National Park
The rainy season, the months of March – May and October – December are usually avoided because temperatures tend to drop, making it extremely cold. The vegetation becomes denser, hiking trails slippery and muddy so it makes trekking more difficult, even though it gives visitors an awesome experience. It is for this reason that most tourists avoid trekking during the rainy season hence the reason the months are considered low season.
However given the heavy rains, vegetation grows faster thus more food for the mountain gorillas making it easier to sight them since they don’t move far searching for food. Mountain gorillas during these months also move to lower elevations because there is plenty of food, as they also try to avoid very cold temperatures.
Whether it’s the rainy season, it doesn’t rain all day and night, and park activities including gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking continue as planned. At whatever time you choose to trek the gorillas in Mgahinga, make sure to pack the necessary gorilla trekking gear for your safari. The rainy season is usually the low season with most safari lodges offering discounted rates hence perfect for budget travelers, and also good for birding.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is part of the Virunga massif that is home to the mountain gorillas. In Rwanda, the neighboring country, there’s Volcanoes National Park, one of the most visited park in the country, for guests tracking gorillas and the beautiful golden monkeys.