A trip to Southwestern Uganda to track mountain gorillas is strongly an experience that comes once in a life time. Uganda’s mountain gorillas are only tracked in the jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. A 600 kilometer journey to the misty valleys of Kabale, Southwestern Uganda comes with tremendous gorilla experiences of a life time for visitors. Although it is a wish of every one around the globe to get a glimpse of these remarkable Giants in the wild, it takes visitors $600 to purchase a gorilla permit to achieve that dream. For visitors who may wish to improve on their experiences further, there is Gorilla Habituation Experience where he or she will be enjoying all the four hours with mountain gorillas in the wild.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is described as an all year round adventure. However, visitors ought to know the best time to travel to visit the mountain gorillas as each season comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Uganda is strategically located within Equator some thing that makes it to have 2 wet seasons; the short wet season starts in October and November while the long wet season occurs from March to May. The other months are dry but due to fluctuating weather patterns, it isn’t easy to forecast the seasonality of the country. In most cases, visitors tend to run away from gorilla tracking especially during the wet season given the fact Bwindi Impenetrable Forest receives heavy rainfall and in turn makes the gorilla habitat very muddy and slippery and hence a block to road connectivity to gorilla trail heads. Tracking gorillas becomes a bit changing for visitors but in most cases, there are visitors who come during this season.
Well, it is possible to track gorillas during the wet season given the fact that rain showers can be experienced in the course of day and at the same time it can take a short time and the sun comes out and gorilla trekking explorer can still continue. Tracking mountain gorillas during wet season is also advantageous based on the fact that there can be plenty of food at the foothills and trackers are able to view them easily. The disadvantage with this season is that it comes with reduced chances of clear views and difficulty in photo taking for the visitors due to dense vegetation cover.
The peak season:
Most preferably, many visitors travel during this season to track mountain gorillas. Uganda’s peak season is characterized by low rainfall and it falls in the months of January, February, June, July, August, September and December. Because there are many visitors who come to track mountain gorillas, the demand for gorilla permits also tends to be high and visitors are encouraged to book them in advance. The dry season is the best for gorilla tracking as mountain gorillas can be sighted in temperate weathered areas with raised landscapes and this means that the climate remains cool throughout the year.
The low season:
This is the perfect time for visitors traveling on budget and many visitors have enjoyed visiting the country during this season. During this season, there are discounted permits that are offered to travelers in the months of April, May and November. The cost of permits for this season goes at $450 for foreign non residents, 400 for foreign residents and shs.150000 for East African residents. What is surprising is that, even the nearby lodges can reduce their prices.
In conclusion, gorilla tracking has no defined season, what may seem to be the best season for one may turn to be the worst time for some one else. However, it is best done during the dry season which offers travelers with incredible experiences. Come and explore what is inhabited within the tropical rain forests of Uganda and you won’t regret in life!