Best Time to Visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Best Time to Visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is famous for gorilla trekking and can be open for gorilla trekking throughout the year but the best time is during drier seasons that starts from June to August and December to January. During these drier seasons, the trails tend to be easier to navigate and speeding a given hour with the great mountain gorillas when it’s not raining.

However, Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in southwestern part of Uganda in Kisoro district and was gazette as national park in 1991, covering an area of 33.9square kilometers under management of Ugandan Wildlife Authority More so, the park lies in Virunga Mountains and comprises three inactive volcanoes namely Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabyinyo of which their peaks provide spectacular scenery. Therefore, it’s altitude ranges from 2,227 to 4,127 meter and is part of the Nile River that watershed the area. It also crossover to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the southern sector of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mgahinga gorilla national park is renowned for endangered mountain gorillas which are said to have 98% DNA making them to be our closest relatives which have impacted on Uganda’s tourism industry. Other species to see here are golden monkeys a unique primate, bird life and over 76 mammals to see such as giant forest hogs, bush pigs, forest buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, golden cats, side striped jackals, South African porcupines, black fronted duiker among others.

Climate and Weather –Mgahinga

The park experiences two rainy seasons that is February to May and September to December. The monthly average rainfall varies from 250 millimeters in October to 10 millimeters in July.

Best time for gorilla trekking

The easier time for gorilla trekking is in drier seasons that is June to August and December to January when the trails are easy to ascend and descend from bamboo forest.

High Season

During high peak season, travelers need to book their gorilla trekking permits in advance because permits become competitive and hard to get at short notice in the months of June to September.

Low Season

The months of March, April, May, October and November receives heavy rainfall causing some park lodges and camps to be closed because few visitors visit the park. On the other side, accommodations offer discounted rates during this season.

Best Weather

Gorilla trekking is best done in June to August and December to January when the park is receiving less rainfall. This season is good for photograph and perfect gorilla trekking experience.

Worst weather

From March to May and September to November the park receives high number of rainfall and for this reason it causes forest trails slippery thus challenge and road transport difficult to access the park.

These are advantages of travelers who enjoy gorilla trekking during the rainy season and the reason is that permits are always discounted with foreign non-resident being charged USD450 instead of the USD700 allowing tourists to save at least USD250, Foreign residents pay USD500 instead of the USD600 thus tourists save USD100 and East African Citizen pay UGX 150,000 per person instead of UGX 250,000,allowing them to save UGX 100,000.The wet season is also a rewardable time for bird watching because it is during this season that migratory birds species ‘’Brown chested Lapwings ‘’can be easily sighted.

It is advisory to our clients travelling to Mgahinga National Park to always put in their mind that the prediction of weather within the park cannot be 100% favorable because of the high rate of global warming ,you may expect it to be a dry season yet the place can abruptly receive rain thus making visitors to end up disappointed because they didn’t prepare for it.Therefore it is important to wear or pack rainproof backpack ,rain jacket ,rainproof hiking boots ,long trousers and long sleeved shirts before setting out for gorilla trekking and always get prepared for the unexpected. For more information you can contact us Achieve Global Safaris for help.