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CORE EXPERIENCES

Standard Permit — $1,500 Exclusive Experience — $15,000 Behind the Scene Package Uganda Habituation Experience Photography & Film Permits

Volcanoes NP Nyungwe NP Akagera NP Bwindi NP Mgahinga NP Gishwati-Mukura NP

ALL EXPERIENCES

Try “Bwindi”, “lodge”, or “itinerary”.

Travel Guide · Seasons & Weather

Best Time to Visit Rwanda & Uganda

START PLANNING ↗

Rwanda and Uganda share the same broad climate pattern across the Virunga and Bwindi highlands — two dry seasons and two rainy seasons each year, driven by altitude rather than sharp temperature swings. You can trek gorillas comfortably in almost any month; what changes with the season is trail conditions underfoot, how far in advance you need to book a permit, and how many other travellers you’ll share the trailhead with.

DRIEST MONTHSJune – September

SECOND DRY WINDOWDecember – February

LONG RAINSMid-March – May

SHORT RAINSMid-October – November

The Long Dry Season — June to September

Widely considered the best trekking window of the year. Trails are firm and considerably less muddy, skies are clearer for photography, and mornings at altitude are crisp rather than damp. It’s also peak season for both RDB and UWA permits, so availability is tightest — we recommend booking Rwanda permits at least 6–9 months ahead and Uganda permits 3–6 months ahead for July and August travel.

DAYTIME TEMPS18–27°C (64–81°F)

TRAIL CONDITIONSFirm, least muddy of the year

CROWDSBusiest — book well ahead

The Short Dry Season — December to February

A genuinely good second window, often overlooked in favour of the July/August rush. January and February in particular are reliably dry across both countries, with warm days and cool, clear evenings at altitude. December sees a spike around the Christmas and New Year holidays, so permits for that specific fortnight book up almost as far ahead as peak summer.

DAYTIME TEMPS20–28°C (68–82°F)

TRAIL CONDITIONSGood, occasional short showers

CROWDSModerate, except Christmas/New Year

THE OTHER HALF OF THE YEAR

Trekking in the Rainy Seasons

Neither rainy season rules out trekking — gorillas don’t stop being trekked when it rains, and permits are issued year-round. What changes is comfort underfoot and how far you can see. In exchange, the forest is at its greenest, birding and photography light is superb, lodges are quieter, and Rwanda’s low-season permit discount kicks in.

Mar–May

The Long Rains

The wettest stretch of the year, peaking in April. Trails at Bwindi and Volcanoes NP get genuinely slippery — sturdy boots and gaiters matter more here than in any other month. Rwanda’s RDB applies a 30% low-season discount on the standard permit (from $1,500 to $1,050 per person) for combined itineraries including a minimum 3 days / 2 nights at Akagera and/or Nyungwe National Park.

Oct–Nov

The Short Rains

Shorter and less predictable than the long rains — often afternoon showers rather than all-day rain, with clear mornings still common. A good compromise season if you want quieter trails and lush scenery without committing to peak-wet April.

AT A GLANCE

Month by Month

Month	Season	Conditions	Good For
January	Short dry	Warm, mostly clear	Trekking, moderate crowds after New Year
February	Short dry	Driest of the short-dry months	Trekking
March	Long rains begin	Increasingly wet from mid-month	Fewer crowds, low-season permit rate
April	Long rains (peak)	Heaviest rainfall of the year	Quietest trails, lush photography
May	Long rains (tail)	Still wet, greener landscapes	Low-season permit rate
June	Long dry begins	Drying out quickly	Trekking, ahead of the July rush
July	Long dry (peak)	Driest, coolest mornings	Peak trekking — book early
August	Long dry (peak)	Dry, busiest month	Peak trekking — book early
September	Long dry (tail)	Still dry, slightly quieter	Excellent trekking
October	Short rains begin	Increasing afternoon showers	Fewer crowds
November	Short rains (peak)	Wettest of the short-rain months	Lush, quiet trails
December	Short dry begins	Drying out, holiday crowds	Good trekking — book early for Christmas/New Year

CHOOSING YOUR SEASON

There’s No Genuinely Bad Month

WANT THE EASIEST TRAILS?

Aim for July–September — the driest, firmest conditions, and book your permit 6–9 months out.

WANT FEWER OTHER TREKKERS?

April and November are quietest, with permits far easier to secure on shorter notice.

TRAVELLING ON A BUDGET?

Rwanda’s November–May low-season rate cuts the standard permit from $1,500 to $1,050pp.

NOT SURE?

January and February are a reliable middle ground — dry, warm, and less booked-out than mid-summer.

Tell Us Your Dates

We’ll confirm what conditions and permit availability look like for your exact travel window and build a bespoke proposal around it, within 48 hours.