2 min summary Best time to visit Map & highlights Gorilla tracking Chimpanzee tracking Wildlife White water rafting Murchison Falls NP Queen Elizabeth NP Rwenzori Mountains Tips Responsible tourism

Best time to visit Uganda

The best time to visit Uganda is pretty much all year round. The country straddles the equator so there are no true seasons, although March to May an October to November are wetter - which can be less pleasant for gorilla tracking. Wildlife can bee seen in Uganda's national parks throughout the year, while gorilla permits are often heavily discounted in the rainier months.

Home\Africa\Uganda

Best time to visit Uganda

Equatorial Uganda has a blissfully springlike climate – a 25°C average with cooling night time breezes.

Uganda sits squarely on the equator with an average altitude of around 1,000m, which tempers the heat and means this really is a year-round destination. March-May and Oct-Nov see the highest rainfall, but gorillas are still lurking in the mist – although trekking to find them will be slippery and slower. However, accommodation and even gorilla permits can be much cheaper at this time. The best time to visit Uganda is June-Sep, which is the peak season – but Uganda remains happily oblivious to mass tourism and you won’t need to worry about crowds.

Call us for the best time to go to Uganda

Our Uganda Vacations

Uganda Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

FEB

MAR

141

APR

194

MAY

172

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

129

NOV

163

DEC

101

Uganda month by month

March, April and May see the heaviest rainfall in Uganda, with shorter rains in October to November. This doesn’t affect your chances of spotting gorillas, although be prepared for a soggy, slippery trek! Waterproofs, and waterproof boots, are essential. It’s also believed that the gorillas linger on the warmer, lower slopes during wetter weather, so your trek may be shorter. The wildlife is not migratory in Uganda so you can still see plenty of game in parks such as Queen Elizabeth, although thicker vegetation makes spotting the animals a little harder. Do be aware that the already appalling roads will become even more bone shaking. Murchison Falls in the northeast has a drier climate, so is a good place to head during the wetter months. The Uganda Wildlife Authority, which issues gorilla tracking permits, offers discounts of up to 25 percent in April, May and November – well worth it if you’re on a budget. June, July, August and September are the peak months as they are generally dry (though rain can fall at any time), and coincide with school vacations. This is the best time to visit Uganda, but book well in advance, especially if tracking gorillas – as permits will sell out months in advance. December, January and February are also great months to visit. Generally dry (though rains can linger into December), the wildlife will be lured to waterholes, making this a great time for boat safaris. Migratory birds are also present. Throughout the country, the temperature drops quite considerably at night – you’ll need a jumper or cardi. This makes it much easier to sleep. But it never reaches the chilly extremes of places such as Kruger of the Kalahari.

Need some help? Give us a call

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Uganda or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.

Toll free 1-866-821-6866

Calling us from outside the US?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Toll free 1-866-821-6866

Calling us from outside the US?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Responsible travel recommends

Jackson Araali, from our leading Uganda vacations supplier Primate World Safaris:
“The best time to travel in the year would be between the months of January and February then June to September. The weather is perfect, dry Season with little or no rainfall. Wildlife viewing is better when game is more concentrated around water sources and tracking gorillas and chimpanzees is much easier when the ground is dry.”

Paul Callcutt, from our supplier Natural World Safaris:
“March, April, May is a heavier rainy season, but having said that, I was there in May this year in the Kyambura Gorge doing chimpanzee trekking, and there was no one there except me and some guides because most tourists don’t come until the end of May when, traditionally, the rain stops. People do work in ‘calendars’ but of course weather doesn’t work like that. I think there is a lot to be said of going in the last few days of what is supposedly the wet season, because when I was there it was perfectly dry and there was nobody there.”

More about Uganda

Uganda travel guide

Visitors come to Uganda for the endangered mountain gorilla - but what really ends up capturing their hearts is the warmth of the Ugandan people, the breathtaking volcanic scenery and the safaris by road and river.

Uganda map & highlights

Uganda map & highlights. Uganda highlights with maps and itineraries to help you make the most of your time in Uganda. See all of Uganda's highlights with our responsible travel guide.

Things to do in Uganda

Things to do in Uganda stretch far beyond gorilla tracking - though that is still top of our Uganda wishlist.

Gorilla tracking in Uganda

Gorilla tracking in Uganda is the highlight of any trip to this equatorial nation, whose densely forested mountainsides shelter over half the world's mountain gorillas.

Chimpanzee tracking

Seeing chimpanzees in the wild is an exciting experience. We explain all you need to know about seeing chimps in Uganda, from permit fees to packing tips.

Uganda wildlife

With 10 national parks spanning savannah, forest and waterways, wildlife in Uganda thrives in a huge variety of beautiful landscapes.

Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda

Murchison Falls is Uganda’s largest national park, and it feels like one of its wildest.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Most tourists know Uganda for its gorillas, but for many Ugandans, Queen Elizabeth National Park is the real jewel in the wildlife crown.

Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda

The eponymous peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains National Park straddle the border between Uganda and the DR Congo.

White water rafting on the Nile

While its notorious rapids draw keen rafters in from around the world, anyone can enjoy white water rafting on the Nile.

LGBT vacations in Uganda

Uganda has some of the harshest anti-LGBT laws in the world. Some homosexuals face life imprisonment, and Pride parades and other events are shut down.

Uganda travel advice

Our Uganda experts have shared their top Uganda travel tips with us, from exploring the culture to seeing gorillas and remembering wildlife exists beyond the great apes!

Responsible tourism in Uganda

Uganda is brimming with natural and cultural riches - yet many of its inhabitants are incredibly poor, with electricity and running water still scarce in many regions.