The best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo depends on the budget and the needs of the traveler, however, the dry seasons (June to September and December to February) are considered the best. Mountain gorillas are one of the rarest wildlife species that anyone should be interest themselves in visiting. These species are only situated in East Africa. The ecosystem is known as Virunga, and Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park is part of that region. The region is largely composed of natural tropical rainforests which have sustained wildlife for decades. In Uganda, mountain gorillas are found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
Mountain gorillas derive their name from their accustomed inhabitation of mountainous areas. Mgahinga Park is bordered by the towering Virunga volcanoes. These mountains have always given way for the sustenance of both flora and fauna due to their generally dormant nature.
Bwindi and Mgahinga mountain gorilla population combined accounts for over half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. These two parks should therefore be made priority destinations for any tourist. The two parks also bring with them more interesting challenges such as hiking. The trekking is done within these potentially mountainous parks and therefore a reason why tourists should expect to take part in some hiking. The major activities around the mountain gorillas are the mountain gorilla trekking and mountain gorilla habituation.
Founded in 1991, this National Park is one of East Africa’s oldest parks located in South-Western Uganda. Mgahinga covers 34 square kilometers, which makes it the smallest park in Uganda. It has for many years since gaining status as a national park been known for its three volcanoes Gahinga, Sabyinyo, and Muhabura.
These giant mountains sit at the intersection of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mgahinga has one mountain gorilla family i.e., Nyakagezi Gorilla Family. In the recent past, it was known for its migrations into D.R Congo which made tracking it a bit complicated. As of late, it’s settled within Mgahinga National Park and available for trekking all year long. It’s a loving family and trekking comes with some hiking to the highland topography in the park. Interested trekkers can also take nature walks within the park, and hike the Volcanoes – Gahinga, Sabyinyo, and Muhabura.
It’s Uganda’s major gorilla tourism destination. Bwindi forest attains its name from the word “Mubwindi,” a Runyakitara word that means a place of darkness. It’s an extremely thick forest whose interior parts can sometimes seem dark when viewed from a longer distance. It has for many decades been the main home for the mountain gorillas in Uganda.
Bwindi covers 331 square kilometers and was gazetted in 1991 as a National Park. It's located on the edge of Western Rift Valley. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has 21 mountain gorilla families available for gorilla trekking. Some of the notable mountain gorilla families are Oruzogo, Nkuringo, Nshongi, Kahungye, Mishaya, and many more. Because of the endangered status of mountain gorillas, Bwindi was in 1994 declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Apart from the mountain gorilla trekking and habituation, tourists also get to bird watching, nature walks, hikes, and view more wildlife in the park.
Summer time or dry season as it’s referred to in tropical Africa, is the recommended time for visitation of these two national parks i.e., the periods between July to September, and the months of December to February. There’s sunlight in abundance and this is the main feature for gorilla tourism since it has limited disruptions. Visibility is also best during these months. On a rainy day, some trekking trails become so muddy and slippery which makes navigation complicated and time-consuming.
