What is the Best time to visit Uganda

Uganda is one of the best destinations to visit all year round in East Africa but also depends on what you are going to do on your Uganda adventure Safari.

Uganda lies on the equator and has a warm sub-tropical climate, day time temperatures average between 25 and 29c, night time temperatures frequently drop below 20c offering a nice reprieve on hot days. Uganda is a fast-growing African safari destination that’s lately getting significant attention from the leisure travel world. Equatorial Uganda has a pleasantly warm and tropical climate with significant seasonal variations. There are wetter months that make certain plans and activities difficult which need prior planning before you come to Uganda.

Lake Victoria and its unique weather patterns the climate is another factor that makes Uganda a better travel destination throughout the year. 

Uganda has mainly two rainy seasons normally the long season starts from mid-March to the end of May and the short season starts from October to November. The average temperatures of Uganda are 21.5C and 71 C and these also drop at night time to around 54 F which affects the altitude.

Rainfall in Uganda ranges between 1000-2000 mm every year. However, throughout the year the skies in Uganda are clear which makes it the best safari destination for your holidays on your Uganda gorilla trekking safari. Climatic changes have brought about changes in the weather patterns hence making it hard to predict the best travel times to Uganda. Therefore, the best times of the year to visit Uganda are during the dry months of June, July, August, September and also January and February are relatively okay.

Like the rest of Africa, it’s important to put it in mind that the country has two dry seasons and two wet seasons. Each of these seasons has its own charm and offers visitors unique aspects of the natural beauty of the country. While planning your vacation there are particular tours and safari activities you wish to participate in through the different safari destinations. Most travellers choose to travel from May to September and February since the amount of rainfall in these months has reduced and it is sunny in most destinations.

December is one of the busiest months of the year for both international tourists and domestic tourists. This is the month of festival seasons so the majority of the people are getting their holidays and honeymoons thus making many tourist destinations full. It is advisable to book your accommodations on time to avoid disappointments.

Visiting in low seasons is also ok for many tourists since accommodations are cheap to encourage more tourists in the country and transport wages are not too high as compared to high seasons.

You can get a reliable Uganda Safari Car for hire for as low as $40 per day during this time. Visiting during this season also means that you will enjoy the National Parks and their attractions with relatively low crowds.

February and September are also recommended months for a safari vacation in Uganda since there are few travellers coming and the lodges are not fully booked compared to the high seasons.

The rainy season.

The rainy season affects people’s travels but that doesn’t mean that they don’t travel. They travel because the season is also combined with rainfall and sunshine. The sun comes out immediately after the rain stops, the tourist activities like game drives, nature walks, boat cruises among others are able to be carried out without any disturbances.

Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking Tours can as well go on during the rainy season and the National parks are fully in operation. During the rainy season also known as the low season, the lodges reduce prices to attract more travellers to book with them which is an added advantage. The gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits also are reduced to attract more visitors to Uganda.

The dry season.

Uganda has got raised topography, which means that its climate is cool which is why it’s easy to plan your Uganda safari vacation almost all year round.

However, if you are planning to come for gorilla trekking, it is important to notice the easiest trekking conditions despite the low rates in the low seasons. So, this means the best time to come for gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the two dry seasons of January and February and from June to September.

Game viewing, hiking and nature walks in all National parks of Uganda are best done in the dry season from February and March, June to August and the beginning of September.

This is because around this time, the wildlife species are concentrated around the water bodies within these parks.

Bird watching is also best carried out between November and April for the birders when the migratory birds are present in the country but can also be done all throughout the year.

However, travellers are advised to avoid taking vacations during the heavy rain months of April and May to be able to enjoy their safaris in Uganda.

If you are thinking about visiting other National parks and game reserves in Uganda for example Queen Elizabeth National park, Murchison Falls National park, Lake Mburo National park you might want to choose the shorter dry season of January and February or the longer best dry season of June, July and August.

The vegetation in these parks is sparse during this time of the year, so locating the wildlife is easier. Also, the roads are less muddy, making travelling to these areas less time-consuming.

On the other hand, if you are planning to visit the urban areas On Kampalabodabodatour and Entebbe city tour will find the weather having minimal effect on your city tour activities and you can continue with your excursions at most times of the year.

In the rest of Uganda, Kidepo valley National park has one long dry season from July to February and one wet season from March to June. Each of these seasons offers a unique aspect of superb beauty of this region. For example, in the dry season, most of the wildlife gathers near the watering holes of the Narus River valley system, making it easy to locate the animals during your game drive safaris. You also have the opportunity to see the seasonal Kidepo river actually flowing before it seems to disappear during the dry season.

As you plan your next Uganda safari tour below are some key takeaways;

• Mountain gorillas tend to be on lower elevations during the wet seasons since they do not have to travel far looking for food while during the dry season, they traverse higher elevations in search of food.
• Temperature variations across the country depend on locations and altitudes.
• High land temperatures tend to be lower all through the year, with nighttime weather getting even cooler.
• Having your travels in the wet season is typically more economical than during the dry season.