Gorilla Trekking:

A Month by Month Guide

Destinations > Africa > Rwanda > Gorilla Trekking: Month by Month Guide

Gorilla trekking, no matter the time of year, is a truly memorable experience. Whilst the time of year won’t necessarily stop your visit, it can impact or influence how and who can trek. Our Africa specialist Felix has created a month by month guide to give you an overview of what to expect across the year.

Best

Good

Mixed

January	February	March	April	May	June

July	August	September	October	November	December

January

One of the warmest months of the year, January is an excellent time to go gorilla trekking with daytime temperatures around the 24 degrees celsius (75 fahrenheit) mark. There is little rainfall at this time as well, so underfoot conditions for trekking are easier. The flipside of this is that the gorillas’ food sources tend to be growing higher up the mountainside, so treks to the groups tend to take longer.

February

Very similar to January in all respects, February is regarded as one of the peak months for gorilla trekking and is an excellent time to visit both Rwanda and Uganda.

March

Visitors heading to Rwanda and Uganda in March will still experience good conditions for gorilla trekking, albeit there is more chance of rainfall, although it is not as persistent as the rain the region will receive over the next couple of months. As the food sources start to be found lower down the mountains, treks do tend to be a little shorter at this time of year.

April and May

By far the most challenging months for gorilla trekking owing to the frequent and prolonged rainfall, April and May see very challenging underfoot conditions for the treks. We would only suggest visiting in these months for very fit travellers who don’t mind the rainfall and challenging trekking conditions. Treks to tend to be at their shortest in April and May as the gorillas feed much lower down the mountainside.

June

An underrated time of year for gorilla trekking, June should definitely be considered by most visitors as the gorilla groups are still relatively low down the mountainsides feeding. A legacy of the rainy season means that underfoot conditions can be challenging, especially early in the month, but when everything is balanced out it comes across as a great time to visit.

July to September

The most popular season for gorilla trekking is between July and September, when visitors flock to both Rwanda and Uganda to see these amazing primates. The dry conditions make for the easiest trekking conditions, although it should be noted that this is when the treks are at their longest – sometimes up to 4 hours in each direction. Being peak season this is when both permits and the most popular accommodation options are fully booked a long way in advance.

October

Conditions for gorilla trekking remain excellent in October, although much like during March there can be some periodic rainfall which makes the underfoot conditions a challenge. Gorilla groups are starting to move down the mountainside to feed as well, so trekking times become shorter. Much like June and underrated time of year to visit.

November

East Africa’s short rainy season arrives in November and sees rainfall on most days, although it is not as heavy or as prolonged as the rainfall in March and April. With food sources growing lower down the mountains gorillas can be found much closer to the trekking start points and although the underfoot and overhead conditions can make trekking challenging, it is a hugely rewarding time to visit.

December

As the weather starts to improve the gorillas are moving back up the mountainside to follow their food sources, although they usually aren’t too far up come December. Underfoot conditions can be a little slippery owing to the legacy of the November rains, but it is still an excellent time for gorilla trekking with shorter trekking times than most other peak season months.

All told the chance to see gorillas is a truly magical experience and one that is a must-do for experienced safari-goers and first timers alike. Naturally which country you choose to do this in is largely governed by the overall cost of the arrangements, but whichever destination you do visit the time with the gorillas will be a remarkable one and unlike any wildlife encountered you will have enjoyed previously.