Best Time To Visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga is a small but rather interesting National Parks in Uganda especially for unique gorilla and Golden monkey tracking. The major activities in this park include gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, the Batwa trail, bird watching and nature walks. Gorilla trekking remains the major tourist attraction in this park.

Uganda’s climate favors tourists to come in and out at all-times throughout the year though some seasons may not favor some activities. It is therefore important to understand the best time to visit Mgahinga for these fascinating tour activities in this region for more enjoyment. The best time is June to August and December to February when the trails are easier since the months are drier with very little or no rain. This period is also known as the peak season and the other period is known as the low season.

• Peak Season

The demand for gorilla permits, accommodation facilities and all the major tourist facilities and activities is high in this season. Travelers are advised to make bookings at least 5 months in advance to avoid missing out on some of their desired activities. Gorilla and Golden monkey trekking in the dry season is excellent because the hiking conditions tend to be more favorable because the forest trails are drier and easier to trail than any other season. Visitors will be assured of a clear hike to the mountains with very less or no disturbance of the rains.

• Low Season

The low/wet season is normally in the months of March to May and October to November, it is characterized by heavy rains that affect the major tour activities especially in Mgahinga where gorilla tracking and mountain hikes are the major activities.  Hiking trails tend to be slippery and muddy hence gorilla tracking is challenging during these months. Also, the road Mgahinga National Park and other nearby parks like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can become bad and literally impassable in some areas. A lot of mist and hailstorms make it hard to view wildlife and birds from a far distance until it stops raining. When the clouds disappear and the mist lifts up the views are much clearer than the dry season associated with hazy air. The beauty about the rainy season, however, is that the scenery is breathtaking and vegetation greener than the dry season.

In conclusion
Mgahinga National park can be visited any time of the year because both dry and wet seasons are perfect for different activities in the Park including gorilla trekking, Golden monkey tracking, and hiking among others. Different people associate perfect time with different reasons and what might seem the right time for someone may not be the same for another person. The best time for Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga is the dry season when the tracking conditions are more favorable with drier trails and for bird watching; the rainy season is perfect timing because it is when the migratory birds are common.