What to Pack for Uganda

January is the dry season in both the north and south of Uganda. It’s a hot month, with daytime temperatures peaking in the high 20s in the south and in the 30s in the north. It’s a good time to go gorilla trekking and visit national parks in the south of the country, but it’s too hot and dusty to be an ideal time to visit Kidepo Valley National Park in the north.

Credit: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp

February is a relatively dry month in Uganda, so it’s a good time to visit national parks in the south and go gorilla trekking. In the north of the country it’s particularly hot and dusty and not an ideal time for wildlife viewing.

Credit: andBeyond

March marks the start of the first rainy season of the year in southern Uganda, while it’s still dry in northern Uganda. It’s not an ideal time to travel for gorilla trekking and wildlife viewing.

April is the wettest month in Uganda. Some park lodging is closed and roads in some parks may be impassable due to rain. It’s low season for tourism, which means you can find discounted rates at lodges and hotels and you may be able to get discounted gorilla trekking permits.

May is another rainy month across Uganda, although it’s not as wet as April. It’s still the low season, so you can find discounts on lodging and gorilla trekking permits.

June is one of the driest months of the year in the south of Uganda, while it’s the rainy season in the north of the country. It’s one of the best months for wildlife viewing in the parks in the south, and it’s also a great month for gorilla trekking. It’s the start of the peak season in Uganda, and you’ll need to book far in advance for gorilla trekking permits and lodging in popular spots.

Because of its low rainfall, July is one of the best months for safaris and gorilla trekking in southern Uganda. In parks such as Queen Elizabeth National Park, animals are congregating around water sources, making them easier to spot. This is also a great month for gorilla trekking, as the mostly dry weather means that the paths are easier to hike on. It’s one of the most popular months for travel, however, so you’ll need to book ahead for gorilla trekking permits and lodging.

August is another excellent month to visit southern Uganda. Falling at the end of dry season, August is a great time for gorilla tracking, and there’s superb wildlife viewing in national parks with dry vegetation and animals congregating around water sources.

In September, the second rainy season of the year begins in southern Uganda, while the rainy season continues in northern Uganda. It’s not an ideal month to visit national parks or go gorilla trekking, but if you’re willing to put up with heavy thundershowers, challenging roads and difficult hiking to find gorillas, then you’ll be able to save on lodging costs with low season rates, and you may be able to get discounted gorilla trekking permits.

October is another rainy month in Uganda, and it’s not an ideal time to visit if you’d like to see wildlife and go gorilla trekking.

After April, November is the second wettest month in Uganda. Few tourists visit this month because it’s difficult to spot wildlife in the national parks (and some roads and lodging may be closed) and the muddy paths and thundershowers make gorilla trekking in Bwindi more challenging.

The rains ease off in December, making it a good month for travel to both southern and northern Uganda, although it’s not the ideal time for wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park.