Best Time of Year to Visit Uganda

Seasonal Planning for Uganda Travel

Though you can spot wildlife all year long, it's best during the long dry season (June to August) when the rain will not impede your travel plans. In this tropical climate, temperatures stay warm and pleasant year-round with little fluctuation, the only difference being the amount of rainfall. You'll have excellent visibility for wildlife safaris, game drives, and great hiking conditions. It will be cooler at higher altitudes, including the gorilla parks, while national parks in the south tend to be warmer during the day and cooler at night. South Uganda and Kampala are also slightly milder because of their proximity to Lake Victoria.  

See the famed gorillas of the Virunga Mountains in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the "Big Five" on a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and spend time in a Batwa Pygmy village. Discover water sports on Lake Victoria, the largest tropical lake in the world, or go whitewater rafting in the adventure capital of Jinja on the Nile River.

During the wet seasons, heavy rains and muddy roads make traveling, hiking, and animal watching a bit more complicated but not unbearable. It can be an excellent time to discover cultural and historical attractions in Kampala, Uganda's capital. Bonus, its tropical and relatively humid climate brings lush forests, beautiful scenery, and thriving wildlife, and it's also the best time for watching migratory birds. 

Dry Seasons in Uganda (June to August, December to February)

June to August is the high season, yet as the national parks won't feel crowded, venture on a wildlife safari and spot mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla national parks. Since there is little rainfall, less vegetation obstructs your view of wildlife, making your forest trek more manageable. Bonus, animals are easier to spot as they concentrate around watering holes. Catch a glimpse of the rare shoebill stork at Murchison Falls National Park, see tree-climbing lions only found in Elizabeth National Park, or hang out with chimpanzees in Kibale Forest.

Though it can still rain, June and July are Uganda's driest months. It's the warmest time of the year, 75°F (24°C) to 86°F (30°C), though it will be a bit colder in the mountainous region, including the gorilla parks. Because it's high season and these months coincide with North American school holidays, book permits to see the gorillas in advance. The road conditions can be dusty and hazy, but not enough to slow your trip down. 

Drier months also make it a great time to hike in the Rwenzori Mountains and experience the layered greenery, lakes, and glaciers in Rwenzori National Park. Adventurous travelers may climb the 16,760 feet (5,108 m) to Mount Stanley, Uganda's highest peak. It's also the perfect time for gorilla trekking or a summit hike to the country's southern border with Rwanda in the Virunga mountains or to travel west to see zebras grazing in Lake Mburo National Park grasslands.

Take a boat trip to the source of the Nile River in Jinja for adventure activities like white water rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping, tubing, fishing, and horseback riding. Entebbe on Lake Victoria is great for catching Nile perch and is known for flora during the dry season, including floating water hyacinth and papyrus reeds. It's also a birdwatcher's paradise, so look out for the papyrus endemic birds like the papyrus gonolek and the papyrus yellow warbler. Hop to the nearby Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to rare white rhinos. 

Events in the Dry Seasons

Festival of the Ugandan Martyrs, Namugongo. Each June 3, one million Ugandans and pilgrims from all over the world make their way to a shrine at Namugongo to pray to martyrs during this religious festival. 

The Nile Festival, Jinja. Ugandans gather in August to use music, theater, storytelling, parades, dance workshops, and children's activities to celebrate the cultures of the people living on the River Nile's shores. 

Bayimba International Festival of the Arts, Lunkulu Island. In August, this festival showcases music, cinema, dance, theater, and visual arts from local and East African artists.

Wet Seasons in Uganda (September to November, March to May)

Take advantage of fewer tourists during the wet season when it's warm, but the heat is less intense, and the parks are green and lush with vegetation. Another bonus is some accommodations will offer reduced prices, and tour operators may give discounted gorilla safari permits, making the low season a more affordable time to travel. 

Though the dry season is still best for spotting gorillas, your trekking time to find them may be shorter because they stick to the lower slopes where food is plentiful. You'll want to meet the rehabilitated chimps of Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary and view them interacting with their caregivers. Birders will want to seek migratory birds, like black terns, swallows, raptors, passerines, and flamingoes, from September to March. Others, like African skimmers, great white pelicans, and spoonbills, are present in the national parks or on a bird-watching water safari on the Kazinga Channel.

Meanwhile, explore Kampala, Uganda's capital city. Check out tribal artifacts at the Uganda Museum, Kabaka's Palace, and the Ndere Cultural Center to see their troupe perform an energetic folk dance. Pick up some souvenirs at Buganda Craft Market, selling everything from woven fabrics and carved wooden bowls to beaded shoes. The low season is a great time to get to know the local Batwa people through their traditional stories and songs and visit the educational center near Mgahinga National Park and Muhuvura Cave. 

Events in the Wet Seasons

International Film Festival of Kampala Amakula, nationwide. Starting in September, this traveling film festival screens old and new films to celebrate the theme of independence.

B-Global Indigenous Hip Hop Festival, Kampala. This festival educates youth and helps them reconnect with their roots through hip-hop culture in September.

Nile Gold Jazz Safari, Kampala. Each October, jazz lovers gather to listen to saxophones, bass, drums, keyboards, and pianos.