Best Time to Visit Uganda

June to August in Uganda: The Long Dry Season

June to August is the most popular time to visit Uganda, because the south and west are at their driest and every activity runs at full strength. It is also when gorilla permits and lodges near Bwindi sell out first.

June: Drier Trails, Lighter Crowds

The rains ease in the southwest and trails in Bwindi and Kibale start to firm up. Many Albertine Rift birds are nesting, and UWA rates late May onward as the start of the best birding. Crowds are still building, so June often gives dry season conditions with easier permit dates.

July: Peak Season

July is peak season. It is the coolest month on the national average, at about 22°C, and the grass in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls is short enough for clear game viewing. Book gorilla permits months ahead.

August: Dry in the South, Showers in the North

Conditions match July in the southwest, though showers return to the north earlier than most visitors expect. Flamingos begin to arrive on the crater lakes of Queen Elizabeth from August, UWA notes.

September to November in Uganda: The Short Rains

September to November brings the second rainy season, with October the wettest of the three, yet mornings are often clear and travel continues with few problems on main roads.

September: The Quiet Shoulder Month

A shoulder month. The first half usually behaves like the dry season in the southwest, and lodges are quieter once school holidays end. UWA counts it inside the best birding window.

October: Afternoon Downpours

October averages about 154 mm of rain across the country, level with April. Expect afternoon downpours, slippery forest trails and green, photogenic parks.

November: Low Season Permits

Rain continues, and the reward is price: November is one of three months with the USD 600 gorilla permit, and the same months carry a USD 200 chimpanzee permit instead of USD 250. Migrant birds from Europe and Asia are arriving.

December to February in Uganda: The Short Dry Season

December to February is the second dry season and the warmest stretch of the year, a strong time for savannah safaris and for combining the south with the north.

December: Rain Fades, Holidays Fill

Rain fades through the month. The holiday weeks are busy and priced like peak season, so the first half of December is the better value.

January: Prime Savannah Month

January averages about 51 mm of rain, among the lowest of the year. Game viewing is at its best in Murchison Falls, where daytime temperatures run 25 to 32°C, and migrant birds are present across the country.

February: Driest and Warmest

The driest month on the national figures, at about 49 mm, and the warmest, at about 24°C. UWA warns that the north, including Kidepo, is uncomfortably hot in February and early March, so start game drives early.

March to May in Uganda: The Long Rains

March to May is the main rainy season and the quietest time to visit Uganda, with the lowest prices and the heaviest rain.

March: The Rains Build

Rain builds from mid month. Early March can still feel dry, and it is the last month with migrant birds in numbers.

April: The Wettest Month

April is the wettest month of the year on the national average, at about 156 mm. UWA puts the heaviest rain in the southwest from mid April to mid May, when treks are slower and muddier. The gorilla permit drops to USD 600.

May: Wet, Cheap and Quiet

Still wet, at about 147 mm, but easing late in the month. The USD 600 permit applies, lodges discount their rates, and you may share a gorilla family with fewer than the full eight visitors.

Uganda Weather Month by Month

The table gives national monthly averages from the World Bank's climate data for the most recent 30 year period, rounded, beside what each month suits.

One caution on these numbers: they average the whole country. Northern Uganda has a single long wet season through the middle of the year, which lifts the national figures for June to August. The gorilla forests and the western parks are drier in those months than the table suggests.

Best Time to Visit Uganda by Activity

The best month depends on what you came for, and the answers differ more than most calendars admit.

Best Time to Visit Uganda FAQs

What is the best month to visit Uganda?

July and January are the safest picks for dry weather across the main parks. June and early September give similar conditions with fewer visitors.

When is the rainy season in Uganda?

Uganda has two rainy seasons in the south, March to May and September to November. April and October are the wettest months on national averages, at about 155 mm each.

Is it worth visiting Uganda in the rainy season?

Yes, for travellers who accept muddy treks: gorilla permits cost USD 600 instead of USD 800 in April, May and November, lodges are cheaper, and rain usually falls in bursts and not all day. Travellers with tight schedules or limited mobility do better in the dry months.

What is the cheapest time to visit Uganda?

April, May and November are the cheapest months, because of the low season gorilla permit and discounted lodge rates.

How hot is Uganda?

Uganda averages 22 to 24°C across the year. The highlands around Bwindi are cooler, and the northern savannah is hotter, reaching 32°C by day in Murchison Falls.

Can you see gorillas in Uganda all year?

Yes. Treks run every day, and the gorillas stay in the same forest in every season. Only the trail conditions and the permit price change.

Insight Safari Holidays runs Uganda safaris in every season with its own vehicles and guides. Send the month you can travel, and the team will tell you plainly what the weather and permit availability look like for it.