Best time to visit Uganda : Uganda is a country which can be visited during anytime of the year and the country experiences the dry season and the rainy season during the year. There are different destinations which can be visited around Uganda include national parks and the country is also known for its stunning landscapes and variety of attractions found in different parts of the country.
Uganda experiences two dry seasons and they are also considered the best time to visit the destinations in the country.
Visiting Uganda in the dry season
The dry season is considered the best time for safaris around Uganda and is also a time of the year when many tourists visit destinations in the country.
The months during which the dry season is experienced in Uganda include December, January, February, June, July, August and September. The first dry season is from December to February and the second dry season is experienced during the months from June to September.
During the dry season, the weather is sunny making it favorable to engage in activities like hiking, gorilla trekking, and wildlife viewing around the destinations in Uganda. Many tourists visit Uganda during the dry season which is also considered a high season.
Wildlife viewing in Uganda during the dry season is favorable as wildlife species are known to gather around water sources especially around the savannah parks such as Kidepo valley national park, Murchison falls national park, Lake Mburo national park and also Queen Elizabeth national park.
Many wildlife species are also born during the dry season and the vegetation is also thinner making the wildlife safaris in Uganda as the animals can be spotted in the savannah plains during game viewing tours during the year.
Some of the wildlife species which can be seen during safaris in Uganda include the big five such as rhinos at Zziwa rhino sanctuary, elephants, buffalos, lions and leopards. Other animals in Uganda include antelopes, hyenas, warthogs, cheetahs, hippos, giraffes among others.
Gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking and other primate tours in Uganda are also best done in the dry season. However before travelling for these tours, it is advised that tourists book their permits many months prior to the time for the trek to avoid missing out on the primate encounters in their natural habitat.
The gorilla trekking experiences in Uganda are done in Bwindi national park and Mgahinga national park while chimpanzee tracking takes place in destinations such as Kibale forest national park, the Kyambura gorge and Budongo forest. Golden monkey trekking takes place in Mgahinga national park during tours in Uganda.
Visiting Uganda in the rainy season
Tours in Uganda can also be done during the rainy season which is experienced around March, April and May and also in November.
The rain season is also considered the low season with fewer tourists visiting destinations around Uganda for safaris. Despite the rains, some activities are best done during the rainy season including bird watching and also photography.
Rains received make it difficult to take part in some activities around Uganda such as hiking, gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, gorilla habituation, chimpanzee trekking among other experiences in the high altitude areas.
Uganda during the rainy season has lush landscapes making it ideal for capturing photos around the destinations in the county. For those travelers who wish to avoid crowds, the rainy season is the best time to travel to Uganda.
Travelling to Uganda during the low season also has its advantages including discounted prices at accommodations such as budget, midrange and luxury lodges found around the country.
Some of the activities which take place in Uganda such as cultural tours can be done in any season of the year in order for tourists to experience the way of life and culture of the locals and also enjoy traditional music and dance, learning how to prepare local food among other activities. There are over 56 tribes to interact with when visiting Uganda.
The choice of best time to visit Uganda can also depend on interests of the traveler and the decision is largely up to the individual who can also decide activities to do, where to stay, duration of the safari among other details of the trip to Uganda.
Activities to do around Uganda
Uganda offers a variety of experiences to engage in throughout the year and these activities include wildlife viewing, adventure tours, boat safaris, bird watching, nature tours, hiking, cultural tours among other activities.
Safaris in Uganda and Wildlife Viewing takes place across the 10 national parks of the country such as Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga national park, Kidepo national park, Rwenzori mountain national park, Mount Elgon national park. Lake Mburo national park, Semuliki national park.
Boat safaris around Uganda take place in places such as Lake Victoria which is the largest lake in Africa, Lake Bunyonyi, Kazinga channel, Boat rides to the bottom of the Murchison falls, boat rides on Lake Mburo, boat rides around the crater lakes among other destinations.
Hiking in Uganda is common in destinations like Mount Rwenzori or mountains of the moon which is the highest mountain in the country, Mount Elgon, Sipi falls, Mount Moroto, Mount Morugole, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura among other places.
Adventure tours in Uganda can be done in destinations like Jinja where activities like bungee jumping, white water rafting among others take place during the year.
How to get to Uganda
Uganda is bordered by countries including Democratic Republic of Congo in the west, Sudan to the north, Kenya to the east, Tanzania and Rwanda to the south. Different border connect Uganda to these countries during safaris around the country.
The airport which can be used for getting to Uganda is Entebbe international airport and the national carrier is Uganda Airlines. There are also different airstrips which are used during safaris around the country. Domestic airlines in the country include Aerolink which offers scheduled and charter flights around the country.
