What is the Best Time to Visit Rwanda Gorillas?

Rwanda is one of the three countries in Africa known to be a natural habitat to the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. These live in the Volcanoes national park lying in the Virunga Conservation area.

In Rwanda, the first rains start coming in late February through March, April and May and many Gorilla trekkers do not want to do trekking in this period avoiding the terrain in the forest and probably getting wet while tracking the gorillas. The fact that the rains at this time are plenty, there is plenty of food as well for the gorillas on the downer slope and it’s much colder on the upper slopes. So the mountain gorillas keep on the lower slopes where they find it warmer and get food easily. So if you track the gorillas during these months, most likely your trek won’t be a long one – many trackers find the gorillas after a 2 hours hike.Those who are not so fit to move in the forest for longer distances can use these months. Do not be discouraged by the rainy months.

In Rwanda Gorillas can be tracked during the high season in the months of June to September and then December, January and February. However during this time the accommodation rates are abit high because of the many trekkers and you are most likely to spend more hours in the forest searching for the hiding gorillas.

For trekkers who prefer easiest gorilla trekking conditions in Rwanda, The best time to visit Rwanda for a gorilla trek is during the short dry season from mid-December to early February or over the long dry season months of June to September. During the dry season, Gorillas move actively in their natural habitat .Trekkers get chances of viewing them feed their young ones, swinging from one branch to another etc.
Please note that Rwanda Gorilla permits are available all year round.