When is Peak Season in Bwindi? What is it like to visit Bwindi during the peak season? When is the best time to visit Bwindi?
Peak season also known as high season, or more often the summer travel season for people in Europe is for many considered the best time to visit Bwindi Forest for gorilla trekking. The peak season covers the months of mid-June through to August. The accepted high season travel months are June, July, and August.
The peak season in Bwindi offers arguably the best weather (dry with very little or completely no rain), but also higher travel prices, and the larger groups tours – all more noticeable in the peak season months ( June, July, and August). The weather around these months is ideal, there is a very slight chance of rain with the days warm and the evenings slightly cooler. It’s however important for travelers to keep in mind that this is also the busiest and most expensive so book early to avoid any disappointments regarding availabilities.
Visiting Bwindi in the peak season months of June, July, and August usually means you have to plan ahead because gorilla permits, accommodation, and generally slots for tours visiting Bwindi get sold out months in advance. Additionally, air tickets and any other travel arrangements can be a lot tedious to secure or arrange during the peak season.
The crowds may be unavoidable during the peak season, but there are ways to escape them;
- Consider staying at a luxury lodge in Bwindi
- Book your trip to Bwindi with a high-end safari company. Browse our list of Luxury Gorilla Tour Operators.
Tips for traveling to Bwindi during the Peaks season
- Stock up on holiday essentials a year in advance.
Gorilla trekking essentials like specialty gear; waterproof hiking boots, gaiters, raincoat, a hut, insect, repellent, sunglasses, travel bags, sun cream, etc all add up but instead of waiting until the new season stuff comes into shops, why not stock up in the sales the year before? This saves you from losing a lot of money on last-minute in-season purchases.
This one requires a fair bit of planning, but if you can take advantage of the special sales then you’ll be saving yourself some cash in the long run. And don’t worry about care & beauty products expiring. Most sun creams last for two years when stored properly.
- Book everything well in advance
Doesn’t matter if you are a DIY traveler that likes to plan and book Their own travels or you intend to use a reputable gorilla tour operator on your trip to Bwindi, book your hotel(s), transfer(s), tours(s) and activities well in advance to avoid last-minute booking disappointment(s) but rather get the best deals. Flights and accommodation can even be double the price during peak season in Bwindi.
Caution: Quite a few travelers have in the recent past tried out self-drive as a way of controlling their travel expenses and some of these trips have turned out nasty with quite a number of them getting involved in accidents caused by them driving in unfamiliar conditions; The traffic rules in Africa are quite different from what you know back in your home country – its safer to book an organized Gorilla Safari which includes a vehicle driven by an experienced local guide – Learn more from our post: why we discourage self-drive.
- Stay at great value budget lodgings
If staying in a big chain of hotels isn’t your thing, then you could save even more by choosing to stay a range of great value budget to midrange gorilla safari lodges, homestays in Bwindi, and little Community operated guesthouses. Check out our listings for the Great Value Places to stay in Bwindi
- Pre-book your Bwindi tours and buy your Gorilla Permit(s) in advance
Pre-booking your tour or holiday to Bwindi will save you the last-minute rush characterized by limited options, and sometimes no option at all. Buying, booking, and paying for your gorilla permits, accommodation, airline tickets, and any other activities you intend to undertake during your tour well in advance gives you peace of mind.
Quick Links:
- How to book a Gorilla Permits in Advance.
- How to book a gorilla tour in Advance.
- How to Book my accommodation in advance.
For inadvance flight bookings, we recommend looking at;