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Last checked: October 2026.
Uganda has no wildebeest migration to time a trip around. Its draw is range: the savannah and channel of Queen Elizabeth, the Nile forcing through a narrow gorge at Murchison Falls, chimpanzees in Kibale, the remote valleys of Kidepo, and mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga. So the best time to visit Uganda depends on which of those you want most, because the seasons treat a forest trail, a savannah track and a semi-arid valley differently.
Most of the country has two rainy seasons, March to May and roughly late September to November, easing in December, with drier spells between them. The south-west, home to the gorilla parks, is driest from June to August and from December to February. Kidepo, in the far north-east, has one long wet season instead of two. This guide goes park by park. Gorilla trail conditions and the permit calendar have their own page: our guide to the best time for gorilla trekking.
The detail: Uganda's parks, season by season
Queen Elizabeth National Park. Best from June to August and December to February, when the grass is shorter, the tracks firmer and animals draw towards permanent water. This is Uganda's best-known savannah park, set around the Kazinga Channel between Lakes George and Edward, with the Ishasha sector in the south known for lions that rest in fig trees. In the rains the plains turn green and some tracks become slow or impassable, but the channel boat trip runs in most weather. Park entry is $40 per 24 hours.
Murchison Falls National Park. Best for game drives in the drier months, though the falls are dramatic in any month. The Uganda Wildlife Authority calls it the country's largest and oldest conservation area, split by the Victoria Nile. Most game drives are on the northern bank, and the boat trip upriver towards the falls and the walk to the top are the set pieces. Entry is $45 per 24 hours, a category above the other parks named here.
Kibale National Park. Good in every month for chimpanzees; the rains simply make the forest floor muddier and the walk slower. A chimpanzee tracking permit costs $250 now and $300 from 1 January 2027, and $200 in April, May and November. The permit includes Kibale's park entry. The minimum age is 12 and you spend one hour with the chimps. As with the gorillas, chimps catch human illness: the authority's rules say you must not enter the forest if you are sick, and you keep at least 10 metres away. This is not medical advice; follow your doctor and the park's rules.
Kidepo Valley National Park. Best from roughly December to March, earlier in the year than the other parks. Kidepo is remote and semi-arid, on the borders with South Sudan and Kenya. Most sources describe a single wet season beginning around April, though they disagree on whether it ends in August, September or later. In the dry months the rivers shrink and wildlife tends to gather around the Narus Valley, where water lasts longest. Entry is $40.
Bwindi and Mgahinga. Trekking runs all year, with firmer trails in the drier months. These are Uganda's two gorilla parks, in the south-western highlands, and the month-by-month gorilla guide covers the trail and the permit in detail.
One trip, several clocks. The parks sit in different climates, so a single date suits them unevenly.
| Park | Best for | Driest months | In the rains | Entry (24 h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Elizabeth | Savannah game drives, Kazinga Channel | Jun–Aug, Dec–Feb | Greener; some tracks slow or closed | $40 |
| Murchison Falls | The Nile, the falls, game drives | Jun–Aug, Dec–Feb | Greener; drives slower | $45 |
| Kibale | Chimpanzee tracking | Jun–Aug, Dec–Feb | Muddier trails; permit lower in Apr, May, Nov | Included in chimp permit |
| Kidepo | Remote valleys, big-sky savannah | Roughly Dec–Mar | One long wet season from about April | $40 |
| Bwindi, Mgahinga | Mountain gorillas | Jun–Aug, Dec–Feb | Muddier trails; see the gorilla guide | Included in permit |
Month by month. A rough guide; the edges shift from year to year.
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most of Uganda (Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Kibale, Bwindi, Mgahinga) | Dry | Dry | Wet | Wet | Wet | Dry | Dry | Dry | Shoulder | Wet | Wet | Dry |
| Kidepo | Dry | Dry | Dry | Wet | Wet | Wet | Wet | Wet | Shoulder | Shoulder | Shoulder | Dry |
What the shoulder months are like. Early September often still feels like the dry season, but in the south-west the rains return from mid to late September. March is when the long rains begin. Both can be good value if you are flexible, but neither is a safe bet for dry trails.
What the rains cost and save. In April, May and November Uganda's gorilla and chimp permits cost less, with conditions: low-season gorilla and chimpanzee permits cannot be rescheduled. The gorilla timing guide sets out the gorilla side.
A note for late 2026. Uganda's 2026 seasonal outlook points to above-normal rain from September, peaking in October and November in the south-western highlands and possibly lasting into January 2027 in lower-lying areas. If you are travelling between October 2026 and January 2027, expect wetter tracks than usual. We'll plan around the latest forecast when you travel.
Government advice (checked October 2026). The US State Department rates Uganda Level 4, “Do Not Travel” (4 June 2026): “Do not travel to Uganda due to crime, health, terrorism, and unrest.” It lists national parks among terrorist targets. The UK Foreign Office has no warning against travel to any part of Uganda (updated 8 October 2026) but names the western border with the Congo as a terrorism risk. Read both before you book; is a safari safe? has the wider picture.
Key facts
Driest (most of Uganda): June–August (often into early September) and December–February. Rains: March–May and roughly late September–November, easing in December. Kidepo: one wet season from about April; driest roughly December–March. Chimpanzees (Kibale): $250 now, $300 from 1 January 2027, $200 in April, May and November; minimum age 12. Park entry: $40 per 24 hours (Queen Elizabeth, Kidepo, Bwindi); $45 at Murchison Falls; included in the Kibale chimp permit. Gorillas: Bwindi and Mgahinga, year-round. Migration: none; Uganda's draw is primates, rivers and range.
Planning it with Nobu
A Uganda trip often crosses three climates, so the order matters as much as the month: Kidepo early in the year, the gorilla and chimp forests in the dry months, Queen Elizabeth or Murchison where the tracks are best for your dates. A travel designer weighs those together, and can say when a low-season permit is worth its rules. If you are still choosing between the two gorilla countries, start with our Uganda vs Rwanda gorilla trekking comparison, then plan your journey.
Is it right for you?
June to August, or December to February, is right for you if you want firmer trails in Kibale and Bwindi, easier game drives in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison, and the most predictable conditions across several parks in one trip.
The rainy months are right for you if your dates are fixed, you like green landscapes and fewer vehicles, and you can use April, May or November to lower the chimp and gorilla permit spend.
Kidepo between about December and March is right for you if you want somewhere few travellers reach, and the drive or charter flight is part of the appeal.
Choose something else if a migration or the densest big-cat viewing is the heart of the trip: Uganda's savannah parks are rewarding, but Kenya and Tanzania suit that brief better (see our best time to go on safari guide). If your dates may move, avoid the non-reschedulable low-season permits.
Journeys to consider
- Uganda, with time for the forest. — Six days around Bwindi, with breathing space either side; the starting shape for a Uganda trip that can be extended towards Kibale or the savannah parks with a travel designer. Uganda, with time for the forest.
