Gorilla trekking is the top tourist activity in Uganda. It’s the most expensive and most attended to by travelers. The country has two Gorilla homes namely: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which are situated in southwestern Uganda.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!What is a gorilla trekking peak season?
The peak season is when Uganda receives many tourists yearning to encounter Gorillas in their natural habitats/ forests. In peak season, tourist vehicles as seen many in the field, the safari guides keep busy in the field and the tour consultants in the offices keep on booking accommodation, booking gorilla permits, and drafting itineraries among other arrangements.
The peak season in Uganda is during the summer holidays and the Christmas holidays.
What is special about gorilla trekking during peak season?
There are a number of things to keep in mind once you consider trekking gorillas during the peak season. Among the things to put in mind include the following;
High demand for Gorilla Trekking Permits
The peak season comes with a very high demand for gorilla trekking permits. July is often the peak month of the peak season. It is impossible to secure a gorilla trekking slot this month without a prior booking.
High demand For Accommodation
Most of Uganda’s popular safari lodges are fully booked in these peak months. However, it is not true that all accommodation sells out during the peak season. There are always new lodges opening up every year. If you are willing to try new accommodation, you should never be worried about finding accommodation
Full Capacity Trekking Groups
A maximum of eight people are allowed to encounter a single gorilla family in any of the two Ugandan gorilla parks. Unlike the low season where the groups rarely make the number of eight people, in the peak season expect to trek gorillas with the maximum number of people expected in a group.
There is no Congestion
It is very easy to assume that peak seasons come with congestion. This is not the case in Uganda. Even during the peak season, the number remains reasonable. It is very rare to find more than ten safari vehicles at the same park offices.
When is the Gorilla trekking peak season?
Gorilla trekking peak season occurs in the dry season. Uganda’s dry seasons are from December/January through to early March and from June through to mid-September. These dry months are the most popular with tourists, with July and August and Christmas and New Year being the peak of the peak seasons.
Why Trek Gorillas in the peak season
- It is easier to Gorilla trek in the dry season/peak season since the trails are more passable
- You can enjoy the park among many travelers
- You can enjoy other Savannah parks to see a variety of attractions. The short and clear vegetation in Savannah parks enables tourists to see and take clear photos of wild animals and birds.
- Socialization between travelers creates friendship
Why you should not trek Gorillas in Peak season
- The high demand for Gorilla permits makes them scarce
- The high demand for accommodation makes them expensive
- Overcrowding in Gorilla parks
- In the dry season, gorillas walk distantly to look for food making it hard for the trekkers to find them.
In conclusion, the dry season is the best for Gorilla trekking in Uganda, why? the roads are clear, the dry trekking trails favor the movements of trekkers.