BEST TIME TO VISIT VOLCANOES PARK FOR A RWANDA GORILLA SAFARI

Recommended Gorilla Trek Season Guide For Best Time To Go To Volcanoes

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Volcanoes National Park offers unparalleled beauty. Its diverse ecology includes various types of forest vegetation, including bamboo, along with cleared foothills, lakes, and much more. It’s enjoyable to vacation in this stunning locale at any time of the year. Rwanda’s higher elevations give it a cooler climate than many other African countries.

The best season to visit Volcanoes Park is during the dry months of June through September where the maximum temperatures hover between 25C and 27C (77F to 81F) degrees during the day and fall to between 13.5C and 15C (56F to 59F) at night. In fact, your tour consultant at AfricanMecca Safaris is likely to recommend that you pack some warm clothing, since the weather in the mountains can be quite cool in the evenings and early mornings. The second, shorter dry season runs from the middle of December through to the middle of February.

Many active holidaymakers who want to visit Volcanoes National Park to experience gorilla primate trekking in Rwanda pick the drier months, since trails are less muddy and there is less likelihood of getting drenched by an impromptu shower. However, those looking for the best chance of seeing specific mountain gorilla families of the Virungas might want to plan your primate trip in one of the wet seasons. During the rains, the climate at the higher elevations is cooler and the gorillas prefer to remain on the lower slopes; here, it is easier to track and spot them.

In addition, food is more plentiful in this season and the gorillas don't have to wander too far to find their favorites, which include tender bamboo shoots, stinging nettles, wild fruits, wild celery, and other vegetation. You might just be able to find your assigned and preferred gorilla family within an hour or two of departing for the hike; though, the trails can be challenging to traverse due to wetness. During the rains, the reserve is also green with fresh vegetation, making it all the more beautiful.

In light of this, you might consider visiting sometime between the end of February and the month of May, which coincides with the long rains in Rwanda. You could also plan your travel during the short rains, which occur from October and November through to mid-December. One advantage of visiting during the rainy seasons is that fewer people choose to come during these periods, so some accommodations in Volcanoes Park offer rate discounts via your AfricanMecca trip planner.

The long dry season coincides with summertime in the northern hemisphere. Since most schools in Europe and North America are closed for the summer holidays, this is the time when families tend to plan safari expeditions to Africa with their older children. In the winter months of December and January, northern guests like to plan trips to the countries in the south, where it is warmer, producing another influx to Rwanda. Whatever the time of year you decide to visit Volcanoes National Park, you are sure to be amazed by its magnificent scenery and fascinating inhabitants.