Weather in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
This safari blog by Achieve Global Safaris about weather at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a must read before going for gorilla trekking. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the famous mountain gorilla parks in the world.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is found in the southwestern parts of Uganda in Kanungu District. The park is found a few degrees south of the Equator and the Ruhija area in the park is said to be the coldest region (Kisoro-Bwindi boundary) at an altitude of 1160 m to 2607 m above sea level.
Bwindi has a tropical type of climate and vegetation as well, with average temperatures ranging from 7 – 20°C to 20 – 27°C. The park is famous for its biodiversity, mountainous vegetation and climate and is also home to the prominent mountain gorillas, which were listed as critically endangered species by the UICN.
It is estimated that Bwindi Impenetrable Forests have over 480 mountain gorilla populations with 8 habituated gorilla families. However, in June 2016, a mountain gorilla census was carried out, which indicated that the giant apes had increased in numbers, totaling over 1000 mountain gorillas in all mountain gorilla parks in the world.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a wet, cold climate, sometimes with mist covering the skies in some parts of the park. The park receives 2,390 mm of rainfall, which makes the temperatures consistent annually: temperatures of about 23°C/73°F during the day and a sudden drop in temperatures to around 11°C/52°F during the night.
This variation in the temperatures of the area is brought by the high altitude of 4,265 ft to 8,553 ft above sea level. As some theories state, the higher you go, the cooler it becomes; if you climb more than 1000 m above, the temperatures drop to about 6.5°C.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park receives rainfall throughout the year, with rain almost happening every day. The park doesn’t have a dry season, though the months of June and July receive the least rainfall amounts, and the months of December to February receive low rainfall amounts.
The months of June to July and December to February receive little rainfall and are said to be the drier seasons in the Bwindi Impenetrable.
These are the best months to visit the park for amazing experiences of gorilla trekking and sightseeing; these months are regarded as the peak season. During these months, it can really get extremely hot during the day, with temperatures that can rise from 24°C to 30°C, and nights and mornings are usually very cold, with temperatures dropping to around 9°C to 11°C. Even though it is said that these are drier months, rainfall can happen at any time of the day or night.
The wet season is normally witnessed in the months of March, April and May with heavy rainfall amounts throughout the park. It intensifies in the month of April, where rainfall is extremely too much, hence justifying the name ‘Impenetrable,’ as the roads and trails become impassable, thus causing difficulty in trekking and hiking.
To worsen it all, it may keep drizzling all day long; the wet season is further divided into two: the short rains of March to May and the persistent rains of September to November. It’s in this period that the migratory birds are noticed in the park, which makes bird watching an interesting or additional activity.
If you’re planning on a trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you’re advised to pack heavy weather gadgets such as hiking shoes, gloves, jackets, leg warmers, bed warmers and many more because of the unpredicted weather in the park.
Rainfall can happen anytime, hence making the roads, trails and tracks impassable because they become more slippery. At least if driving through the park, don’t forget to fully engage the four-wheel-drive mechanism because of the park’s rainy nature, which may disrupt your journey.
