Uganda’s fantastic weather and climate is among the things that Sir Winton Churchill considered when christening it as the pearl of Africa. Uganda has two annual seasons; the dry/sunny season and the rainy/wet season. The dry season is the most ideal season to explore the Pearl of Africa’s national parks since the dirt roads in the Parks are passable.
The hottest month of the year is always January with the country’s northern region being the hottest too. In January to February, the average temperature daytime range is 24-330C but in the north of the country can reach up to 400C.
In general, the south of Uganda shares the same tropical climate as Kampala. The city has a slightly milder climate due to its location near Lake Victoria. The parks in the south tend to be a bit warmer during the day and cooler at night. The areas at high altitude, including the gorilla parks, get considerably colder. Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley in the north are warmer with daytime temperatures averaging 32°C/90°F.
Generally, the dry season in Uganda occurs in June to August and then from December to February. However much these are the driest months in Uganda, the fact is that it can still rain at any time within those months.
The dry season is definitely the most convenient to travel and explore the beautiful Pearl of Africa. The northern part of the country remains the driest side receiving few rains throughout the year.
The western region, especially the gorilla parks, is the coldest – don’t forget the heavy clothes on your packing list whenever you are going for a gorilla safari!
Uganda experiences its wet season in March to May and then September to November. March, April & May – there is more rainfall throughout the country during these months, with a clear peak in April in the south of the country. Some days in the wet season have some sunshine as well and still even when it rains, it will rain for some time and then sunshine.
The wet season is however the low season/off season for travelers as rain can make travel more difficult. In the rainy/wet season, the dirt roads in the Parks become slippery thus being very tricky to drive on them. September, October and November can also be compared to the months of March, April and May but on average, there is a bit less rain. The other months are a mixture of rains and sunshine of which all are moderate.
Meanwhile, though there is a dry and wet season in Uganda, it is not a guarantee that you will not see any rain during the dry/sunny season and the reverse is true.
Therefore, don’t be afraid to travel in the rainy season as the country can be visited and explored throughout the year. Why not visit the beautiful Pearl of Africa and have a close encounter with the great apes – endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees?!
