February and March mark the end of Uganda’s dry season and the beginning of the long rains—a transition period that creates genuinely interesting gorilla trekking conditions, distinct from both the settled dry season peak and the full wet season. Trekkers who choose this window often find a combination of still-manageable trails, greening vegetation, excellent gorilla encounter quality, and permit availability that makes it one of the better underutilised periods in the annual calendar.
February: late dry season, fading to green
February sits within Uganda’s dry season, which typically extends from December through early March in the south-west. By February, however, the dry season is maturing toward its end, and the forest shows signs of the transition: vegetation that was relatively dormant through January begins to flush new growth, flowering events increase, and the atmosphere starts accumulating the moisture that will eventually produce the first long-rains showers. Trail conditions in February are generally excellent—dry, firm underfoot, with low mud risk even on Nkuringo’s steepest sections. Visibility within the forest can be high, with less dense understorey vegetation than in the peak wet season, which sometimes makes gorilla observation easier.
February temperatures at Bwindi’s altitude are typically cool: 12 to 20 degrees Celsius in the mornings at higher sectors, warming through the day. The characteristic highland chill that makes early morning briefings uncomfortable can be addressed with a warm mid-layer and a rain jacket, which doubles as a windproof. Afternoon conditions are usually pleasant for post-trek lodge activities or gentle walks.
March: the transition month
March is transitional: the dry season ends and the long rains begin, but the timing of this transition varies significantly between years. In some years, March is predominantly dry with only a few rain days toward the end of the month. In others—particularly during La Niña events—the rains begin in earnest in the first week of March. This variability makes March a calculated risk rather than a guaranteed dry-season experience, and trekkers booking for March should pack accordingly (good rain gear, waterproof gaiters) and set realistic expectations about trail conditions.
The upside of March’s transitional status is the forest’s vivid response to the first rains: vegetation that was holding back through the dry season erupts in new growth within days of the first significant rainfall, and the forest takes on a quality of freshness and vitality that the drier months lack. Insect activity increases dramatically, which benefits insect-eating bird species and produces better birding conditions for trekkers interested in Bwindi’s extraordinary avifauna alongside the gorilla encounter.
Permit availability and crowd levels in February-March
February and March occupy an interesting position in the permit market. They follow the December-January peak (Christmas and New Year visitors) but precede the Easter holiday surge that can push March permits to high demand. In most years, permits for February and early March are obtainable with 2-4 months’ advance booking rather than the 6-12 months required for July and August. Last-minute availability in February—rare in peak season—occasionally exists, particularly for weekday trekking dates rather than weekends.
Lodge accommodation pricing in February is typically at standard rates rather than peak-season premiums, and some properties offer shoulder-season discounts. The overall crowd level at Bwindi in February is moderate: post-Christmas visitors have departed, but the park is not as quiet as the lowest-traffic months of May and November. The combination of good trail conditions, reasonable permit availability, lush forest, and manageable lodge pricing makes February one of the most overlooked quality windows in the annual gorilla trekking calendar.
