What disappoints most travelers on an African safari is visiting a destination at the wrong time. Regardless of the fact that the Virunga National Park is accessible throughout the year intending visitors on gorilla safari need to pay keen attention to the park’s seasonality. Generally, this forested protected area suitably straddles astride the Equator with temperatures nearly the same all year round. At times it is not easy to differentiate between the wet and dry seasons. Note that what one person may regard the best time, to the other, it is the worse, however, the best time usually allows you to enjoy your adventure the fact that the skies can be clear.
For any plans to visit Virunga National Park for gorilla trekking, it is important that you keep in mind the wet and dry season. Each of these seasons comes with adventures and disadvantages.
The wet season starts from March to May and October to November. The advantage with this season is that it is characterized by plenty of forage for gorillas to feed on and they don’t move to distant areas to look for what to eat.
The disadvantage with it is that the ground can be muddy, slippery and becomes challenging for you to hike through the thick vegetation and slippery steep slopes. However, the dry season usually comes with great news as there is a low amount of rainfall received and the habitat for these rare creatures remains relatively driers hence making it ideal for you to hike through the jungles to look out for these magnificent creatures in the wild. The dry season starts from June to September and from December to February.
This park lies on the eastern side of DR Congo which is bordered by Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Sudan, Central African Republic, Burundi, and others. DRC features as the second-largest African state and the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa.
This vast African state receives rainfall amount of about 1700 mm and on the northern side, experiences the wet season. DR Congo generally experiences an equatorial or tropical kind of climate and can be humid, hot in the equatorial river basins.
The dry and cool in the higher altitudes within the south and rainy and cool in the eastern highlands with an average temperature range of between 18 to 32 degrees Celsius. For excellent gorilla views, consider visiting the Congo Virunga National Park during the dry season and you will be filled with the most thrilling experiences of a lifetime.
The Virunga National Park can be visited at any time of the year and July to September feature as the driest months of the year. For those of you who are interested in gorilla trekking, this is a perfect period for you to explore more about these dramatic creatures.
Rains usually start in November and it is a period when the ground can be wet and this makes it more challenging for one to hike through the rainforest and steep slippery slopes to look out for these creatures.
The longest wet season starts from March to May. If you are planning to visit this park during this season for gorilla trekking, you need to pack appropriately starting with waterproof hiking boots, insect repellents, hat, gardening gloves, daypack, walking stick and this can be got at the park headquarters, first aid kit, sunscreen, long-sleeved shirts or t-shirts, trousers a mention but a few.
Conclusively, despite the fact that the Virunga National Park is an all-year-round destination, you need to be keen on when to pay a visit to this park as each season comes with its advantages and disadvantages.