There are two main seasons in Rwanda; the dry season which lasts from June through September and December, and the rainy season from March to May. Rwanda is a destination for all seasons the temperatures hardly vary throughout the year and sit around 63F-81F due to its position just south of the Equator. The days are warm and the nights are cool. That being said the best time to visit is during the country’s dry season when visitors have a far greater chance of spotting the country’s undoubted highlight; the mountain gorilla.

The drier seasons are ideal trekking conditions to track mountain gorillas and chimpanzees when there is little to no mud on the steep paths. The weather here is fairly temperate and favors travel all year round due to its compact size, and high altitude. The dry season offers the best hiking conditions. The hiking trails in Nyungwe, Volcanoes, and Gishwati-Mukura National Parks are best visited during the dry season as the trails are drier. During the dry season, Akagera National Park is a great time to easily spot wildlife as the vegetation is much thinner, and the animals gather around the lakes.

The rainy season in Rwanda is still a good time to visit Rwanda, during November which is the shorter rain period and the months from March to May provide lush, verdant forests and full lakes well worth visiting. The rainy season is also a cheaper time to obtain permits to see the famous gorillas. In January and February, the high and medium-altitude regions comprising Kigali, Lake Kivu, and Volcanoes and Nyungwe National Parks boast hot days and cool evenings.