BEST TIME TO VISIT KAMPALA FOR A UGANDA TOUR

Best Time, Seasons & Months To Go On Tour In Kampala?

With its hilly topography and proximity to Lake Victoria, Kampala enjoys lovely weather most of the year. Its elevation and location close to the equator ensure pleasantly warm weather through the year, without extreme fluctuation. Whether you are in the city to attend a conference or meeting, or simply on a city tour vacation, most of the months in the year are good in Kampala. If a visit to the game parks in the rest of the country is in your plans, you may prefer to schedule your safari holiday during one of the dry seasons as it is the best time to visit: the drier and warmer season that encompasses mid-December, January and February, and the longer, cooler dry season months of June, July, August and the early parts of September. Depending on the month you are planning to travel, you can expect daytime temperature to range from 26-29 C (79-84 F). Nighttime temperatures remain at a range of 16-18 C (61-64 F).

Different Monthly Seasons At Kampala - Dry, Hot, Wet Rainy & Cool

1. Dry Months, Best Time & High Season For Kampala: Mid-December, January and February are the driest and warmest months but not the peak season of travel in Uganda. Expect few guests compared to the peak season.
2. Dry & Wet Rainy Months, Very Good Time & Peak Season For Kampala: June, July and August offer mostly dry periods with intermittent showers. July and August have high numbers of visitors into Kampala.
3. Wet Rainy Months, Good Time & Mid-Peak Season For Kampala: March and September offer a mixture of dry and wet periods with September having an increased number of visitors into Kampala compared to March.
4. Wet Rainy Season, Least Best Time & Low Season For Kampala: April, May, October, and November. These months are also part of the lush green season in Uganda, and have the least number of visitors due to limited land and water based activities around Kampala. Some roads with limited drainage in Kampala do get flooded.
5. Hot & Cool Months: There is only 1-3 Celsius degrees variation in temperature in between months at Kampala. January and February are the hottest months with highs of 29 C (84 F) during the day and lows of 18 C (64 F) at night while June, July and August are the coolest months with highs of 26ºC (79 F) during the day and lows of 16 C (61 F) at night. All other months have a range from 27 C (80 F) to 28 C (82 F) during the daytime while nighttime temperatures average around 17 C (62 F).

Key Takeaways

• Daytime temperatures ranging from 26 to 29 C (79-84 F) and nighttime temperatures hovering around 16 to 18 C (61-64 F)
• Best time to visit is in the dry season months of mid-December to February and June to August.
• Cooler months in Uganda coinciding with summer-time in the northern hemisphere when schools are closed for summer holidays. Best time for families to visit.
• The rainy season months March to May and mid-September to mid-December
• Wet seasons may impede travel on some roads within Kampala

Visiting Kampala During the Dry Seasons - Is It The Best Time To Go On Tour Based On Climate, Temperatures & Weather Conditions?

If you are going to be touring only in Kampala, the two dry seasons are the best time for your visit. In an urban setting, exploring the varied attractions is not likely to be hampered by rain unless you access roads that have poor drainage during the peak rainy period. Kampala also sees more holiday guests in the dry seasons because the months of June through August are summer holiday months in North American and European countries. Since schools are closed for the summer, families like to take child-friendly vacations in African countries to introduce their kids to the beauty of wildlife and the importance of conservation efforts. The other short dry season of January and February is also perfect for spending time in the city. The warm weather is a magnet for northern hemisphere tourists looking to take a break from the harsh winters.

Wet Seasons In Kampala & How To Plan Activities During The Rainy Period?

Like all African countries, Uganda has two dry seasons and two wet seasons. As it is a tropical country subject to vagaries of weather due to global warming, you can expect to see light rain at any time of the year. However, the long wet season lasts from March to May, while the short rains begin to fall by the end of September, continuing through October and November until about the middle of December. Even during the wet seasons and being close to the equator, it does not rain continuously in Kampala; in between showers the skies become clear and sunny. The wet season in Uganda is also considered an off, low or green season for tourism. While rates for the hotels in Kampala generally remain unchanged throughout the year, you can expect the camps and lodges in the reserves to offer discounts during the rainy season.

Other Considerations When Planning Your Tour Dates For Kampala

If you intend to travel to the diverse parks and reserves in the country, however, you may want to plan your trip to coincide with one of the two dry seasons. During this period, the dry conditions in the forests are less muddy and ideal for tracking and viewing primates such as mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys. The plains of Uganda have sparse vegetation in the dry season, prompting terrestrial wildlife, including the large mammals and big cats, to congregate at water sources for drinking. During the wet season, animals are more difficult to find because they tend to spread out when water and food are more readily available. In addition, the dry season has fewer bugs, including mosquitoes, thereby greatly lowering the risk of malaria.