Weather in Rwanda

Rwanda has two distinct dry seasons that offer the best conditions for trekking and wildlife viewing. The main dry season from June through September is the most popular time to visit — gorilla and chimpanzee tracking trails are less muddy, visibility in Nyungwe Forest is clearer, and daytime temperatures in Kigali are comfortable at around 24°C. This period overlaps with the peak of African safari season across the continent, so booking gorilla permits (which must be purchased in advance) is absolutely essential many months ahead.

The shorter dry season from mid-December through January offers an alternative window with fewer visitors and equivalent wildlife viewing quality. The two rainy seasons — February to May and October to mid-December — are lush and photogenic, with intensely green hillsides, but forest trails can become slippery and gorilla tracking more strenuous. The rains also bring wonderful birding — Rwanda's 700-plus bird species are most active during the wet months, and Nyungwe Forest shimmers in extraordinary green intensity. Kigali's annual international film, fashion, and music festivals mostly fall in the dry season months.