Rwanda Weather in March

Marking the start of the ‘long rains’ which will last until mid-May, the rain throughout this time can be heavy and persistent, but it can also stop as soon as it starts. The rainforest flourishes under these downpours with green, luscious flora. However, during this time it should be considered that hiking becomes treacherous and many of Rwanda’s unsurfaced roads become tricky to navigate..

Nyungwe is one of the oldest forests in Africa although has decreased in size dramatically, especially over the last 100 years, formally covering the entire length of the Albertine Rift. Chimpanzee trekking becomes easier during this time of the year because the food is a lot easier to find at this time so they do not venture too deep into the forest. They stay relatively close to the forest floor, often in large groups, and stay quite stationary, happy with the delicious fresh fruits on offer to them.

For those in search of the elusive chimpanzee’s this is an incredible time to track them within the stunning Nyungwe rainforest. 

Although technically gorilla trekking is available year round, in March, the ground can be wet and slippery, often thick with mud. This means that hikes can take a really long time, be very wet (not good for photography equipment), and quite tough. If you are looking to get an iconic photograph of a mountain gorilla in the rain, then you can make allowances! As a bonus, the gorillas do tend to stick to the lower slopes to stay warmer, and find food more easily.

March can be a good time to see the other wildlife in Rwanda’s national parks, however, as most people who venture to the country are in search a unique experience with the mountain gorillas, this is not the best time to travel to the country as a whole, but it can be done if you so choose..