Rwanda in December: Festive Season, Drying Trails and Gorilla Permits

Early December often still carries the tail of the October and November rains, with showers that tend to arrive in the afternoon rather than all day. By the second half of the month the skies usually clear, the volcano slopes dry out and the hills around Kigali are at their greenest.

This page looks at December as a Christmas and New Year month: how to secure permits and rooms, what the trails feel like, and how to plan a holiday that mixes primates, savannah and the lakeshore.

This guide is part of our Uganda month-by-month and seasonal guide. When you are ready to plan, see our Uganda safari packages or the Ameera Africa Safaris Uganda tours homepage.

How December Feels

Rwanda lies close to the equator but sits high, so December is mild rather than hot. Mornings in the Virunga highlands around Musanze are cool enough for a fleece, midday is pleasant, and evenings call for a layer again. Kigali is gentler than the lowlands, with fresh air at dawn and warm afternoons. The change through the month is the real story: the first week can still deliver heavy downpours, while the last ten days commonly turn brighter and drier. Because the country is green after the autumn rains, views from the roadside and the hillsides are rich, and dust is minimal. Pack for both possibilities and treat the early part of the month as the wetter half. For the broader pattern across the year, see our best time to visit Rwanda guide.

Gorilla Trekking in December

Gorilla trekking runs every day of the year, and December is a rewarding month for it because the forest is well watered and food is plentiful, so families often stay within reach. Trails on the lower slopes can be slick in the first week, and the walk may take longer than in August, so good boots, gaiters and gloves are worth having. Later in the month, as the ground firms up, the going becomes noticeably easier. Permits are limited per day, and the Christmas and New Year window is among the most requested periods after the mid-year peak, so permits should be secured before flights are finalised. Read gorilla permits and trekking rules and Volcanoes National Park before you choose your dates.

Akagera Over the Festive Season

Akagera is lower, warmer and more open than the volcano country, and December finds it green, with grass tall enough in places to hide smaller animals. Even so, game drives remain productive for giraffe, zebra, buffalo, antelope and hippo, and the lakes are alive with water birds, many of them Palearctic migrants that spend the northern winter in Rwanda. Boat trips on Lake Ihema are pleasant in the cooler air of early morning. If you want clearer sightings of the big predators and rhinos, the late dry months are usually easier, but a December visit gives lush scenery and fewer vehicles at each sighting. Our Akagera National Park guide and Akagera best time page go deeper.

Kigali, Christmas and New Year

Kigali is at its most sociable in December. Families return from abroad, restaurants and cafes fill, and the city feels cheerful without ever becoming frantic. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are public holidays, and the New Year holiday follows, so some offices and shops keep shorter hours. It is a good time to visit the memorials, craft markets and coffee houses, and to book a table in advance on the evenings of 24, 25 and 31 December. Read Kigali travel guide and memorial sites guide for respectful visiting. Remember that Umuganda, the national community service morning, still takes place on the last Saturday of the month, when movement is restricted until late morning.

Lake Kivu and Nyungwe in the Rains Tail

Lake Kivu rewards a December stay because the weather often alternates between misty mornings and bright afternoons, ideal for kayaking, a boat trip, or simply a lakeside walk. The drive along the shore road is green and scenic, and fishing boats appear at dusk. Nyungwe is a rainforest and stays wet whatever the month, so December is no wetter than normal there, and chimpanzee trekking, canopy walks and colobus tracking all continue. Allow longer travel times if heavy showers hit, and keep camera gear in dry bags. See Lake Kivu and Nyungwe National Park to plan the lakeshore and forest legs.

A Seven-Day December Plan

A sensible festive itinerary starts with two nights in Kigali for jet lag and a city day, then moves to Musanze for two nights around a gorilla trek and one extra activity such as the golden monkeys or the Dian Fossey hike. A drive down to Lake Kivu gives a restful break, and a final night near Kigali or an Akagera stop closes the loop. Keep flights flexible in case weather delays a transfer, and avoid placing the gorilla trek on your very last day. Our 3, 5 and 7 day Rwanda itineraries show other shapes, and Rwanda family itineraries adapt the plan for children.

Packing and Booking Tips for December

Bring a light waterproof jacket, quick-drying trousers, sturdy waterproof boots, a warm fleece and a sun hat, because bright intervals can be strong at altitude. Insect repellent is sensible in the lowlands. Book permits, domestic transfers and accommodation as early as possible for the Christmas and New Year week, and ask your operator how flexible the dates are if you hope to swap days around weather. Our East Africa packing list covers the rest, and health and vaccinations explains what to arrange before you travel. If you plan to cross into Uganda afterwards, read Uganda in December for the neighbouring picture.

Planning a Uganda safari? Send us your dates and we will build the route, permits and transport around what you want to see.

Related Tours, Guides and Resources

• Ameera Africa Safaris homepage: Uganda safaris, tours and holidays
• Uganda safari packages
• Uganda travel guide
• How to book a Uganda safari
• Plan your safari with our team