Semuliki Wildlife Reserve – The Only Tropical Forest in East Africa

Here are some of the top activities you can perform :

Semliki Wildlife Reserve is home to 53 different mammals, 27 of which are large mammals and 11 of which are endemic to the park. The commonly spotted animals during Semliki Wildlife Reserve Safaris include the following;

Hot Springs are Semliki Wildlife Reserve’s prominent attractions. The reserve has two hot springs—female and male. The male hot spring is named Bitende, and it covers a diameter of 12 meters. The female hot spring is named Nyasimbi, and it spurts hot bubbling water that streams about 2 meters up, giving a beautiful view.

The water from these hot springs is so hot (100 degrees Celsius) that tourists boil eggs and potatoes there.

Semliki Wildlife Reserve is in the Albertine Rift Valley. It is set between the Rift Valley escarpment on the east, the Congolese Blue Mountains on the West, and the Rwenzori on the South. This position makes the Semliki Wildlife Reserve safari a worthwhile experience with scenic views.

The park’s dominant vegetation is woodland and Savannah dotted with patches of Borassus palms. Several rivers run through the park, all flanked by riverine forests.

Semuliki Wildlife Reserve is home to several primates. This has made the park one of Uganda’s go-to destinations for primate trekking. At the park, tourists get an opportunity for Chimpanzee trekking and other primates.

The primates in Semuliki Wildlife Reserve live in the low and tropical forests, extensions of the Ituri forest. During Primates trekking in Semliki Wildlife Reserve, here are the primates tourists should look out for;

Several communities within the park offer a glimpse into the area’s cultural and traditional practices. This allows tourists to explore the cultures and interact with the communities. Therefore, it makes Semliki Wildlife Reserve tours not only about wildlife, birds, and landscape but also an immersion in a new culture.

Semuliki Wildlife Reserve is the only area with lowland tropical areas in East Africa. It is a forest-grassland mosaic with a mosaic of habitat and plant zones. The Wasa and Mugiri rivers in the park support 30 – 50 m tall gallery forests in 50 – 250 m broad areas. The gradual shifting from the gallery forest to grassland is sudden and picturesque.

Semuliki Wildlife Reserve has over 441 bird species, representing 40% of the total bird species in Uganda. During Semliki Wildlife Reserve safari, the common birds to look out for include;

Here are some of the top activities you can perform :

At Semliki Wildlife Reserve, tourists have boat cruise opportunities on Lake Alberts. The boat cruise sessions run at dawn and sunset. Watch the Sunset from Lake Alberta or catch the sunrise with views of papyrus, weeds, and aquatic animals.

Semliki’s rich birdlife offers tourists exceptional bird-watching and photography opportunities. Tourists encounter several bird species during boat rides, walks, treks, and game drives. As a bird watcher, Semliki Wildlife Reserve safari is a worthwhile experience not worth missing.

Semuliki Wildlife Reserve is home to several primates, including Chimpanzees. Therefore, it offers Chimpanzee trekking opportunities along with other primates trekking.The primate trekking tour takes about 3 to 4 hours. On the trek, tourists can expect to see the following primates;Chimpanzees, Olive baboons, Ugandan mangabey

Semuliki Wildlife Reserve has two male and female hot springs: Bitende and Nyasimbi. The hot springs have temperatures of up to 100 degrees Celsius. Their force, strength, and hotness demonstrate the strength of the geography underneath. During the hot springs visit, tourists get a chance to boil eggs or potatoes in the spring to test their capabilities.

Nyaburgo Gorge is an excellent birding trail in Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. The trail has a variety of environments, including grassland, woodland, and canyon forest.

On this hiking trail, tourists have birdwatching and photography opportunities. The commonly seen birds are the Arrow-marked Babbler, Tropical Boubal, Black-headed Bushrike, and Luhdrers Bushrike. Tourists also see primates such as Black and White Colobus, Baboons, vervets, and, on rare occasions, Chimpanzees.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority offers game drives at Semliki Wildlife Reserve. The game drive safaris occur in the morning, late afternoon, and nighttime. During these game drives, tourists can spot the following; elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, crocodiles, and Warthog.