Semuliki national park is one of the least visited national park but a very rewarding Uganda safari destination nested away at the base of the northern part of Rwenzori Mountains, the park is located in the western region of Uganda in Bwaba County a remote area of Bundibugyo district and about 52 kilometers from Fort Portal a tourism city.
Semuliki national park protects an extension of the Ituri rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo and it is the only area hosting the true lowland tropical forest in East Africa and features species associated with Central Africa species, the park covers an area of 220 square kilometers lying in the altitude range of 670 meters -760 meters. Semuliki national park’s boundary is created by the Semuliki River creating an international boundary between Uganda and Democratic republic of Congo and is dominated by the eastern most extension of the Ituri forests of the Congo Basin.
Semuliki national park is among the oldest national reserves in Uganda established in 1926as a national reserve called Toro Game Reserve, later in 1932 it was upgraded to a national park and named Semuliki national park.
FAUNA IN SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK
Semuliki national park is dominated by a mixture of tropical rainforest extending up to the Ituri forests in Democratic Republic of Congo, savannah grasslands and is a home to both Central African and East African species of plants and tree species. Semuliki national park has a total of 305 species of trees recorded with 125 species restricted to this park alone.
WILDLIFE IN SEMLIKI NATIONAL PARK
Wildlife
Semuliki national park is a home to 53 mammal species with 11 mammals that are endemic to the park and several primates, mammals in the park include forest elephants, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, hippos, crocodiles among others. Endemic mammal species to the park include pygmy flying squirrel, Beecroft’s flying squirrel, water chevrotain, target rat, little collared fruit bat, bay duiker, forest buffalo, mona monkey. Primates in Semuliki national park include chimpanzee, baboon,grey-cheeked mangabey, black-and-white colobus, Central African red colobus, blue, red-tailed, de Brazza’s, vervet, and Dent’s mona monkeys and primates including Potto and Bush baby.
Birdlife in Semuliki national park
Semuliki national park a birder’s paradise inhabiting 400 bird species with 46 Guinea-Congo biome species, forest birds, wetland birds and grassland birds. These birds include African Piculet, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Blue-billed Malimbe, Yellow-throated Nicator, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Nkulengu Rail, Piping Hornbill, blue-billed malimbe, Yellow-throated Cuckoo and Leaf-love among others.
THINGS TO DO IN SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK
Semuliki national park offers exciting and memorable safari activities to do during your Uganda tours, these activities include
Game drives
Game drives are exciting and memorable activity to do in Semuliki national park, this activity takes 3-4 hours using three trunks running across the Tor Semuliki Wildlife Reserve in the open savannah grasslands. Game drives in Semuliki national park are offered as morning game drives starting at 06:00 am, full day game drives, evening game drives starting at 03:00 pm and night game drives perfect for sightings of nocturnal animals such as white-tailed mongoose and pottos.
Game drives are done in open roof safari vehicles offering sights of big and small animals such as savannah elephants, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, Hippopotamus, leopards, elusive bush babies, warthogs, and crocodiles among others.
Bird watching
Semuliki national park is a birder’s haven and one of the best spots to do birding in Uganda with over 400 bird species including 46 Guinea-Congo biome species which are only found in East Africa, birding in this park offers an opportunity to spot bird such as African Piculet, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Blue-billed Malimbe, Yellow-throated Nicator, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Nkulengu Rail, Piping Hornbill, blue-billed malimbe, Yellow-throated Cuckoo and Leaf-love among others.
Visiting the Sempaya Hot springs
The Sempaya Hot Springs are the most attractive feature in park and a must visit during your Uganda safari, the hot springs are two that is male and female hot springs. These hot springs are situated in a 30 minutes’ walk in between with water boiling up to 100 degrees Celsius, the male hot spring is called Bintente and the female hot spring is called Nyasimbi. While visiting the Sempaya hot springs you will appreciate the beautiful hot springs and watch the hot bubbling water steaming up to 2 meters high, you will also get to cook eggs and bananas in pool of water formed around the hot spring.
Boat rides -Boat rides in Semuliki national park are done on Semuliki River running through the park, boat ride experience is unforgettable experience offering amazing views of the park’s scenic landscape and animals such as sitatungas, lizards, crocodiles and pygmy hippos roaming around the banks of the river. However, due to frequent flooding of the river, boat rides have been stopped.
Hiking and nature walks
Hiking and nature walks are thrilling safari activity to do in Semuliki national park and one of the best ways to explore the park, this activity is done on three major trails and they include Kirumia trail, Red monkey trail and Sempaya nature trail offering amazing opportunities of wildlife viewing and birding.
Red Monkey Trail
This trail is of 11 kilometers running on the eastern border of park to Semuliki river, hiking on this trail offers an encounter with various primate species such as black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, many birds and animals such as buffaloes, elephants among others.
Sempaya Nature Trail
Sempaya Natural Trail is a trail of 8 kilometers taking about 2-4 hours of hiking. Hiking and nature walks on this trail are offered into sessions that is morning and afternoon sessions leading you to the hot springs.
Kirumia Trail
Kirumia Trail is a trail of 13 kilometers taking you through the middle of the forest heading to Semuliki River, this trail takes about 8 hours and is perfect for bird watching.
Primate tracking
Semuliki national park is an amazing destination to do primate tracking, this exhilarating activity is done in the forests dotted around the park hosting various species of primates. Primate tracking in Semuliki national park last for about 4-6 hours involving tracking for primates through the forests and you will be able to see many of them including the central African red colobus, Dent’s Mona monkeys, blue and red tailed monkeys, Brazza monkeys in their natural habitats among others.
Cultural visit to the Pygmy village
The pygmy village are found along the boundaries of the park inhabited by the batwa people the original inhabitants of the Ituri forests of Democratic Republic of Congo, during your cultural visit you will enjoy the lifestyle, traditions and culture of the batwa people through various activities you will witness such as constructing of houses using local materials, picking of medicinal plants to use for medicine to cure several illness, demonstrations of hunting skills, be entertained by local dances and song among others.
BEST TIME TO VISIT SEMLIKI NATIONAL PARK
Semuliki national park can be visited all year round, however the best time to visit the park is during the dry season experienced from January to February and June to September, in this period animals are easily seen gathering at watering hotels to drink water.
This park can be visited anytime of the year, since it has less crowds you will almost have the park to yourself. The dry season is January to February and June to September when most animals remain near water thus the best time for game viewing.
HOW TO GET TO SEMLIKI NATIONAL PARK
Semuliki national park can be accessed and reached by both air and road transport according to the preference of the tourist.
By road – To get to the park by Semuliki national park by road, it is a drive of about 6 hours’ drive and 350 kilometers from Kampala the capital of Uganda via Kampala – Mityana – Fort Portal to Semuliki national park. other routes to use to get to the park are;
Kampala to Fort Portal via Mubende is 290 km
Kampala to Fort Portal via Masaka-Mbarara-Kasese is about 465 km.
The park is also accessed from Fort Portal on a drive of 2 hours via Fort Portal – Bundibugyo road.
By Air – Charter and domestic flights are offered from Entebbe International airport or Kajjansi airstrip landing at the airfield at Semliki Safari Lodge.
WHERE TO STAY IN SEMLIKI NATIONAL PARK
In Semuliki national park there is limited accommodation facilities offering a home from home for tourists visiting the park on a Uganda safari, these facilities are categorized as luxury/high end, mid-range and basic/budget and they are as follows
Luxury/high end accommodations
- Semuliki Safari Lodge
- Nyati Game Lodge
Mid-range accommodations
- Ntoroko game lodge
- Mountains of the Moon Hotel
Basic/budget accommodations
- Kirimia Guesthouse
- UWA Bandas, Campsite and Cottage
