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Semuliki National park

Semuliki National park

The Semuliki national park , formerly the Toro Semliki wildlife reserve is a conservation protected area in Uganda’s western region.

Location.

It is located in the kabarole district in the Toro sub-region. This is on the floor of the Rift Valley where L.Albert, the Rwenzori mountains and Kibumba escarpment crest backdrops. The reserve is about 55 kilometers by road, north of fort portal, the nearest large city. The geographical coordinates of Semliki wild reserve are 0°53’50’’N, 30°21’48.0’’E.

Historical background.

Toro-Semliki reserve was established as a game-reserve in 1926 and was among the first areas to be gazetted in Uganda. The main reason was to protect the large numbers of Ugandan Kobs in this area. It covers an area of 542 sqkm. It is located in the western Uganda within Ntoroko and kabarole districts.

Toro Semliki wildlife reserve enjoys a dramatic Rift Valley setting between the Rwenzori, kijura escarpment and lake Albert. The dominant vegetation type is the open acacia-combretum woodland and grassy savannah. These two are sprinkled with patches of Borassus palm-forest, and significant belts of riparian-woodland along the main watercourses. Lastly, there are some extensive swamps towards L.Albert. The reserve itself is topographically remarkable! Set at a relatively low altitude at 700m, on a clear day, the setting is truly awesome! The sheer Rift Valley escarpment rises sharply from the eastern shore of L.Albert. The 2,500m high Congolese blue mountains on the western horizon and the mighty glacial peaks of the Rwenzori are visible.

Semliki National park is famous for being home of the largest population of Uganda kobs and birds. The park is a rich wildlife destination with a variety of tourist attractions. The reserve hosts a number of mammals approximately to 53 species.

Wildlife.

The reserve hosts a number of wildlife like antelopes, buffaloes, Uganda Kob’s, waterbuck, leopards and red-tailed monkeys among others. The Park also consists of birding as it hosts a approximately 420 species. These include Blue swallow, white throated blue swallow, swamp palm bulbul, spotted Greenville, white starred robin, lowland akalat, red throated Alethe, fire crested alethe, snowy- headed Robin chat, blue shouldered robin chat, red eyed puff back, white tailed robin chat, and many others.

Vegetation.

Semliki National park is an extension of the vast ituri forest; making it one of the wealthiest areas in Africa for flora and fauna. Semliki National park is consisting of savannah grassland, and lowland Tropical forests (one of the ancient and bio diverse forests). The vegetation consists of approx. 336 tree species with 3 endangered species and 24 restricted tree species and these include Euphorbia, chrysophyllum begui.

Semliki National park is a natural overwhelming wonder consisting of Semuliki River and ever bubbling hot springs.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS.

Semuliki national park is a destination made up of a variety of interesting features which attracts a large number of tourists such as;

Hot springs:

 The hot springs are the prominent attraction in Semliki National Park. The park has two hot-springs; the Male hot spring named Bitende which is a diameter of 12m and Female hot-spring named Nyasimbi. The female is a boiling-geyser which spurts our hot bubbling water streaming about 2m up in the air giving a magnificent view. Water from these hot-springs are so hot that visitors boil eggs in the hot pool of water. The water are 100°C hot.

Boat Cruise.

As you plan your safari in the Semliki National park, boat rides should never be forgotten on your list. Boat rides in this park take place on the Semliki river of about 160km running from the Rwenzori Mt. to Lake Albert and River Nile. On this boat ride, you get to have a lively quality view of the crocodile and hippos as the room along the river banks. You will also be watching the river meandering through the Rift Valley is such a magnificent view.

Culture.

The Batwa culture experience, the people of the Batwa are naturally short also termed as the Pygmy. They are traced to the outskirts of Semliki National park. They also are believed to have originated from the D.R. Congo through Ituri forest. The Batwa cultural experience takes the tourists through the ancient life of Batwa and there way of life. Here you witness ways of construction with aid of local Materials, gathering of local medicine, local ways of making fire, hunting, traditional dancing etc.

Our years of experience and knowledge in Uganda and East Africa as a whole guarantees an excellent lifetime experience.  Safety, efficiency, and reliability; these have earned us the reputation for being the most-valued and reliable outfit operators.

You are currently viewing Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park

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Semuliki National Park

The park is situated in the extreme west of Uganda in Bundibugyo District. Semuliki National Park lies along the Uganda/ Democratic Republic of Congo border within the western arm of the East African Rift valley. In the south east are the Mount Rwenzori Mountains, to the west is Democratic Republic of Congo and to the north are the Semuliki Flats and Lake Albert.

The park is 220 square kilometres and occupies flat and gently undulating terrain raging from 670metres – 760metres above sea level. The average annual rainfall is high at 1,250mm that peaks from March to May and again from September to December. The temperatures vary from 18 degrees centigrade to 30 degrees centigrade with relatively small daily variations.

Wildlife Diversity

The park is the only lowland tropical rain forest in East Africa classified as moist and semi deciduous. There are 336 tree species recorded, 374 species of butterflies, 63 species of mammals and 9 species of primates. These include: chimpanzee, blue monkey, vervet monkeys and olive baboons while the nocturnal primates include pottos and galagos. Also to be found are Forest buffalo, blue duiker, bee croft’s flying squirrel, pygmy squirrel, little collared fruit bat and target rat.

Other attractions include the Batwa people (pygmies) hunters gatherers that live a simple life style and depend on Semuliki forest for food. The meandering river Semliki, Sempaya hot spring. River Semliki is a shelter of water birds and crocodiles.

Activities

Accommodation

Within the Semuliki Game Reserve accommodation is to be found at:

  • Semuliki Safari lodge – Upmarket.

How to get there

The park is accessed via the town of Fort Portal in the west of the country. The Bundibugyo road that skirts the Rwenzori escarpment offers a wonderful scenic view at Munu ni Mkubwa where the road has promintary over the Semliki river and Sempaya hot springs. Driving time from Kampala 6 hours.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1594198598254{margin-top: 50px !important;background-color: #4c4c4c !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column][vc_tta_tabs style=”flat” shape=”square” color=”black” spacing=”15″ gap=”4″ active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-angle-down” add_icon=”true” title=”Request a Quote” tab_id=”Request-quote”][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1594197933428{border-bottom-width: 20px !important;background-color: #4c4c4c !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1594197610033{padding-left: 40px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Don’t wait, contact us!
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