Semuliki national park.
Semuliki national park is located in Bwamba County, a remote part of Bundibugyo district in western Uganda. The park sprawls across the floor of the Semuliki valley on the remote western side of Rwenzori Mountains. Uganda Semuliki national park lies on the border between Uganda and Democratic republic of Congo. The park was managed as a forest reserve from 1932 and made a national park in October 1993 thus making it one of the newest Uganda’s national park. The park is an extension of the exceptionally biodiverse Ituri forest, the only true land tropical forest in east Africa.
Activities in Semuliki national park.
Nature walks
One of the popular activities in the park is taking a walk in the forest jungles to spot the vegetation, birds, butterflies, and primates. Nature walks are always accompanied by local guides through the various trails in the national park making it another excellent way to appreciate the lovely nature that surrounds the perimeters of the park and fauna. The nature walks always begin around the Sempanya park gate at the hot springs. The park has three established walking trails i.e. the Sempanya nature trail about 8km long, the red-monkey track about 11km and the Kirumia hiking trail of 13 km.
Game drives.
Game drives in Semuliki are operated by the Uganda wildlife authority. They operate from morning and late afternoon. The game drives in the park offer opportunities to spot over 52 mammals. Game drives in the wildlife reserve are very interesting as thy drive through the savannah field in the Semuliki valley while spotting a verity of animals such as lions, leopards, forest elephants and also primates like chimpanzee, black and white colobus monkey, and grey cheeked mangabey. Semuliki national has three major tracks used for game drives that pass through the savannah plains of the park. The night and the day game drives are all arranged by staff in the park.
Bird watching.
The park boosts over 441bird species making it one of the top birding destinations in Uganda. Semuliki national park is one of the best places for bird watching in Uganda with half of the bird species in Democratic Republic of Congo because the park is an extension of the greater Ituri forest of the DR Congo which stretches up to river Zaire. Birding in the park can be done in the forest around Sempanya hot springs. Bird species that visitors/tourists are able to see in the park during their birding include the African dwarf kingfishers, African piculet, black dwarf hornbill, black collared love bird, among others. While birding in Semuliki Park, you can be lucky to spot some of the rarest bird species including; Congo serpent eagle, long tailed hawk, nkulungu rail, black wattled horn bill.
Visiting Sempanya hot springs.
Sempanya hot springs are commonly known as Semuliki hot springs because of the hot springs found in Semuliki national park. The rate at which these hot springs boil up is more than that of kitagata hot springs. Visiting Sempanya hot springs both Bintente the male spring and Nyasimbi the female spring is a wonderful experience. Local people and tourists cook food and eggs on the hot pool water from the springs. You get to witness hot water bubbling and steaming up 2 meters high while visiting the hot springs.
Batwa culture experience.
Batwa are one of the ethnic groups that one would meet on a cultural encounter in the park to see their life style. Thy originated from Ituri congo forest in the congo basins. They are short in height and do speak click language however, thy are social people who also have a political leadership style of kingship.
The Batwa culture experience takes the tourists through the ancient life of Batwa and their ways of life on this trail you get to witness Batwa ways of constructing houses using local materials, gathering local herbs for medicine and local ways of making fire.
Attractions in Semuliki national park.
Birds.
Semuliki national park is known for as the birds’ haven with a lot of bird species for those interested in birding. You can spot the following birds while at Semuliki national park; spot breated ibris, hartlaub’s duck, western bronze-napped pigeon, African apiculet among others. The park is also a home to the famous for Sudan guinea biome bird species including piapiac, red throated bee eater and purple glossy staring and only guinea Congo forest biome species which are only found in the park in the whole of east African they only found in West Africa.
Hot springs.
One of the most famous attractions in Semuliki national is the pair of hot springs located near the park office at Sempanya. These hot springs are the parks star features. The female hot springs called ‘’Nyasimbi’’ meaning the female ancestors, It’s a boring geyser that spurts out hot bubblin water which streams about 2 meters up in the air giving a magnificent view. The male springs called ‘’bintente’’ is located about an hours walk away from Nyasimbi.
Fauna
Semuliki national park has over 6 mammal species including forest buffalos, leopards, hippos, warthogs, bush pigs, Uganda kobs, bush bucks, Mona monkeys. Mammals in the park are great wonders to encoder. The park is the only east Africa’s stronghold for the peculiar water chevrotain, a superficial duiker like relic of an ancient family which shares the same structural features with pigs.
The park has nine primate species which include chimpanzee, grey checked mangabey, black and red tailed monkeys and olive baboons. The parks nocturnal primates include the pottos and galagoes. Being a forested park, some of these animals are hard to be sighted, meaning it might not be a guarantee to see these animals, however on your lucky day you may sight a good of them.
Semuliki River.
The river forms the boundary between Uganda and democratic republic of Congo in central and east Africa due to presence of the tropical rainforest and the Congo basin. The river has shifted almost one kilometer into Uganda due to the continuous flooding and soil erosion in the area because it is a basin.
The Semuliki River originates from Lake Edward found in kasese district in western Uganda and it begins near ishango in DRC at the northern end of Lake Edward. Visiting River Semuliki while on Uganda safari would offer a great opportunity especially basing on the fact that one can be able to see very many beautiful wonders all in one destination. Semuliki River is a habitat to so many water animals among which include hippos, crocodiles and fish. The river is also a source of water for the animals living in the nearby national parks like Semuliki Park, Virunga national park and Rwenzori national park.
Accommodation in Semuliki national park.
The park has a verity of safari lodges where tourists can lodge comfortably on their safari in Semuliki national park and these range from mid-range to luxury lodges. The location of accommodation facilities in Semuliki is amazing with great scenic views, untamed wild life. The safari lodges in the park include;
Semuliki safari lodge.
The safari lodge is recommended as one of the best lodges in the park .the lodge is a luxury lodge with comfortable and luxurious rooms that contain en-suit bathrooms with both hot and cold showers, flushing toilets, charging points, free breakfast, 24 hour room service, ironing services and veranda where guests sit and relax as thy capture beautiful views of the park.
UWA Bandas and cottages
Visitors staying at the lodge are always served with delicious meals from the restaurant, there is also a mini bar available where guests can go to chill as they have a number of drinks. Guests staying at the lodge also have a great chance to sight a variety of mammal species like forest elephants, baboons, bird species and primates like vervet monkeys , black and white colobus monkeys , red tailed monkeys and many others.
Hotel vanilla
The lodge is ranged as a budget accommodation facility with seven clean rooms that are always available for guests. The rooms are self-contained with a clean bathroom that has both cold and warm showers, comfortable beds offering facilities like local restaurants, a well-stocked bar with all kinds of drinks.
As you explore Semuliki national park, it’s possible to spend a night in fort portal city, Bundibugyo town, or Toro Semuliki wildlife reserve.
How to get to Semuliki national park.
The park can be accessed by both road and air offering multiple options for travelers.
By road.
This is the most common way to reach the park. From Kampala (the capital city) to the park the journey is about 300 kilometers and takes approximately 6 to 7 hours where the main route goes through mityana, mubendae, kyenjojo and fort portal.
The road is mostly paved and well maintained making it suitable for all vehicle types. A 4WD is vehicle is recommended, especially during the dry seasons.
By air.
For a quicker option, travelers can fly to Semuliki Park. Domestic flights are available from Entebbe international airport or kajansi airfield.
The chattered flights land at kasese airstrip located about 2 hours from the park. Visitors can take a private car or hire a driver to reach the park from kasese.
The best time to visit Semuliki national park.
The dry season is the best time to make a trip to Semuliki Park. The two dry seasons are from December to February and June to September. The roads are easier to navigate, especially the unpaved sections. A 4WD is vehicle is essential during the rainy season due to muddy and slippery roads.
