Semuliki Forest Reserve was established as a forest reserve in 1932 and upgraded to national park status in 1993. The park is found in western Uganda in the district of Bundibugyo which lies on Uganda’s border with DR Congo. It is bordered by Lake Albert in the northern side and the Rwenzori Mountains on the south Eastern side. Two rivers, Lamia and Semuliki are found at the parks borders.
It is a lowland tropical forest in East Africa,
Large areas of this low-lying park may flood during the wet season, a brief reminder of the time when the entire valley lay at the bottom of a lake for seven million years. Home to over 441 recorded bird species and 53 mammals.
Four distinct ethnic groups inhabit the areas around the park: Baamba, These live along the base of the Rwenzori and they survive by farming. Whereas the Bakonjo cultivate the mountain slopes. Batuku are cattle keepers inhabit the open plains and Batwa commonly called the pygmies, they are traditionally hunters and gatherers, live on the edge of the forest.
Semuliki National Park strides across the floor of the Semuliki Valley on the remote, western side of the Rwenzori. The Park is an extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin. One of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests; believed to have existed and survived, through the last ice age, 12-18,000 years ago.
The Semuliki Valley contains numerous features associated with central rather than eastern Africa. Grass Thatched huts are shaded by West African oil palms; the Semuliki River (which forms the international boundary) is a miniature version of the Congo River, the forest is home to numerous Central African wildlife species, and the local population includes a Batwa pygmy community that originated from the Ituri. As a result, this park provides a feel of Central Africa without having to leave Uganda.
While Semuliki’s species have been accumulating for over 25,000 years, the park contains evidence of even older processes. Hot springs bubble up from the depths to demonstrate the powerful subterranean forces that have been shaping the rift valley during the last 14 million years.
This biologically diverse region also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 441 species of birds hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics.
Hippos are common along the Semuliki River, as are crocodiles, More than 300 species of butterflies have been identified, including 46 species of forest swallowtail, together with 235 moth species have been recorded in Semuliki National Park. The checklist includes 35 Guinea-Congo forest biome bird species, spot-breasted ibis, Hartlaub’s duck, Congo serpent eagle, chestnut flanged goshawk, red-thighed sparrowhawk. Furthermore, another 12 species with extremely little distribution are spotted like the western bronze-naped pigeon, yellow throated cuckoo.
Semuliki National Park being a lowland, is prone to flooding when the Park Rivers receive too much rain during the wet season. The Semuliki (Uganda) and Ituri (Congo) Forests are a single forest that stretches all the way to the River Zaire, crossing an international borders and thus different names from respective countries This extension implies that most of the tree and animal species found in Central Africa can be found in the park. The conditions in Semuliki are completely different from any other national park in Uganda, Kenya or Tanzania, rather similar to those in central Africa.
Semuliki is well known as a top birding destination in Uganda, hence its name tag, “The birders’ Haven”. As mentioned earlier, the park has over 440 species of birds. About 67 percent of the species are forest birds like the Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Capuchin Babbler, , Dwarf Honey guide, Forest Ground Thrush, , orange weaver, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Sassi’s Olive Greenbul and White-tailed Hornbill. Because the forest joins with that from DR Congo, some species unique to central Africa like the Black-wattled Hornbill, Congo Serpent Eagle, Long-tailed Hawk, Lyre-tailed Honey guide and Nkulengu Rail can be found in the park.
There are over 63 mammal species , however around 30 species of commonly spotted in the park among which include the bay duiker, Beecroft’s Anomalure, flying squirrels, bush babies, bush pigs, civets, Dwarf Antelope, elephants, fruit bats, Fire-footed Rope squirrel, forest buffalos, pygmy hippos, leopards, Little collard fruit Bat, mona monkeys, pygmy flying squirrel, Red-legged Sun Squirrel, Sitatunga, target rats, water chevrotains, water bucks, warthogs, Uganda Kob, White-bellied Duiker and the Zenker’s Flying Mouse. About 300 species of butterflies (like the charaxes and forest swallowtails) and 8 of primates can be found in the park forests like blue monkeys, chimpanzees, De Brazza’s Monkeys, Guereza Colobus(Black and White Colobus monkey), Vervet monkeys and olive baboons. There are also night primates like the pattos and galagos.
The forests and animals in Semuliki National park continue to be threatened by encroachment from human living around the park. The park animals are still hunted for their meat while the forests provide herbs, vegetables and firewood. Two main tribes live outside the park, the Bamba and Bakonjo.
The Bamba tribe being are farmers at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains, whereas the Bakonjo cultivate the slopes of the same mountain ranges. There are also pastoralists like the Batuku and the Basua hunters at the edge of the forest in the park. About 120 Basua still live as hunters and gatherers in the forest. The Basua are pygmies similar to the Batwa in Bwindi and have also lived in the forests for thousands of years but their recent eviction from parts of the forest and failure to adapt to life outside the forest has led to concerns about the impact of unplanned eviction on certain indigenous tribes. Like some of the forests and wildlife being protected, the Basua people face total extinction and the eradication of their culture and heritage as a result of being removed from the forest.
Activities in Semuliki National Park
A lot awaits you in Semuliki National park. Your trip Semuliki can bring you closer nature in a forest walks, birdwatching sessions, primates watching, visiting the two hot springs, hiking and game drives. A cultural visit to one of the local tribes living adjacent to the park should be on your must do list, not to miss getting a complete view and vision from within an outside Semuliki National Park.
Trek to Sempaya Hot Springs: These two hot springs have made the park very. Tourists are more enthralled by the local stories about their formation, and not the scientific version. There is a female hot spring, locally called “Nyasimbi”. Boiling spout, jetting out steam and bubbling heavy-steamy water several meters high and can be seen more than 1 kilometer away. The water jetting out is hot enough to boil eggs in about ten minutes or so. Historically, the people around it, used to source of heating to prepare food, however, currently the park access is limited and regulated by the park management to allow tourists visit the place. As earlier mentioned, birds are the commonest after vegetation, as one treks to the hot springs, its and assured to spot several species of birds and small primates climbing up and down the trees. The park authorities have built a tower and boardwalk for observing the hot springs at a safe distance. and male hot spring.
The Male hot spring is about 12 meters in diameter and is called Bintente, the community memberes usually organize cultural dances to entertain tourists who have come to see the hot springs. Apart from the hot springs, birds and primates, visitors can also visit the Mungiro Falls,
Trolling to Semuliki River:
This river is about 160 kilometers long. This muddy forest river is one of the water bodies that empty into the World’s longest river, “the Nile”. Along this river, visitors have an opportunity to see crocodiles, hippos and hundreds of birds that inhabit this river. Visitors love taking long walks to follow the river as it meanders through forests and rift valley flours.
Take a Forest/Nature Walks:
Popularly known for birding, a nature walk may be part of the birdwatching session, or on its own, taking a walk in these forested jungles to observe the diversity of the vegetation, spot birds, butterflies and primates, is on its own a fulfilling. Forest Walks usually begin from around the Sempaya park gate ending at the hot springs. There are three established and well maintained walking trails in the park. The first one being Sempaya Nature trail which is 8 km long, second is the Red-monkey track of about 11 km and lastly is the Kirumia Hiking trail of 13 Kilometers, passes through the middle of the forest towards River Semuliki, taking about 8 hours beginning at 8am. This trail is the most exciting for birders, which starts from Kirumia, just about 8km away from the park headquarters in Ntandi. Hikers/Trekker need tools like machete to cut overgrown vegetation as they clear paths in the forest. Visitors interested in camping in the forest need to come with their own equipment.
Game drives:
Game drives in Semuliki National Park offer opportunities to spot over 52 mammals already mentioned. The park has three major tracks used for game drives that pass through the savannah plains of the park. Both day and night game drives are arranged by staff in the park. Visitors need to come with a good four wheel drive vehicle preferably to pass through the more difficult sections of the park particularly during the rainy season.
Chimpanzee tracking:
Not famous for chimpanzee tracking, Semuliki forest National Park, cannot get of adventure. The Indiana University habituated some clans of Chimpanzee that are now open for tourism. Chimpanzee tracking permits cost $30 for international visitors. While tracking the chimpanzees, visitors should also expect to spot smaller primates like the Black and white Colobus monkeys, Central African red colobus, Dent’s Mona monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, Olive baboons and Red-tailed monkeys any many more. It is important to come prepared with the right clothing and equipment to protect against stinging insects, sharp tree branches and thorns. Come with enough drinking water and light snack.
Cultural visits and experiences:
The area around the National park is home to by four indigenous tribes. Visitors can choose to visit any of the four tribes living in the edges of the park. The Batwa pygmies are hunters and forest gatherers while the Bakonjo and Bamba grow crops (Rice, Matooke/Bananas, Potatoes and Cocoa) on the slopes of the mount Rwenzori. The Batuku live in the northern section of the park as pastoralists. Tourism and modernization is changing the lives of these tribes and particularly the Batwa. The Batwa used to live freely in the forests of Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo but have been relocated to areas outside the national parks. Some of the Batwa in Semuliki National Park have been resettled in an area near Ntandi with the help of a Christian organization ADRA but with little success as they still find themselves longing for their old way of life in the forest. Some of the Batwa with support from the Uganda Wildlife Authority showcase their cultural heritage to visitors through dance, storytelling and other demonstrations. The Batwa grow and smoke Marijuana.
Birdwatching:
Semuliki National Park is one of the best places for birding watching in Uganda, Semuliki National Park has half of the bird species found in the 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. This extension allows species from central Africa to move up to Semuliki National Park. Birding in the park can be done in the forest, around the Sempaya hot springs or behind the rangers post. Apart from species already mentioned earlier, others include the African Dwarf Kingfishers, African Piculet, Bates’ Nightjar, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Black-collared Lovebird, Black-wattled Hornbills, African Goshawk, Ayres Hawk-Eagle, Cassin’s Spinetail, Great Sparrows, Red-thighed Sparrows, White-spotted Fluff tail, Black-winged Starling, Brown-crowned Eremomela, Chestnut-breasted Negro finches, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Chocolate-backed, Crested Malimbes, Eastern Bearded Greenbuls, Forest Francolin, Forest Thrushes, Gabon Woodpecker, Grant’s Bluebill, Green-tailed Bristle bill, Grey Ground Thrushes, Hartlaub’s Duck, Ituri Batis, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Pale-fronted finches, Piping Hornbills, Red-bellied Malimbes, Red-billed Dwarf, Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Red-chested Owlet, Red-eyed Puff-back, Red-rumped Tinker bird, Red-sided Broadbill, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Simple Greenbuls, Spot-breasted Ibis, Spotted Lyre-tailed Honeyguides, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, White-bellied Kingfisher, White-throated Blue Swallow, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Nicator and Zenker’s Honeyguides. Late in the evening, you can start to hear the nocturnal residents like the African Wood Owl and the Buff-spotted Fluff tail.
When to go and visit Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park is opened throughout the year. However, the best months to visit are during the dry seasons of April – June and July – September. During these dry months, driving through the park is easier because of less mud. The rainy season which fall between December – March and October to November cause difficulty navigating through the park. Some sections of the park become flooded as the rains fill up the rivers.
Accessing Semuliki National Park
The journey from Kampala to Fort portal by road is 300 km. There are two roads from Kampala to the park. One can use the shorter Kampala to Fort Portal road via Mubende which takes between four to five hours or use the longer route from Kampala through the towns of Kasese, Mbarara and Masaka. This longer journey (7 to 8 hours of driving) offers opportunities to see some of Uganda’s great national parks like Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Mburo. Once one reaches Fort Portal town it takes about 52 kilometers to reach the junction leading to the park from the main highway. One needs a good 4 Wheel drive to pass through the park roads especially during the wet season.
Those using public means transport, will need to get a taxi to Bundibugyo from Fort Portal town and stop at the Sempaya gate of the park. The Park offices in Ntandi are 5km away from the Sempaya gate. Public transport to Bundibugyo is not reliable and one may need to wait a while before the taxis and minibuses heading to Bundibugyo arrive especially in the evening. Privately arranged transfers are better