Semuliki National Park – Uganda
Most of the adventurists that have had a chance to visit Semuliki National Park, they describe it as the true birders’ haven. The park covers about 220 square kilometers, lying along the Congolese border following the Semliki River and sprawling across the floor of the Semliki Valley, within the Western arm of the Albertine Rift Valley, in the North of Rwenzori Mountains.
Semuliki Forest Reserve as created in 1932 and upgraded to a National Park Status in 1993.
The Uniqueness of the Park
Semuliki National Park is kind of unique from other parks of Uganda. Though situated in the Eastern Part of Africa, Semuliki amazingly contains numerous features associated with the Central part of Africa. From the Semliki River that is considered to be the miniature version of the Congo River to the forest itself that is a home to numerous wildlife species of Central African nature, the Park truly provides the real taste of Central Africa without having to leave the ‘Pearl of Africa’.
Semliki National Park also still contains evidence of older tectonic processes that could have resulted into the formation of the East African Rift Valley over 14 million years ago. The hot springs bubbling up from the depths demonstrate these powerful subterranean forces right from the core of the earth that are still shaping the Western Arm of this great Rift Valley.
Altitude and Vegetation
The altitude of the park is on the average of 700m above sea level and is dominated by the easternmost extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo basin. Ituri is one of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests and one of the few to survive the last Ice age estimated to have occurred almost 18,000 years ago.
There are 336 tree species recorded in the park, of which 24 are restricted to the Park such as the Isolana Congolana and Ejacis Guineesis.
The Park’s Wildlife
There are over 435 bird species and at least 40 of them are found nowhere else in Uganda. In addition to that, the park is a home to more than 63 mammals including elephants, leopards, buffaloes, nowhere else found species such as flying squirrels, pygmy antelopes and six types of bats, 9 primates that include chimpanzees, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys and baboons among others plus at least 374 species of butterflies.
The Hot Springs
As earlier stated, this park still portrays the evidence of older tectonic processes that occurred millions of years back in the region, resulting into the formation of the Western Arm of the East African Rift Valley among other amazing landforms in Western Uganda.
There are two ‘hot springs’ within the park situated in a tract of hot mineral encrusted swamp land, where visitors see a jet of hot water heated by shallow intrusions of magma (molten rock) in the earth crust and a pool of boiling water for edibles such as an egg.
One of these two hot springs is considered to be male and the other female. Besides Bird watching, most of the visitors to this park go to see these recent evidence of active volcanic activities in the region.
Tour Activities
There are a number of Tour activities possible to be done from the Semuliki National Park to make your visit adventurous. These include;
Birding;
Enjoy birding? Just make it to the Semuliki National Park. This is regarded as the number one birding spot in Uganda. From the park, you will be rewarded with some of Africa’s best forest birding. Sempaya and Ntandi region provide excellent points to view birds including the white chested horn-bills, Red billed dwarf hornbill, Piping Hornbill, Yellow throated Nicator, Great Blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco’s among others. You can also see the shoe-bill stork.
Natural walks
Taking a walk from the headquarter at Sempaya gate down to the river Semliki gets you an opportunity to track different species of water birds, butterflies, flowers and trees among others.
Cultural Visits
The forests in Semliki are also homes to the pygmy tribe originally from the ancient Ituri forest of Congo. The Batwa’s lifestyle is still amazing. These were mainly Food gatherers, depending on the Semuliki Forest for food, medicine, Shelter among others.
How to get there
Semuliki National Park can be accessed in different ways. There are two major roads from Kampala to Fort Portal:
The Kampala-Fort Portal via Mubende is about 180 Km and 4-5 hrs drive while Kampala -Fort Portal via Masaka, Mbarara, Kasese is about465 Km (7-8 hrs).
In both routes 4-wheel drive vehicles can be useful. While the Kampala-Fort Portal via Mubende is much shorter, the Kampala-Fort Portal via Masaka, Mbarara and Kasese gives you opportunity to Visit Lake Mburo National Park, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
From Fort Portal, a 2 – 3 hours’ drive on the rough road towards Bundibugyo will bring you to the well sign posted Sempaya Gate (52 Km). The Park headquarters at Ntandi is 5km further from the gate along the same route. A vehicle with high clearance is recommended.
Where to Sleep
There are several accommodation facilities you can use while in or outside the park. As usual, all these range from Budget, Mid-range to Up-market. Some of these include;
Up-Market: Semuliki safari lodge, Mountain of the moon Hotel, Kyaninga lodge Mid-Range: Rwenzori view guest house, Eriba guest house, Toro resort.