Visit Semuliki National Park, home to East Africa’s only Lowland tropical rainforest and one of the world’s powerful hot springs (the Sempaya hot springs). Located in Bwamba County, Western Uganda, is a charming Semuliki, a spectacular Park with diverse faunal and floral species. Semuliki is located on the border of Uganda and Congo. Its strategic location in the Bundibugyo District makes it an ideal place to explore the scenic Lake Albert and the nearby Rwenzori Mountains to the Southeast.
Semuliki National Park was declared a National Park in 1993 and lies at an altitude of 670m-760m above sea level. In terms of area coverage, Semuliki alone extends over 220 sq. km, making it one of the compact National Parks in Uganda. The Park largely features wetlands, dense lowland forests, bamboo, and more. It holds a variety of the Guinea-Congo biome, including bird species.
Semuliki National Park lies in the area where visitors can easily connect to nearby destinations, including the Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth, and the Rwenzori Mountains National Parks.
The Attractions to Explore in Semuliki National Park
Diverse Animals/Wildlife to Explore
At Semuliki National Park alone, there exist more than 53 species of mammals. Among the many mammals to expect to explore are the scaly-tailed flying squirrel, buffaloes, forest elephants, red colobus monkeys, duikers, civets, bush pigs, blue monkeys, leopards, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, DeBrazza’s monkeys, Dent’s Mona Monkeys, chimpanzees, and Grey-cheeked mangabeys.
The birds
Semuliki boasts of 441 birds, and these range across the varied habitats. They include red-throated alethe, capuchin babblers, little grey greenbul, swamp palm bulbul, piping hornbill, lemon–bellied crombec, chestnut-breasted negrofinch, lyre-crested honey guide, common stonechat, capped wheatears, African dwarf kingfishers, Congo Serpent eagles, and African piculet.
Additional birds to identify on the Semuliki birding tour include the papyrus gonoleks, purple glossy starling, Abyssinian ground thrush, yellow-throated nicator, Cassin’s spine tail, Rwenzori nightjars, forest francolins, Nkulengu rail, and many others.
Semuliki National Park holds not only birds and wildlife, but also over 300 butterfly species, with about 46 unique forest swallowtails. There are also more than 235 species of moths worth exploring by nature enthusiasts. The presence of these unique attractions makes Semuliki one of the most vibrant destinations in Uganda, yet it remains the least visited.
Explore the spectacular Sempaya Hot Springs.
The Sempaya hot springs is an iconic attraction in Semuliki and is, amazingly a powerful geothermal feature. Located in the Semuliki, the Sempaya features both female and male. The male Sempaya Hot Spring is referred to as Biteete, and the female is known as Nyansimbi. The Sempaya is popular for its power, with the ability to boil eggs and some plantain.
Safari Activities to do in Semuliki, Uganda
Game drives
Semuliki National Park is one of the exceptional places to visit for enriching game viewing experiences in Uganda. Visitors enjoy 2-3 hours of exploring the lush Semuliki’s diverse wildlife, including African elephants, Uganda Kobs, waterbucks, buffaloes, warthogs, and birds. At Semuliki, expect to enjoy day guided game drives or night game viewing sessions.
Birding in Semliki
Semuliki is amazingly one of the best spots to consider for birding excursions in Uganda. The Park holds diverse birds worth spotting on a birding tour, including the long-tailed hawk, white-crested hornbills, red-billed dwarf hornbills, black-wattled hornbill, and Great blue turacos. A birding tour in the Semuliki National Park presents birders with abundant opportunities to begin their excursions. Key areas of interest to explore on the Semuliki birding tour include Lake Albert, Kirumia, Ntandi, and the Sempaya walking trail.
Nature walking tours
Embarking on the Semuliki walking safaris gets you incredible immersion to connect with the wilderness. Different walking trails are available to get you the best of stunning Semuliki National Park. Each nature walking trail takes a certain length of time to cover the overall hiking session. They include the Kirumia River trail, the enriching walking trail known to offer great sightings of the long-tailed hawks, red-sided broadbills, black-faced rufous warblers, and African piculet.
The Sempaya trail takes 2-4 hours, and not only is it popular for tourists to visit the hot Sempaya, but it also gets birders amazing bird sightings. The possible sightings along this trail include Serpent eagle, piping hornbill, White-crested hornbill, Great blue turacos, and Dwarf hornbill.
The red monkey trail, 11km trail stretching towards the Eastern border area with the scenic Semuliki River. The Red Monkey Trail isn’t only for spotting primates but also birds. The possible bird sightings on this trail include the red-rumped tinker birds, blue-breasted kingfishers, Forest hornbills, and primates, including grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys.
Visit the adjacent local communities (including the Batwa)
Tourists on a safari in the Semuliki National Park also have a chance to explore more about the cultures and traditions of locals living adjacent to the Park. Expect to visit the Batwa for a deep exploration of the Batwa culture and traditions. An experienced guide will be present to lead you to experience the Batwa cultures and practices.
What is the best time to tour Semuliki, Uganda?
Semuliki National Park offers memorable safari experiences all year round. However, the best or ideal time often falls in the dry season, i.e., from June to August, or go explore the Park from December to February. Accessibility is easier during the peak dry seasons than during the wet or rainy season. The Park’s trails/game tracks tend not to be slippery due to less rain, and even game viewing is eased as most animals congregate in the few water sources. The temperatures in the Semuliki generally become more pleasant, making it ideal for hiking or exploring the Park.
The wet or rainy seasons from March to May or October to November, often regarded as low or off-months, can also be considered for safaris to Semuliki. These are the best months of the year to explore Semuliki on birding excursions, especially if your interest is in the migratory avifauna species.
The Park’s landscape becomes more vibrant with picturesque waterfalls. Visitors also enjoy vacations with fewer crowds, unlike during the peak months of the year.
Accommodation Choices to Book in or around Semuliki, Uganda
The best accommodation alternatives to consider for an overnight stay in and around Semuliki range from budget to luxury. The key lodging options here include Nyati Game Lodge, Semuliki Safari Lodge, Ntoroko Game Lodge, and many options present in Fort Portal Tourism City, including Mountains of the Moon Hotel. Other accommodation options in Fort Portal include Rwenzori Luxury Suites, Nyaika Hotel, Rwenzori Guesthouse, Koi Koi Cultural Village, and more.
How to reach the Semuliki National Park, Uganda
The main access options for Semuliki include road and air. Using the road, visitors can use a 4×4 safari car to drive from Kampala through Fort Portal city, approximately 5-6 hours. Or fly up to the Semuliki Airstrip, but this requires prior booking.
Conclusively, Semuliki National Park’s unique wonders await you to unearth on your Uganda safari holiday. To experience the unusual on a vacation in Uganda, consider booking a trip to Semuliki to indulge in the diverse activities that leave lasting memories. Book a tour to explore Semuliki with Bujuku Eco Tours and Travel, a fully licensed safari company in Uganda, and enjoy amazing offers from us!