Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National park is an ecologically diverse national park located in the southwest region of Uganda in the Bundibugyo district. This fascinating tourist destination is one of the new national parks recently established in Uganda. This Uganda national park lies in the western arm of the rift valley covering an area of 542 square kilometers, it stretches through the north east region of Bundibugyo to southern shores of Lake Albert in Ntoroko. Semuliki national park borders Semuliki flats in the north, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwenzori Mountains in the west.

Attractions in Semuliki national park

Sempaya hot springs: Sempaya hot springs are two series of hot springs distinguished as male and female which are located in different locations at a distance of 30 minutes’ walk distance away from each other, male hot spring is called Bitende and its hot waters jets at a force of 12 meters and a female hot spring is called Nyasimbi. The female hot spring is jets at a distance of 2 meters; this hot spring is the most loved by tourists because its water is very hot.
Wildlife: Semuliki is a habitat to approximately 60 mammal species which live in the savannah and forest vegetation cover of the park, there is both mammals and primates in the park. Mammals include antelopes, blue duiker, forest Beecroft’s flying squirrel, little collared fruit bat, pygmy squirrel, water chevrotain, bay duiker, African buffalo, leopard, hippopotamus, mona monkey, water chevrotain, bush babies, African civet, African elephant, bay duiker and many more. Primates habited in Semuliki national park include black and white colobus monkey, chimpanzees, olive baboons, red tailed monkey, blue monkey, vervet, galagos, and Pottos.
Bird species: The Park is covered by beautiful vegetation cover that savannah grassland and attract of Ituri forest making the park a home to land and forest bird species. Birds encountered in semuliki national park are over 400 species and they include Spot-breasted Ibis, long-tailed hawk, Nkulengu rail, western bronze-naped pigeon, yellow-throated cuckoo, black-throated coucal, white-bellied kingfisher, piping hornbill, red-billed dwarf hornbill, black dwarf hornbill, white-crested hornbill, white-thighed hornbill, black-casqued wattled hornbill, red-rumped Tinkerbird, lyre-tailed honeyguide, African Piculet, Gabon Woodpecker, rufous-sided broadbill, yellow-throated Nicator, icterine greenbul, Xavier’s greenbul, leaf-love, green-tailed bristle bill, swamp palm bulbul, fire-crested alethe, northern bearded scrub robin, blue-headed crested-flycatcher, Maxwell’s black weaver, crested malimbe, red-bellied malimbe, blue-billed malimbe, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, grant’s bluebill, orange-cheeked waxbill and many more
Vegetation cover: Semuliki national park contains beautiful vegetation cover which is a habitat to the numerous wildlife species in the park, the park consists of attractive short open savannah grass and the evergreen semuliki forest cover which is an extension of the Ituri forest of the Democratic republic of congo.

Things to do in semuliki national park

Game drive: Semuliki national park offers an amazing game reserve activity through its open savanna grass cover, while on a game drive you get to view and enjoy the beauty of the park and various animal species which include African buffalo, leopard, hippopotamus, mona monkey, water chevrotain, bush babies, African civet, African elephant, Pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrel, bay duiker and many more
Visiting the hot springs: Visiting Sempaya hot springs is a very exciting thrill, it is amazing to witness hot water coming from the group where their no fire to make it hot. At this site, you get to see the water jetting out of the grounds and some items like eggs and potatoes are put in the hot to boil which takes a few minutes to them to be ready. If you are a photographer or picture addict Sempaya hot springs offers a photogenic environment for pictures.
Bird watching: Semuliki national park is an important birding site harboring numerous colorful bird species, while bird watching in semuliki national park you encounter many bird species such as black-throated coucal, white-bellied kingfisher, piping hornbill, red-billed dwarf hornbill, black dwarf hornbill, white-crested hornbill, white-thighed hornbill, black-casqued wattled hornbill, red-rumped Tinkerbird, lyre-tailed honeyguide, African Piculet, Gabon Woodpecker, rufous-sided broadbill, yellow-throated Nicator, icterine greenbul, Xavier’s greenbul, leaf-love, green-tailed bristle bill, swamp palm bulbul, fire-crested alethe. These birds are seen in the forest treetops and in the short savanna vegetation of the park.
Cultural encounter: On the outskirts of semuliki national park their lives the pygmy hunter-gatherers batwa people, the batwa people were the ancient occupants of Ituri forest before it was gazetted as a national park. These people up to now still live an ancient lifestyle that can be witnessed while on a cultural tour in their community. You get to interact with them and learn many stories from them and see a lot of things like their hunting skills, the building of houses using local materials, hunting skills, songs and dances, and many more interesting cultural and traditional aspects.
Nature guided walks: Nature guided walks is another thrill in semuliki national park, guided nature walks takes you different regions of the park like in savannah grassland and the piece of Ituri forest situated in the park. You get to spot and encounter many wildlife species habited in the park and they include African buffalo, leopard, hippopotamus, Mona monkey, water chevrotain, birds like white-bellied kingfisher, piping hornbill, red-billed dwarf hornbill, black dwarf hornbill, white-crested hornbill, white-thighed hornbill, black-casqued wattled hornbill, red-rumped Tinkerbird, lyre-tailed honeyguide and many more. On nature guided walks you follow the following trails that is kirumia trail, Sempaya trail, red monkey trail which lead you to various attractions of semuliki national park.
Primate tracking: Primate tracking in semuliki national park takes place in semuliki forest a piece of Ituri forest situated in the park, in this forest you get to encounter primates which include black and white colobus monkey, chimpanzees, olive baboons, red tailed monkey, blue monkey, vervet, galagos, and Pottos.

While in Semuliki national park the following trails are followed as you tour the park

Sempaya nature trail; Sempaya nature trail takes you through semuliki forest and leads you to the magnificent Sempaya hot springs, while on this trail you encounter primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey and many more.
Kirumia trail; Kirumia trail is a known trail best for bird viewing, it navigates through semuliki forest to Semuliki River where many bird species habit
Red monkey trail; Red monkey trail navigates through the park to Semuliki River and while using it you encounter dee Brazza monkey.

Best time to visit semuliki national park

In Uganda, visiting the national park happens throughout the year and the same thing goes to Semuliki national park however the best time to visit semuliki national park is during the dry months. The park receives two dry season periods that is from December to May and August to November. What makes these months to be the perfect time to visit is that in the dry month periods little rainfall is received and trails leading to game drives are relatively dry and passable. Also, the grass cover in the park is short offering an opportunity for an undisrupted view of animals.

Where to stay in Semuliki national park

Unlike other Uganda national parks, the park has fewer accommodation facilities situated both in the park and outside the park which offer comfortable accommodation facilities and meals. These facilities include Semuliki safari lodge and Ntoronko Game Lodge which are both classified as luxury. Kirumia Guesthouse, Tooro Resort, UWA bandas and cottages, hotel vanilla and many more, these are categorized as budget accommodations. These accommodation facilities will make your stay worth a while.

How to reach semuliki national park

Semuliki national park can be reached using road transport and air transport. The park is situated 287 kilometers from Kampala and by road transport, you can use two routes which connect to the park that is Kampala to Mubende then to Fort portal then finally to Bundibugyo district. Alternatively, form Kampala City to Masaka to Mbarara to Kasese to Fort portal and finally to Bundibugyo district. By air means of transport, you use a chartered domestic flight from the Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe International airport to Semuliki airstrip. These flights are operated by both Fly Uganda from Kajjansi airfield and Aerolink Uganda Limited from Entebbe airport.