Wildlife and bird species in semuliki national park– The Park is located in the Bundibugyo District of western Uganda. It is one of the fresh parks in Uganda and in October 1993 was turned into a national park and covers an area of 194 kilometers2 on 75 sq. miles of East Africa’s only lowland tropical rainforest is found in the park. Semuliki National Park expands across the Semuliki Valley along the western sides of the Rwenzori Mountains. Semuliki national park stretches to the eastern of the Ituri Forest of Congo, it is also one of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests and it is one of the few to survive the last ice age, 12-18,000 years ago.

Birdlife at Semuliki National park.

Birdlife is mostly remarkable in Semuliki National Park with over 441 species, which makes 40% of Uganda’s total bird species and 66% of forest bird species. There are several rare birds in the Semuliki forest which include 46 Guinea-Congo biome species that cannot be found in East Africa whereas 35 can be spotted in like2-3 two other areas in Uganda. About 5 bird species are endemic to the Albertine Rift ecosystem.  Some bird Species you can see on your birding safari in Semuliki national park include the Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, White-throated Blue Swallow,   Nkulengu Rail, Blue-billed malimbe,  Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Black-casqued Wattled Hornbill, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, White-crested Hornbill,  African Piculet, Leaf-love, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Crested Malimbe, Red-bellied Malimbe, Yellow-throated Nicator,  Chestnut-breasted Negro Finch, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Piping Hornbill and among other species. In addition, bird watching in Semuliki national park is best in the areas of Sempaya to Ntandi around the roadside up to Kurumia trail.

Wildlife in Semuliki national park.

Semuliki national park inhabits over 53 mammals and 27 among them are large mammals, 11 species are endemic to the park including the 2 flying squirrel species, pygmy antelope. There is also the peculiar water chevrotain which is known as the “fanged deer”. The park also hosts the forest elephant and buffaloes.

The park also has 9 primate species which include grey checked mangabey, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, black monkeys, vervet monkey, olive baboon, chimpanzee, plus nocturnal primates include galagos and poottos. Some people around the park saying that among Mammal species in Semuliki national park, there are also eastern gorillas probably no factual foundation to date. Though the Semuliki national park has a healthy population of forest Chimpanzees though they are not yet habituated like those in Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Kyambura Gorge, Budongo Forests part of Murchison Falls National Park, and Kibale Forest national park.

The Sempaya hot springs are the major tourist attraction in Semuliki national park other activities carried out in the park are game drives visiting the Batwa community and among others.

How to reach Semuliki wildlife reserve.

Semuliki national park is situated in southwestern parts of Uganda in Bundibugyo district with a number of accommodation facilities and it can be accessed by road on 2 routes when you’re coming from Kampala the capital city of Uganda, and it is advisable to use 4WD vehicles for both routes.

Route 1: you can use Kampala-Fort Portal via Mubende, this route is shorter than route 2 and it covering over 180kilomaters which takes like a 4-5 hour drive.

Route 2: or use Kampala-Masaka through Mbarara and Kasese. Which covering 465 kilometers and takes 7-8 hours.  Though it is longer it allows you to visit other places along the way like Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, and others.

After Semuliki national park, plan a visit to other fascinating national parks of Uganda which include Bwindi impenetrable forest national park for one of the exclusive experiences. You will enjoy the unique mountain gorilla trekking to bird species, or you may visit Lake Mburo national park for sightings that include a night game safari where you will see the nocturnal animals like leopards.