Uganda to Create 6 New Game Parks –Premium Africa Safaris

Uganda has long had only 10 National Parks, and creating the extra 6 new ones presents more opportunities to tourists to experience the best of Uganda’s hidden treasures. Uganda intends to create 6 new Game Parks to help boost tourism and wildlife protection. The checklist of 6 New Game Parks to be gazetted as per the Laws of  Uganda

  1. Katonga Wildlife Reserve
  2. Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve
  3. Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve
  4. Bukaleba Forest Reserve
  5. Echuya Forest Reserve
  6. Kyambura Gorge & Kigezi Wildlife Reserve (To be Annexed to Queen Elizabeth National Park)

Uganda to Create 6 New Game Parks in Uganda -Detailed Guide

Uganda to create 6 new Game Parks, including Pian Upe, Kyambura and Kigezi, Echuya National Park, Bukaleba National Park, Toro-Semliki Reserve, and Katonga Wildlife Reserve.

Pian Upe National Park

Pian Upe is a stunning Protected Area listed among the 6 New Game Parks to be created in Uganda. Pian Upe is found in the Elgon Conservation Area, Northeastern Uganda. It is joined by the Matheniko-Bokora Wildlife Reserves. This reserve started as the Debasien Animal Sanctuary, but it became a Reserve in 1960. Currently, Pian Upe sits on an area of 2788 sq. km, straddling between Kidepo and

Mount Elgon National Park.

Wildlife to explore on Pian Upe safari includes serval cats, reedbucks, elands, leopards, oribis, zebras, Uganda Kobs, duikers, wild cats, hares, and giraffes. About 242 bird species also exist and can be identified, including Northern crombec, Abyssinian ground hornbills, Wahlberg’s eagle, banded snake eagles, Dark-chanting-goshawk, Karamoja apalis, Hartlaub’s bustards, African pipit, and more.

Kigezi and Kyambura

The Kigezi and Kyambura Reserves are to be incorporated into Queen Elizabeth National Park. At the Kyambura Wildlife, there are lots of species to see, including primates and birds. The diverse attractions to explore here include colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, butterflies, birds such as papyrus gonoleks, black-rumped button, African skimmers, white-tailed lark, martial eagle, and many others.

Kyambura offers the best of chimpanzee tracking experiences, birding, nature walking, and more. Kigezi lies southward of Queen Elizabeth National Park and is 265 sq. km, consisting largely of extensive savanna plains and forests.

The common wildlife to explore in the Kigezi include bush duikers, giant forest hogs, bush bucks, topis, Uganda Kobs, waterbucks, buffaloes, and birds such as peregrine falcons, red-faced barbets, and more.

Echuya -(Uganda to Create 6 New Game Parks)

Echuya Forest Reserve (National Park) is home to the world’s diverse species, including bird species like the Archer’s robin-chat, and also features a bamboo forest. This rainforest protected area lies in the Albertine Rift eco-region, between Rubanda and Kisoro districts. It is an important bird area, supporting an extensive swamp, “Muchuya Swamp.” It covers an area of 34 sq. km and lies at an altitude of 2270 to 2570m. The diverse wildlife found in the Echuya Forest Reserve includes red-tailed monkeys, bushbucks, baboons, blue monkeys, and birds such as Grauer’s swamp warblers, Rwenzori apalis, red-faced woodland warblers, Archer’s robin-chat, and more.

Bukaleba

Bukaleba is a lush central forest reserve located in Mayuge District, about 120 km East of Kampala. It is one of the protected areas to be gazetted as a National Park in Uganda. It was established in 1932 and currently covers an area of 97 sq. km. Bukaleba inhabits birds such as African dwarf kingfishers, dusky long-tailed cuckoos, African pied hornbills, black and white casqued hornbills. The mammals to explore include vervet monkeys, Kaiser’s bush rat, Northern giant musk shrew, African buffaloes, and more.

Toro-Semliki Reserve

Established as a Game Reserve in 1926, Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve is one of the places yet to be designated a National Park. It is one of the oldest Protected Areas in Uganda, lying along the Albertine Rift Valley between the Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Albert. This Protected Area supports a range of habitats, including savanna grassland, open acacia woodlands, wetlands, and Borassus palm forests. These provide refuge to elephants, bushbucks, chimpanzees, waterbucks, Uganda Kobs, buffaloes, colobus monkeys, and more. The best way to explore the Toro-Semliki includes chimpanzee trekking, boat cruises, nature walks, and many others.

Uganda to Create 6 New Game Parks Including Katonga

Katonga Wildlife Reserve is an extensive savanna grassland, a rich ecosystem lying in Kyenjojo and Kamwenge Districts. Created in 1964 as a Game Reserve, Katonga is a valuable corridor for most migrating wildlife from Western Uganda to Tanzania and Sudan. It protects a total of 40 mammals and more than 150 birds. The main mammal species to find here include elephants, warthogs, reedbucks, waterbucks, sitatunga, and others.

The birds include Madagascar pond-heron, Goliath heron, dwarf bittern, white-backed night-heron, purple heron, striated heron, and grey heron, to mention but a few. The exciting experiences awaiting you in Katonga Wildlife Reserve include bird watching, game viewing, and nature walks.

Lastly, the 6 New Game Parks to be created in Uganda offer more opportunities to explore the country’s hidden gem. Book a Uganda safari to explore new National Parks and other destinations.