Tourist Guide to Semuliki Wildlife Tours | Premium Africa Safaris

Semuliki wildlife tours offer a myriad of wilderness experiences to visitors on a Uganda safari. From guided game drives, chimpanzee tracking, birding, to nature walking/hiking.

Semuliki National Park is found in Bundibugyo District, western Uganda, and is most popular for wildlife tours. It was established in 1993 and is currently inhabited by more than 441 species of birds, 53 mammal species, and these include 10 primate species.

Ultimate Guide to Semuliki Wildlife Tours, Uganda

The diverse wildlife/animals to see.

During guided wildlife tours in Semuliki, expect to explore, including buffaloes, savanna & forest elephants, dwarf antelopes, bush pigs, warthogs, leopards, and flying squirrel.

The primates to encounter on Semuliki wildlife tours include galagos, grey-cheeked mangabeys, blue monkeys, pottos, chimpanzees, and more.

The birds to Encounter on Semuliki Wildlife Tours

Wildlife tours in Semuliki also come with birding opportunities. Over 441 species of birds live in the Semuliki National Park and you expect to identify several of them on guided game tour.

birds to find in Semuliki include the Congo serpent, shoebill stork, spot-breasted ibis, chestnut flanked goshawks, piping hornbill, white-throated blue swallows, Nkulengu rail, yellow-throated cuckoos, yellow-throated nicator, Caruthers’s cisticola, and papyrus gonoleks.

Other Attractions to Explore on Semuliki Wildlife Tours

The Hot Springs (Sempaya)

The Sempaya hot springs are unique attractions you shouldn’t miss exploring on a tour in Semuliki National Park. These hot springs comprise female and male. The female is 2m wide and is called Nyansimbi, and the male (Bintente) is a 12m diameter pool.

Due to the geothermal activity of the Sempaya, the hot temperatures emitted from the hot springs can boil bananas and eggs. In a few minutes, you can be in a position to have a bite after boiling from the hot springs.

Semuliki River

Stretching over 140 km on the Rwenzori Mountain ranges and at the border of Congo and Uganda, the Semuliki River originates from Lake Edward and flows to Lake Albert. It is inhabited by a variety of aquatic species, including hippopotami, crocodiles, and birds like the rare shoebill storks.

Highlights of the Semuliki Wildlife Tours

Birding

Semuliki offers the best birding experience to avid birders on a Uganda wildlife tour. A diverse array of birds can be spotted during the birding trip in Semliki National Reserve/Park.

Top birds to find in Semuliki include Ituri batis, long-tailed hawks, Congo Serpent eagle, Great blue turacos, Black-wattled hornbills, crested flycatchers, black-throated coucals, Nkulengu rail, Nahan’s partridge, helmeted guineafowl, western bronze-napped pigeon, and hairy-breasted barbet.

Semliki is also inhabited by birds such as double-toothed barbets, Cassin’s spine tail, Toro olive greenbul, white-throated blue swallow, swamp palm bulbul, fire-crested alethe, shining-blue kingfishers, Maxwell’s black weaver, Abyssinian ground-thrush, red-eyed puff-back, and more.

Game Drives

Visit Semuliki to experience unique guided game drives for you to spot diversity of mammals. The park is home to interesting mammals such as warthogs, Uganda Kobs, elephants, buffaloes, and many others.

To enjoy game drives in Semuliki, you should consider paying for the park entrance fees. The current park entrance fees cost USD 35 for foreign non-residents, the foreign residents USD 25, and Ugandans or East African citizens UGX 15000.

Nature Walking

Set foot on some of the finest nature walking trails in and around Semuliki, and explore a variety of wildlife and other species that can’t be seen during the guided game drive.

About 3 unique nature walking/hiking trails can be visited in Semuliki alone, including the Sempaya nature walking trail, which is 8km, the Red Monkey track (11km), and the Kirumia hiking trail (13km).

Visit Kirumia walking trail and explore the lush and vibrant heart of Semuliki’s forest. This trail ushers you up to the scenic River Semuliki and requires at least 8 hours.

Visitors can begin their hikes through Kirumia in the morning from the park offices. A guided walk through the Kirumia trail comes with interesting sightings of bird species, colorful butterfly species, and floral species.

Red-Tailed Monkey Trail

This is a preferred hiking trail for nature enthusiasts in need to explore primates in Semuliki National Park. The diverse primates to come across on the 11km Red-tailed monkey track include the red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, Grey-cheeked mangabeys, & colobus monkeys.

Nyaburogo Gorge hiking trail

The Nyaburogo gorge trail is 7km long hiking trail. It is most popular for birding tours and also primate encounters. The birds to find along this trail include the tropical boubou, arrow-marked babbler, Luhder’s bushrike, and more. The primates you stand a chance to spot on the Nyaburogo trail include vervet monkeys, baboons, and colobus monkeys.

Visit the scenic Mugiri River Forest

Explore the scenic Mugiri River Forest located in the Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. This lush forest is found on the Southern Lake Albert. It is popular for its tranquility and breathtaking views of the scenic Rift Valley Escarpments.

Exploring the nature trails of Mugiri River Forest lets you spot the diversity of primates and birds. The popular primates around this river forest include red-tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, and vervet monkeys.

The Best Time to go for Semuliki Wildlife Tours

Semuliki wildlife tours are best enjoyed during the peak dry season. Semuliki wildlife tours can be enjoyed during the long dry months, June, July, August, to September or starting December to February.

There is also an alternative to enjoy a game viewing tour during the off months of the year, although they often come with much disruption due to heavy rains. This is from March, April, to May or you can visit Semuliki around the short off months of the year, that is from October to November.

Accommodation to Stay during the Semuliki Game Viewing Tour

Accommodation choices in and around Semuliki to book for your stay before or after wildlife tours range from budget to luxury. The luxury options include the rustic Ntoroko Game Lodge, Nyati Game Lodge, and Semuliki Safari Lodge.

Midrange lodges include the Mountains of the Moon Hotel in Fort Portal city. The budget lodges and camps include the Rwenzori View Guesthouse and Kirumia Guesthouse.

The Ultimate Packing List for your Semuliki Wildlife Tours

Essentials to consider on your Semuliki wildlife tour include a rain jacket, long-sleeved shirts, insect repellents, good hiking boots or shoes, a sweater, and sunglasses. You also need a pack of bottled drinking water, a safari hat, a good camera plus extra batteries, a daypack, a pair of binoculars, and more.

How to Get to the Semuliki to Experience Wildlife Tours

Leave Kampala for Semuliki, about a 7-8-hour drive through the Mityana-Mubende-Fort Portal city. If you want the fastest option, then consider taking a flight from Entebbe International Airport to Semliki Airstrip or landing at Kasese Airstrip.

From the airstrip you land at, you can be picked up and transferred to Semuliki National Park to start your wildlife or game viewing adventure.

What is there to do in Semuliki?

At Semuliki National Park, expect to engage in a myriad of experiences, including bird-watching, hiking or forest walks, primate watching, and others.

In which district are the Sempaya hot springs found?

The Sempaya hot springs are found in Bundibugyo District, Western Uganda. These iconic attractions are found close to the Congo border.

Where is Semuliki Forest?

Semuliki, also referred to as Bwamba Forest, is located along the Albertine Rift Valley, Northwestern end of the scenic Rwenzori Mountains.

Conclusively, Semuliki wildlife tours should be a must-visit on Uganda safaris. Book now your Uganda wildlife tour safaris to Semuliki to experience the best of game viewing.