Semliki National Park, Chimpanzee Tracking and Sempaya Hot springs in Uganda
With numerous Safari Attractions like the beautiful Sempaya Hot springs, Semliki National Park is located in Bwamba County a distant region of Bundibugyo District West of Uganda. It covers an area of 194 km2 (75 sq mi) with Lowland Tropical Rainforest with numerous Flora and Fauna as well as bird species.
It borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mountain Rwenzori in the South East, Lake Albert in the North. It borders the Semuliki and Lamia Rivers where numerous Wildlife animals transfer to break their thirst with the Sempaya Hot Springs i.e the Female and Male Hot springs.
Location of Semliki National Park
Semliki National Park is located in the Western Part of Uganda after the beautiful Town of Fort portal. The Park is prominently know for its Sempaya Hot springs within the Albertine Rift in the Western Arm of the Great East African Rift Valley along a flat gentle relief which ranges from 670 to 760 m (2,200 to 2,490 ft) ASL.
Climate of Semliki National Park
The Park experiences an average rainfall 1,250 mm (49 in) with peak rainfall of March to May and from September to December. The Temperature of the park varies from 18 to 30 °C (64 to 86 °F).
When to Visit Semliki National Park
Semliki National Park can be visited anytime around the year by travelers interested in Wildlife Safari Encounters although the Best Time to Visit Semliki National Park is during the dry season in the months of June to September since during this time, the Wildlife animals are wandering around the stunning vegetation Habitat.
How to Get to Semliki National Park
Travelers transferring to Semliki National Park should follow the route via Mubende towards For Portal Town in the Western Part of Uganda from Kampala for a distance of about 180 kilometers for a period of 4-5 hours.
They can as well as follow the longer route via Masaka, Mbarara and Kasese for a distance of 465 kilometers and a period of 7-8 hours from Kampala.
Activities at Semliki National park
While at Semliki National Park, travelers can involve in numerous Safari Activities according to their unique Tastes and Preferences. These include;
With its green verdant green forest vegetation, Semliki National park is an exceptional birder’s safari destination due to the numerous species of birds that inhabit the beautiful vegetation around the park. The Park inhabits a big number of Central Africaan Bird species that cannot be spotted anywhere else and these include; the Congo Serpent eagle, Long-tailed Hawk, Nkulengu rail, black-wattled horn bill and Lyre-tailed honey guide, Nkulengu rail, Western Bronze-Naped Pigeon, black collared Lovebird, yellow –throated cuckoo.
Red chested Owlet , bates’ nightjar, Chocolate-backed ,White –bellied and African Dwarf kingfishers , White crested black Dwarf , Piping and Black-wattled Hornbills, Red-rumped Tinkerbird , spotted , lyre-tailed, and Zenker’s Honey guides, African Piculet, Gabon wood pecker, Red sided Broad bill, white –throated Blue swallow, Green –tailed Bristle bill, Sassi’s olive, Xavier’s swamp
Wildlife Adventure Safaris through Game Drives around Semliki National park are another safari activity that can be carried out by travelers. You will transfer from one track to the next in the Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve watching wildlife like elephants, buffalo, waterbuck, crocodile, warthog, Uganda kob and if lucky you will see the pygmy hippopotami, leopards and elusive bush babies wandering around their natural vegetation habitat.
Hiking and Nature Walks
Semliki National Park is also ideal for all travelers interested in Hiking and Nature Walks around the forest vegetation with numerous trails which offer stunning views at the birds, primates i.e vervet monkeys, baboons, red tailed monkeys etc. The trails include;
- The 11km Red Monkey Track which proceeds to the Eastern Border of the Park and Semliki River. You will spot numerous communities of rare deBrazza’s monkey.
- The 13 km KirumiaTrail which proceeds through the middle of the forest to the Semliki River beginning at 8:00 am for a period of 8 hours. Along this, you will spot numerous bird species.
- The Sempaya Nature Trail which takes you to visit the stunning Sempaya Hot Springs for a period of 2-4 hours scheduled in the morning and afternoon.
Semliki National Park is also ideal for travelers interested in encountering cultural traditions of the local people that stay around the Park. You will experience the local Batwa people to learn about their traditions and customs as well as survival in the forest. There is also a local Boma(Cultural Village) where the Batwa demonstrate how they lived and survived decades ago in the forest.