Bwamba forest in Semuliki national park

Bwamba forest is one of the ample forest found right inside Semuliki national park. Bwamba forms part of the only lowland tropical rainforest of East Africa in Semuliki national park. Bwamba is part of Semuliki national park in Bundibugyo district western part of Uganda.

Bwamba forest is known for harboring a large number of bird species, and a home to some of the animals that have been recorded in Semuliki national park. On a safari to Semuliki national park, tourists can visit Bwamba forest while carrying out different tourism activities carried out right inside the park.

Bwamba forest was part of the area that was gazetted in 1932 as a Semuliki game reserve. In 1993 when the government was gazetting the park, it also gazetted Bwamba forest and today it is part of Semuliki national park. Semuliki national park covers a total area of 220 sq. km and the government is trying so hard to protect this small piece of land.

Tourists on a safari in Semuliki national park can take a visit to Bwamba forest which is part of the park and take part in different activities that happen there. The fact that the forest has different wildlife species and vegetation tourists have a list of things to do when they visit the forest. Below are the most done activities that take place in Bwamba forest of Semuliki national park.

Top activities that are carried out in Bwamba forest in Semuliki national park

Bird watching in Bwamba

Bwamba forest is so close to Semuliki national park and bird lovers to the park often visit the place for bird watching activities. There are several bird species that have been recorded within this forest and tourists can see them better if they explore the area on foot. A local birding guide or a good birder can take you around Bwamba forest and you see as many bird species as you can.

While on Bird watching in Bwamba, birds that can be seen in the forest include Blue headed Coucal, Shoebill, Yellow throated cuckoo, Klaas’s cuckoo, yellow throated tinkerbird, little greenbul, brown chested alethe, hairy breasted barbet, African grey parrot, grey crowned crane, African palm swift, wahlberg’s eagle, mountain buzzard, brown snake eagle, white throated blue swallow, black winged stilt, African sacred ibis, white crested hornbill, red chested cuckoo, ayres’s hawk eagle.

Common sandpiper, red billed dwarf hornbill, African pied hornbill, blue cheeked bee eater, barn swallow, lesser stripped swallow, little egret, green white eye, white thighed hornbill, piping hornbill, African harrier hawk, shinning blue kingfisher, bronze naped pigeon, yellow billed stork, chocolate backed kingfisher, olive sunbird, grey headed sunbird, blue spotted wood dove, lizard buzzard, African woolly necked stork, white spotted flufftail, long crested eagle, yellow breasted forest robin, spur winged lawping, grey kestrel.

Blue throated roller, grey headed kingfisher, white bellied kingfisher, wood sandpiper, African pygmy king fisher, black and white casqued hornbill, black billed barbet, northern grey headed sparrow, scarlet chested sunbird, mackinnon’s shrike, golden crowned woodpecker, splendid starling, speckled tinkerbird, black bee eater, black casqued hornbill, rufous flycatcher thrush, fire crested alethe, yellow whiskered greenbul, violet backed starling, rufous flycatcher thrush.

Woodland kingfisher, joyful greenbul, African wood owl, green white eye, white naped pigeon, xavier’s greenbul, palmnut vulture, red tailed ant thrush, rameron pigeon, red rumped tinkerbird, lesser bristlebill, western nicator, yellow footed flycatcher, little stint, rufous side broadbill, little bee eater, yellow billed barbet, olive bellied sunbird, African thrush, grey backed fiscal, African dwarf kingfisher, cattle egret, red tailed greenbul, red tailed bristlebill, and purple headed starling to mention but a few.

Nature walks in Bwamba

Tourists can get so close to nature in Bwamba forest by taking part in nature walk activities. The Nature walks in Bwamba forest are guided activities by armed ranger guides for security reasons within this park. Different trails are used here to connect tourists to most corners of the forest. During the nature walks, tourists are able to meet different wildlife, vegetation, and water sources.

Tourists that do nature walks in Bwamba forest do get an opportunity to see animals such as forest elephants, Semuliki red colobus, mantled guereza, red-tailed monkey, de brazza’s monkey, blue monkey, olive baboon, grey-cheeked mangabey, bush squirrel, Uganda kob, bat, side stripped jackal, sitatunga, and warthog among others.

When to visit Bwamba forest

While on a safari in Semuliki national park, tourists can visit Bwamba forest at any time they want. The forest is available for different activities all throughout the year however the dry season is the best period because it finds the trekking trails dry and passable. The vegetation is also short with good views of wildlife and this all happens in the months between June to September and December to February.