Nkusi falls in Semuliki

Nkusi falls in Semuliki is found in western Uganda in Bunyoro region not so far from Semuliki national park. On a safari in Semuliki national park, tourists can always take time to visit the Nkusi falls which are not so far from the park. Nkusi falls are part of Lake Albert which is located in the north of Semuliki national park.

Nkusi falls on Lake Albert are blazing in beauty but hidden. Tourists who want to see beautiful falls can only access them or view them using the boat cruise from Ntoroko which is at the edge of Semuliki national park. A one hour boat cruise is enough to make tourists get so close to Nkusi falls on Lake Albert.

Nkusi falls are not as strong as Murchison falls but they are beautiful to watch. Nkusi falls are formed when water from up the hills runs at a very high speed through the rocks before pouring into Lake Albert. On a boat cruise from Ntoroko you will be driven very close to the falls where you will see the waters fall from up the hill through the rocks and at some point turning green because of the surrounding vegetation.

Nkusi falls are some of the attractions one can see in Semuliki however the park has many more to offer. Semuliki is home to over 53 mammals, 35 bird species, 9 primates, and the hot springs. After visiting the Nkusi falls, you can participate in different activities of the park to see what the park has to offer. Below are some of attractions in Semuliki.

Birds in Semuliki Park

Semuliki national park harbors 435 bird species making it one of the best birding destinations in western Uganda.  Birds within this park have attracted lots of birders from different parts of the world who want to see different bird species within the country. Semuliki is a good bird watching destination that gives bird lovers an opportunity to see a variety of bird species including 23 that are endemic to the region.

Birds of Semuliki national park include Scarlet-chested sunbird, palmnut vulture, rufous side broadbill, lizard buzzard, olive sunbird, red-tailed ant thrush, red-tailed bristlebill, white-throated blue swallow, African thrush, violet-backed starling, barn swallow, western nicator, joyful greenbul, blue spotted wood dove, rufous flycatcher thrush, yellow-breasted forest robin, lesser striped swallow, bronze naped pigeon, blue-throated roller, green white eye, African woolly necked stork, yellow whiskered greenbul, grey-backed fiscal, hairy breasted barbet, and chestnut capped flycatcher.

Other notable bird species in Semuliki include Black-billed barbet, yellow-billed stork, splendid starling, mackinnon’s shrike, African grey parrot, rufous flycatcher thrush, fire crested alethe, blue-cheeked bee-eater, African pygmy kingfisher, red chested cuckoo, yellow-footed flycatcher, African wood owl,  woodland kingfisher, speckled tinkerbird, brown chested alethe, grey-headed sunbird, Klaas’s cuckoo, yellow billed barbet, pin tailed whydah, chocolate backed kingfisher, shinning blue kingfisher, and African dwarf kingfisher to mention but a few.

Hot springs inn Semuliki Park

Semuliki national park has 2 hot springs that attract a number of tourists on their visit to the park. Semuliki national park has two stunning hot springs that is the male and female hot springs. These hot springs are few kilometers apart and tourists visit any they want or both of them. The most visited hot spring in Semuliki national park is the female hot spring and this is because of the geyser that ejects out hot water up to a height of 3 meters into the air.

Animals

Primates and mammals are another attraction in Semuliki national park that tourists love to see. Semuliki harbors 53 mammals and 9 primates in the lowland tropical rainforest and swampy vegetation. Tourists who visit the park see these animals while carrying out different park activities like nature walks, chimpanzee trekking, and many others.

Mammals to see in Semuliki national park include forest elephants, Uganda kobs, warthogs, crocodiles, sitatungas, forest giant squirrels, forest buffaloes, hippos, leopards, and side-stripped jackals. Primates to see in Semuliki national park chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white monkeys, de brazza’s monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and mangabeys.

The Batwa Pygmies

The batwa pygmies no longer stay inside Semuliki national park but they are sometimes allowed to access the park for herbs, food, and traditional ceremonies at the hot springs. The Batwa pygmies have attracted people to Semuliki national park that even cultural tours are organized to the villages of these people. Batwa are the shortest people in Uganda and are famous for having stayed in the forest alongside animals for a long time.

A cultural visit to any of the villages of the Batwa people gives you an opportunity to see the Batwa pygmies, know about their life, and how they used to live in the jungle. A local guide from the Batwa community takes you to any of the villages where you meet the Batwa and interact with them. A guide is the translator in this so he eases communication between the batwa and the tourists.

As soon as you arrive at the home of the Batwa, you are welcomed by traditional dancers who entertain tourists through dance and drama. Later you are taken around the community where you visit different homesteads and get to know how these people live their day to day life. The elders tell you stories of how they lived in the jungle with animals, the food they ate, and the plants they used as local medicine among others.

The best time to visit Semuliki national park

Tourists can visit Semuliki national park at any time of the year however some months are better than others. The dry season months from June to September and December to February are the best time to visit semuliki because they are characterized by little or no rainfall and have plenty of sunshine. The vegetation is short inside the park giving the best views of wild animals and the road leading to the park are passable.

Tourists can still visit Semuliki national park to see Nkusi falls and other attractions in the rainy season which happens from March to May and October to November. The park is always open for tourists however those coming in the rainy season should know that there is plenty of rainfall in the park which means that the trails are muddy and slippery, and the roads leading to the park are in very poor conditions.