Why visit Semuliki national park
Why visit Semuliki national park: Located in western Uganda Bundibugyo district, Semuliki national park is known for its hot springs and wildly diverse wildlife species. Its wildlife is without doubt one of the top reasons to visit Semuliki national park. Semuliki national park hosts 435 bird species, 9 primates, and 53 mammal species. It also boasts the highest concentration of butterfly species in the whole of Uganda with more than 40% living in the Semuliki vegetation.
Here are the top reasons why tourists should visit Semuliki national park
Butterfly watching in Semuliki
Tourists who are interested in butterflies have a reason to visit Semuliki national park which is home to over 448 butterfly species. Semuliki national park has the highest population of butterflies in the whole country making it a great destination, On the day of searching, tourists are led by armed ranger guides for security and a guide takes you around the park to see the butterflies.
Some of the butterflies in Semuliki national park include African caper, cucumber moth, cymothoe ochreata, variegated pearl, biston abruptaria, painted pearl, mylantria xanthospila, euphaedra eberti, mung bean moth, euphaedra rattrayi, euphaedra edwardsii, spiny bollworm, lycoa Acraea, boisduval’s tree nymph, common pathfinder, hill bush brown, chirinda bush brown, cymothoe confusa, Bethune baker’s bush brown, and simple orange forester.
Other butterfly species in Semuliki national park are rhipidarctia crameri, common palm forester, euriphene saphirina, zebra pyrale, common nephele, cadarena pudoraria, coffee berry moth, neuroxena ansorgei, haritalodes polycymalis, common ginger white, tailed bush brown, gregori’s brown pansy, marcipalina conjuncta, dark yellow forest sylph, euphaedra hybrida, marcipalina umbrosa, small black bush brown, sarothroceras banaka, toothed stately bush brown, bicyclus mollitia, and chiasmia fulvisparsa.
Excellent birding opportunities
In western Uganda, Semuliki national park is one of the best birding destinations. The national park has over 435 bird species with 23 endemics to the Albertine region. Bird watching is one of the most done activities in Semuliki national park by birders visiting the western part of Uganda. The activity is guided by armed ranger guides and bird guides who know the best areas to spot the birds.
Birds of Semuliki national park include Shoe bill stork, fire crested alethe, long-crested eagle, yellow-footed flycatcher, mackinnon’s shrike, lesser stripped swallow, brown snake eagle, lizard buzzard, yellow-breasted forest robin, African harrier hawk, white-throated blue swallow, brown chested alethe, African sacred ibis, wood sandpiper, red-billed dwarf hornbill, African pied hornbill, black casqued hornbill, common sandpiper, African palm swift, and white-crested hornbill.
African thrush, olive-bellied sunbird, northern grey-headed sparrow, red-tailed ant thrush, rufous flycatcher thrush, green white eye, rufous flycatcher thrush, little greenbul, red-tailed greenbul, splendid starling, xavier’s greenbul, joyful greenbul, yellow whiskered greenbul, green white eye, purple headed starling, rufous side broadbill, lesser bristlebill, violet backed starling, and western nicator to mention but a few.
Meet, interact, and enjoy cultural encounters with Batwa pygmies
Semuliki national park is one of the few places in Uganda where tourists meet the Batwa pygmies. Batwa were initially forest dwellers who lived in Semuliki forest together with animals but in 1993 when the government gazetted the park, they evicted them to create and give animals freedom. They moved out and settled in the nearby areas where tourists could find them.
Boma village and Ntandi village are some of the places where tourists can visit the Batwa. To visit the batwa you will need a guide from the community who acts as a translator while taking you to different homes in the community. On your visit you will be entertained by traditional dancers, you will learn stories of long ago, and you will be able to know how the people in the community live their day to day lives.
Nature walks
Tourists can visit Semuliki national park for nature walk activities which will help them discover the different attractions within the park. Guided nature walks in Semuliki national park are organized to take tourists to different parts of the park using different nature walk trails. The activity gives tourists an opportunity to see wildlife, plants, water sources, and hot springs among others.
Chimpanzee trekking in Semuliki
There is a small population of chimpanzees living in Semuliki national park and some of them have been habituated and are used to human presence around them. Chimpanzee trekking in Semuliki is one of the reasons tourists should visit Semuliki national park if they want to meet chimpanzees in their natural habitats.
Chimpanzee trekking in Semuliki national park is a one-hour activity that starts in the morning with a briefing from the ranger guides at the park offices. Armed ranger guides lead trekkers in the jungle where they start looking for where the chimpanzees could be. After several hours of searching and meeting different attractions of the park, the trekkers meet the chimpanzees and are given 1 hour to be around them which gives them a chance to take photos, watch them play, and record videos.
When to go to Semuliki national park
Tourists can go to Semuliki national park at any time of the year but some months are better than others. The dry season months from June to September and December to February are the best to visit Semuliki national park because they have little or no rainfall and plenty of sunshine. During the dry season, the vegetation in the park is short with good views of wildlife, and walking trails are dry and easier to walk through.
Tourists especially budget travelers can visit Semuliki national park in the rainy season to enjoy the discounted accommodation facilities as well as tour packages. The rainy season happens in March to May and October to November attracting few people because of the plenty of rainfall and little sunshine received in the park. In the rainy season, tourists should know that the walking trails are muddy and slippery and the vegetation is tall with unclear views of small animals.
