Semuliki National Park | Lowland Jungle & Hot Springs

Semuliki National Park is one of the newest national parks in Uganda famous for its magnificent hot springs- The Sempaya Hot Springs boiling at temperature which is over 1000 C.

Semuliki National Park was formerly known as Bwamba Forest and later renamed Semuliki when it was gazetted as a national park in 1993.

Semuliki National Park is an extension of the West African jungle that stretches all the way from Equatoria Guinea through Congo, forming a habitat for some special Guinea – Congo biome species that do not exist in other areas of East Africa.

Semuliki National Park covers an area of 220 square kilometers and majority of the area is dominated by tract of rainforest that ranges from 670 to 760 m in altitude, the park is situated on the Albertine Rift Valley floor in western Uganda, close to Kibale National Park – a primate haven and the snow – capped Rwenzori Mountains.

Also, the park is contiguous with the DR. Congo great Ituri Forest and contains East Africa’s only tract of true lowland tropical rainforest.

 Semuliki National Park is one of the richest areas of flora and fauna diversity in East Africa with over 440 species of birds that have been recorded, 53 species of wildlife including 10 species of primates. The park is also famous for its magnificent hot springs that can be seen on a short-day hike.

Location of Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park is part of a network of protected areas in the Albertine Rift Valley, located in the western Uganda region of Uganda in the Bundibugyo District about 355 kilometers from Kampala. It lies o the Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the southwest of the park there are the Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Albert in the north.

The Sempaya Hot Springs

Semuliki National Park is two hot springs which are main attractions in the park, these mysterious hot springs are the true visual testament to the powerful subterranean forces that have been shaping the rift valley during the last 14 million years.

There is a female and male hot spring

The Male hot spring as Bintente is about 12 meters in diameter while the Female hot spring called Nyasimbi is a geyser that sprouts up to 2 meters in the air from an opening in a low salt sculpture. The emerging water has a temperature of over 100 degrees Celsius and the surrounding pools are hot enough to boil eggs in 10 minutes.

Birdlife in Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park is a fantastic birding destination hosting over 440 bird species including 9 hornbill species and 60% of Uganda’s total of forest bird species. Among these are 131 of the 144 Guinea – Congo Forest Biome species including almost 50 species that cannot be found anywhere else in East Africa.

Key bird species found in Semuliki National Park include Spot-breasted Ibis, Long-tailed Hawk, Nkulengu Rail, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Black-throated Coucal, White-bellied Kingfisher, Piping Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black Dwarf Hornbill, White-crested Hornbill, White-thighed Hornbill, Black-Casqued wattled Hornbill, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Lyre-tailed Honey Guide, African Piculet, Gabon Woodpecker, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Yellow-throated Nicator, Icterine Greenbul, Xavier’s Greenbul, Leaf-love, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Swamp palm Bulbul, Fire-crested Alethe, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Blue-headed Crested-flycatcher, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Crested Malimbe, Red-bellied Malimbe, Blue-billed Malimbe, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Grant’s Bluebill, Orange-Cheeked Waxbill among others

Wildlife in Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park is home to some of Uganda’s special wildlife species with 53 mammal species, among these are 2 types of flying squirrel and 6 types of bat including the Zenker’s flying mice.

Semuliki National Park is the only East African stronghold of the oddball water chevrotain/Fanged deer – a superficially duiker – like relic of an ancient ungulate family that share many structural features with pigs and is considered ancestral to all modern – day antelopes and dear.

Other wildlife found in Semuliki National Park include forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pigs, sitatunga, white – bellied duikers, hippos and crocodiles. Also, there are 10 species of diurnal primates such as Central African red colobus monkey, black and white colobus monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, Dent’s Mona Monkey. De Brazza’s monkey, Red – Tailed monkey, vervet monkey, olive baboon, blue monkey and chimpanzees.

Uganda Safari Activities to Do in Semuliki National Park

In Semuliki National Park, there are no shortage of Uganda safari activities to do, tourists can choose from forest walks, bird watching, primate watching, visiting the magnificent hot springs, hiking and game drives. There are also cultural visits to the local people living outside the park and should not be missed.

Visiting the Sempaya Hot Springs

Semuliki’s two hot springs have made the park famous and visiting them is one of the exciting activities to do on your safari, during this visit visitors get more fascinated by the local stories about their formation as well as the scientific explanations.

Semuliki National Park has a female and male hot spring, the male hot spring called Bintente  is about 12 meters in diameter while the female hot spring called Nyasimbi is a boiling geyser gushing out steam and bubbling water several meters high and can be seen more than 1 kilometer away.

In the past the people living in the forest would use the hot springs to cook food but this has been limited by the park management to allow tourists visit the place, as visitors head to the hot springs they encounter several species of birds and small primates like black and white colobus monkeys. Locals usually organize cultural dances to entertained visitors who have come to see the hot springs, apart from the hot springs, visitors can also visit the Mungiro Falls or go for a forest walk nearby.

 Visiting the Semuliki River

Semuliki River is a 160 kilometers long river and is one of the water bodies that supply water to the Great Nile River, the river is home to crocodiles, hippos and hundreds of birds. Most visitors to Semuliki National Park love to take long walks to follow the river as it meanders through forests and rift valley floors.

Forest and Nature Walks

Forest walks and nature walks are one of the popular safari activities in Semuliki National Park, this thrilling activity takes visitors on a guided forest walk which usually begin from around the Sempaya Park Gate ending at the hot springs. There are three established walking trails I the park, one of them is the Sempaya Nature Trail which is 8 kilometers long, The Red – Monkey track of about 11 kilometers and Kirumia Hiking train of 13 kilometers.

Hikers need to carry rudimentary items like machete to cut the overgrown vegetation as they clear paths in the forests.

 Game drives

Semuliki National Park is home to over 52 mammals thus making it one of the great wildlife viewing destinations in Uganda, the park has three major tracks used for game drives that pass through the savannah plains of the park.

Both day and night game drives are done in the park by experienced guides in 4×4 Wheel vehicles, some of the animals to lookout for include forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pigs, sitatunga, white – bellied duikers among others,

Chimpanzee tracking

Some of the chimpanzees in Semuliki National Park have been habituated by The Indian University that are now open for tourism, chimpanzee permits cost $ 30 for international visitors. While trekking through the forests in search for chimpanzees, visitors should also expect to spot smaller primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, central African red colobus, Dent’s Mona monkeys,  grey-cheeked mangabey, Olive baboons and Red-tailed monkeys among many others.

On chimpanzee trekking experience in Semuliki National Park, it is important to come prepared with the right clothing and equipment to protect you against stinging insects, sharp tree branches and thorns. Carry enough drinking water and light snack.

Birdwatching

Semuliki National Park is one of the best places for birdwatching in Uganda as it hosts half of the bird species found in the DR.Congo because the park is an extension of the greater Ituri forest of the Congo that stretches up to river Zaire.

Birding in the park can be done in the forest around Sempaya Hot Springs or behind the ranger post. Some of the birds to lookout for include African Dwarf Kingfishers, African Piculet, Bates’ Nightjar, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Black-collared Lovebird, Black-wattled Hornbills, African Goshawk, Ayres Hawk-Eagle, Cassin’s Spinetail, Great Sparrows, Red-thighed Sparrows, White-spotted Flufftail, Black-winged Starling, Brown-crowned Eremomela, Chestnut-breasted Negro finches, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Chocolate-backed, Crested Malimbes, Eastern Bearded Greenbuls, Forest Francolin, Forest Thrushes, Gabon Woodpecker, Grant’s Bluebill,Green-tailed Bristlebill, Grey Ground Thrushes, Hartlaubs’s Duck, Ituri Batis, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Pale-fronted finches, Piping Hornbills, Red-bellied Malimbes among others.

When to go and visit Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park is open all year round, however the best months to visit are during the dry season of April – June and July – September. During these dry months, driving through the park is easier because of less mud.

The rainy season which fall between December – March and October to November cause difficulty navigating through the park, some sections of the park become flooded as the rains fill up the rivers.

How to get to Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park can be accessed by road and air

By Road: Semuliki National Park can be accessed on a Semuliki via Kampala – Mubende – Fort Portal road which is about 355 kilometers (5-6 hours’ drive)

By Air: there are domestic and chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip to Kasese Airstrip and connect to the park by road.

Where to stay

There are few accommodation facilities with Semuliki National Park, most of the good hotels and lodges are found in Bundibugyo and Fort Portal and they include

• Semuliki Safari Lodge
• Campsites and Bandas by Uganda Wildlife Authority
• Ntoroko Game Lodge
• Kirimia Guest House
• Hotel Vanilla