Semuliki National Park is a national park found in Bundibugyo district, Western Uganda in a remote part called Bwamba County. It covers 219 square kilometres of East Africa’s only lowland tropical rainforest. It is the only tract of true lowland tropical forest in East Africa! Semuliki lies on Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, dominated by the easternmost extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin. The Ituri Forest is one of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests; and one of the few to survive the last ice age, 12-18,000 years ago. Semuliki sprawls across the floor of the Semuliki Valley on the remote western side of the Rwenzori Mountains and Southern side of Lake Albert, bordering Semliki and Lamia Rivers. The park lies within the Albertine Rift, the western arm of the East African Rift Valley, on a flat to gently undulating landform that ranges from 670 to 760 m (2,200 to 2,490 ft) above sea level. This gem is located 331 kilometres from Kampala City – 5.5 hours’ drive.
Having two hot springs in a hot mineral encrusted swamp, the park attracts a large number of shorebirds and provide salt licks for many animals, making it one of the richest areas of floral and faunal biodiversity in Africa with a diversity of bird and butterfly species. The park has a rich variety of vegetation which is predominantly medium altitude moist evergreen to semi deciduous forest.
The park hosts over 300 species of butterflies, 46 species of swallowtails, 235 moth species, 441 recorded bird species (23 of them are Albertine Rift endemics), over 60 mammals such as elephants, hippopotamus, crocodiles, antelopes and 8 primates such as baboons and chimpanzees.
Some of the birds include 35 Guinea-congo forest biome bird species, Haartlaub’s duck, lyre-tailed honey guide, spot-breasted ibis, Congo sepent eagle, red thighed sparrowhawk, chestnut flaned goshawk, the western bronze-naped pigeon, yellow throated cukoo, Oberländer’s ground thrush, nine hornbill species among others. With such a rich biodiversity, this park is famous for birdwatching, nature walks, hiking through the 13 km (8.1 mi) Kirumia Trail and visiting the hot springs where you can boil eggs.
Four distinct ethnic groups live near the park – the Bwamba farmers, the Bakonjo, the Batuku cattle keepers and the Batwa pygmies, traditionally hunter gathers who live on the edge of the forest. A visit to some of these communities will offer you rich lessons on the history and way of life of these interesting indigenous people. You can also buy beautiful handmade crafts that they produce.