Choose Semliki Uganda National Parks Safari for Maximum Fun and Excitement

Planning a visit to Uganda? Searching for the best Uganda national parks to enjoy safaris? If so, then choose no other than Semliki National Park.

Semliki Uganda National Parks Safari – Situated in a remote land of Southwestern Uganda, Semliki National Park protects the eastern extension of the wide Ituri Forest extending along the Dramatic Republic of Congo to the Zaire River, Being a stable forest, “refugium’, it’s one of the richest areas for forest bird species across Africa. In fact, it’s the low land tropical rain forest and jungle located in East Africa and also has been regarded as the most adventurous.

Activities To Be Enjoyed In The Park – With fabulous scenery, hot springs, forest jungle walk, birding and primate viewing, Semliki National Park is considered to be one of the ideal attractions across Uganda. Surely, on your Uganda national parks safari, you will get to enjoy a wide array of activities including hiking, camping in the real forested destinations of East Africa.

Breathtaking Views – A safari trip to Semliki National Park offers extremely awe-inspiring and breathtaking spectacles with the most thrilling adventures on Bundibugyo Road through the Rwenzori Escarpment. No matter what, this road offers scenic views of the Semliki River fuming hot springs and the tropical rain forest stretching along the Ituri Forest in Congo. In short and simple words, it’s completely a stepping stone to Central Africa with unforgettable sightseeing views to be explored.

Hot Springs – On Semliki National Parks safari, two hot springs can be discovered in a tract of hot mineral encrusted swampland rich in visible train network. You just come and see the two meters jet of hot water (1300C) and a pool (12m diameter) of boiling water (1600C). However, you can boil food like eggs in the natural boiler within ten minutes.

Diversity of Flora and Fauna – The jungle life style in Semliki National Park is just breathtaking, especially for birds, primates, butterfly and plant enthusiasts. The walking tour can take you along the Semliki River and let you see a wonderful concentration of buffaloes, crocodiles, elephants, leopards, hippos and more forest and water bird species. You can also enjoy fishing like sport fishing along the river.

How to Reach Semliki National Park – Semliki National Park can be accessed by road. There are two important roads available from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda (Route – Kampala – Fort Portal via Mbende about 180km) and the other route (Kampala – fort portal – Masaka – Mbarara – Kasese about 465km). The both routes to this park include the use of two wheel vehicles. However, the second route to Semliki National Park can give you an opportunity to visit Mburo National Park, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, Rwenzori Mountain National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Choosing Safari Tours in Uganda – Opting for Semliki Uganda National Parks safari with Uganda Safari Experts can be a great idea to see all the sightseeing attractions and natural wonders. You just choose us and let our tour experts show you what exactly the authentic Uganda national park safari is like!

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Top Destinations for Enjoying a Spectacular Uganda Birding Tour

East African country, Uganda is considered to a bird’s paradise that has a wide variety of bird species. With an increasing reputation of having some of the best sites in the world for bird watching, Uganda hosts over 1500 species of birds.

For every bird lover, it will be a treat to watch some most sought exotic birds in Uganda like:

•  Shoe bill stork
•  African green Broadbill
•  Green-breasted pitta
•   Karamoja Apalis
•  Black bee eater
•  Red fronted anti pecker

Let us discuss now the most popular destinations for enjoying a wonderful birding tour in Uganda:

Entebbe Botanical Gardens:

This is a beautifully landscaped area covered with trees and by walking through the garden, you can find number of vervet monkeys as well as spot some bird species like Broad- billed roller, casqued hornbill, African Fish Eagle and Eastern Grey Plantain- eater.

Birding in bwindi

The varied habitats of Uganda’s oldest forest mean it is the ideal habitat for a variety of birds, with 350 species recorded, including 23 endemics (90% of all Albertine Rift endemics) such as the Short-tailed Warbler and Blue-headed Sunbird as well as seven IUCN red data listed species.Easy to see are the African Emerald Cuckoo, Common Bulbul, African Blue and White-tailed Blue Flycatchers and Red-headed Bluebill.

Birding takes place along the main trail, the Buhoma Waterfall Trail and along the bamboo zone and Mubwindi Swamp trail in Ruhija

Birding in kibale national park

Bird watching tours start at 7am at Kanyanchu; you are advised to book in advance. Rare species include the Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, White-collared Oliveback and Papyrus Canary.

Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, located just outside the park, is home to 138 bird species which may be seen during guided walks along the boardwalk trail and viewing platforms. These could include the White-spotted Flufftail, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Western Nicator, Grey-winged Robin-chat, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Brown-backed Scrub-robin, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Superb Sunbird, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Black Bishop, White-breasted Negrofinch and Black-crowned Waxbill among others.

Birding in lake mburo national park

The best birding spots in Lake Mburo National Park include the swampy valleys of Warukiri and Miriti, and the roadsides between Rwonyo camp and the jetty. There are also ideally-situated viewing platforms at the salt lick, in Miriti Valley, and in Rubanga Forest. Species observed at these locations include the Rufous-bellied Heron, Bateleur, Coqui Francolin, Grey Crowned Crane, Black-bellied Bustard, Brown-chested Lapwing, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Brown Parrot, Red-headed Lovebird, Ross’s Turaco, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, White-headed Barbet, Red-faced Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Long-tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, White-winged Tit and Finfoot among others.

Rubanga Forest can be visited using a vehicle or on foot. This is a real draw for keen birders, and prior arrangement should be made with the warden. The rare Red-faced Barbet – only seen in Lake Mburo National Park – is one of the of the forest’s featured species.

Murchison falls national park

Both the game drives and the launch trips offer an opportunity for one to come across distinct birdlife, including savannah forest birds, water birds and Albertine Rift endemics. The commonest species found in the plains include the Marabou Stork, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Secretary Birds, Black-bellied Bustards, Open-billed Storks and Widow Bird.

Closer to the river where there are more thickets and woodlands, the commonest bird varieties include the Swallow-tailed and Red-throated Bee-eaters – particularly in the Nyamusika Cliffs; Woodland, Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers; Francolin; Hornbills, Grey heron; Hamerkop; Shrikes; Flycatchers; Cuckoos; Woodpeckers; Crombecs and Warblers. The riverbanks are also home to ducks, geese, stilts and plovers.

The park’s main birding attraction is the Shoebill, best sighted in the dry season from January-March.

Queen Elizabeth national park

Classified as an Important Birding Area (IBA) by Birding International, Queen’s great variety of habitats mean it is home to over 600 species. This is the greatest of any East African national park, and a phenomenal number for such a small area. The park’s confluence of savanna and forest, linking to the expansive forests of the DR Congo allow visitors to spot East as well as Central African species.

Present in the park are numerous water birds, woodland and forest dwellers in the Maramagambo Forest, 54 raptors and various migratory species. Key species include the Martial Eagle, Black-rumped Buttonquail, African Skimmer, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Pinkbacked Pelican, African Broadbill, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed Lark, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, Corncrake, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Shoebill, Bar-tailed Godwit.

For the best birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park, don’t miss these birding hot spots:

Kazinga Channel, Kasenyi Area, Mweya Peninsula, Maramagambo Forest, Ishasha Sector, Lake Kikorongo, Katunguru Bridge area and Katwe Area Tours can be booked through Katwe Tourism Information Center.

Carefully crafted Uganda birding tours by Exclusive African Safaris or Tour Operator Uganda will help you in enjoying unique and authentic experiences. You will be assisted and guided by a team of trained bird guides to enjoy a safe and exciting bird watching tour in Uganda.

For more information or to book a customized birding tour in Uganda, contact us at +256772887484.

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Enjoy Enchanting and Safe Gorilla Trekking Tour in Uganda

Today gorilla trekking is one of the popular activities for travelers coming to Uganda on a short holiday trip. Gorilla trekking proves to be a truly exciting and lifetime experience, which one should never miss before leaving Uganda. Vacationers with a desire to visit mountain gorillas in Uganda need to be prepared to explore the slopes and pass through the impenetrable jungle to catch a glimpse of endangered species- mountain gorillas. An interesting and adventurous gorilla trekking activity has become successful in attracting thousands of tourists from different parts of the world. This has proved to be profitable for the Ugandan government to fetch a lot of foreign exchange. 

Top destinations in Uganda to find mountain gorillas in their natural habitat:

• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Located in Southwestern Uganda)
• Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Located in far Southwest of Uganda)

Experience of Mountain Gorilla Trekking:

It can take up 4-7 hours of hike in the mountains, where one has to stroll through mud and streams as well as dense jungle to come across a magical moment in setting eyes on a wild mountain gorilla. This experience is difficult to describe but can prove to be a most memorable moment. Mountain gorillas live in families and it is essential that gorilla trekking must be done on the habituated mountain gorilla families. Visitors are generally allowed a maximum of one hour to stay with gorillas and watch them doing their daily activities. But one should remember that flash photography is strictly prohibited. 

Essentials of Gorilla Trekking Tour:

• Gorilla Trekking Permit: With a local tour operator it generally becomes convenient to get a gorilla trekking permit by paying the right cost. Remember that visitors will be not allowed for gorilla trekking activity without a permit. You need to carry your passport, which is required for verifying the trekking permit. 
• Must-Have Trekking Gear and Equipment: Right gear and equipment will help in enjoying a comfortable mountain gorilla trekking. You can effectively deal with a tiring yet exciting gorilla trekking trip by having essential trekking gear and equipment.
• Opt for a Guided Trekking: Generally in a gorilla trekking each group consists of a lead guide and two scouts armed with AK-47 guns. The armed scouts will protect the trekking group in case of encountering wild elephants or angry in-habituated gorillas.

In order to have utmost fun and excitement, you can rely on a licensed Uganda tour operator. Uganda Safaris Experts offer gorilla trekking tours in Uganda that can be tailor-made and well planned with best itineraries. We are registered by Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism Trade & Industry to offer exceptional service and ensure a safe gorilla trekking experience. 

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Memorable Experience on a Wonderful Uganda Tour with Family & Friends

My family planned an exciting trip to Uganda last August 2015 with the intension of tracking the majestic mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. 

How I got Inspired?

By following several blogs and articles related to mountain gorilla trekking and Uganda safaris, I knew that the best game viewing for gorilla trekking months in Uganda are during dry seasons from June to August and December to February. This helped me a lot to plan a wonderful family getaway in Uganda as well as gave a good insight about the East African country’s climate, culture, wildlife and best places to visit. In the un-spoilt and dense wilderness, lush beautiful landscapes and stunning water bodies of Uganda, one can have utmost fun by indulging in white river rafting, game drives and mountain gorilla trekking. I thought a  Uganda safari will be the perfect way to take my family close to the nature and allow them to experiencing the thrill of safari on a Uganda Tour.

What to keep in mind for Uganda tours?

Today Uganda is considered to be a safest place for tourists, where one can travel independently using local transportation. You can also select a reliable tour operator, with whom it will be easy in exploring an enticing wilderness of Uganda. For getting around in Uganda in a safe and comfortable way along with my family, I selected a most reputable tour operator, which is registered by the Ministry of Tourism Trade and Industry in Uganda, a member of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators, with affiliates to the Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Wildlife Authority. 

You also need to be aware about the mosquitoes. Yes, I had read in several blogs where people described their horrible experience with mosquitoes, which nearly ruined the excitement of safari & trekking adventure. For which I carried mosquitoes and bug repellent lotion, as it offers a non-sticky solution for the skin compared to the creams.

Experience on a Uganda Tour:

On a tour with family, offers in meeting different likeminded people while exploring the serene wilderness of Uganda. I choose to travel with a trustworthy tour operator with their well planned 6 days Uganda adventure (as per our requirement & budget), which started after arriving at the Entebbe Airport in the morning. 

On the third day of our tour itinerary, we reached Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for mountain gorilla trekking. Our guide told that till date there are roughly 700 mountain gorillas present in the world, from which Uganda has half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and is one of the places where one can catch a glimpse of the endangered species in natural habitat. 

Remember you need to have a gorilla trekking permit before heading to the lush green mountains. Our tour operator arranged the necessary gorilla trekking permit for an adventurous trekking trip. However, if you are travelling independently then please book your permit a few months in advance with a reliable Uganda Tour operator or via the Uganda Wildlife Authority, which will cost $600 per person.

It was really thrilling and exciting to get a glimpse of a Gorilla family, after crawling through the thick vegetation and climbing up a steep way. My family felt the effort was worth enough to experience a memorable sight, which my teenage daughter captured in her advanced camera lens without any flash lights. We were thankful to our courteous guide and forest ranger, who guided with a right attitude and knowledge.

End of the tour:

Our tour ended on day 6, on that day we were driven to the Entebbe airport for catching a scheduled flight. No doubt we enjoyed and have utmost fun on our Uganda tour, from which the most memorable one was the gorilla trekking experience.

Conclusion:

I believe and will suggest Uganda is a best country to explore serene wilderness & indulge in adventurous safari and gorilla trekking activities with your family or friends. 

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Four Uganda National Parks That You Shouldn’t Miss A Visit

Uganda is conveniently placed in the center of sub-Saharan Africa and lies on both sides of the Equator with eighteen percent of the total land province sheltered by fresh water bodies and marshlands, and 12 percent national parks, game reserves and forests offering it richly miscellaneous habitats with Nile River banks, lake shores and Albertine Rift Valley forests.

Uganda provides incredible Kenya wildlife safaris, the exceptional mountain gorillas and cultural sightseer attractions that can’t be found anywhere else in Africa. Blessed with several national parks, Uganda is known as an interesting safari destination amongst adventure travelers worldwide. Here in this post, we will talk about a few well-known Uganda national parks that are continuously alluring tourists from every corner of the world. Let’s have a look at them:

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park:

This rather impassable park is placed in the southwestern region of Uganda on the border of the western rift valley. This national park is world famous for mountain gorilla safaris. 

Queen Elizabeth National Park:

Queen Elizabeth National Park alongside kyambura & kigezi wildlife resource brings together the most exceptional ecosystem in Africa. Thousands of hippos can be easily witnessed on these water shores. Open savannah speckled with euphorbia and acacia trees offer a perfect habitat for elephants, leopards, lions and big herds of buffaloes as well. Waterbucks, hyenas, giant forest hog and crocodiles are amongst the several creatures spotted regularly in Queen Elizabeth National park. 

Semliki National Park:

Also known as the Toro Reserve, Semliki National Park positioned close to the northern foot of the Ruwenzoris in Uganda. The prosperous surroundings of grassland, forest, wetland and savannah is home to various fauna, besides four hundred bird species and three-hundred butterfly species. 

Mt Rwenzori National Park:

Renowned as the highest mountain in Uganda, Rwenzori is an ultimate destination for adventure seekers. This mountain was first climbed by an Italian in 1906. A trip to the Rwenzori is an exciting and rewarding experience, but only when it is planned properly. The central hike route takes 6 nights or 7 days and reaches an altitude of 4,267m on top of the sea level. The conditions of the mountain are a challenge even to a veteran hiker. 

Here at Exclusive African Safaris we are offering tailor-made and scheduled small group safaris to Uganda. We also have the ability to organize safari tours to Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda if required.  Our extensive knowledge about the African culture and environment helps us to arrange the best of Uganda National parks safari for you.  

So, feel free to call us now and give yourself the opportunity to explore the best of Uganda and connect with us Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!.

Top Tips To Consider For Gorilla Trekking In Uganda

Uganda offers a chance to witness the splendid spectacles of nature, gorillas. Due to the high population of gorillas, Uganda is very popular destination to go for a mountain gorilla trekking.

Why Go For A Trekking Adventure 

Among all the destinations in Uganda, you will see plentiful mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. These critically endangered species are estimated around 700 individuals. As you can’t see them in a zoo, you should go for a trekking expedition to explore them in their natural habitat. 

Mountain Gorilla Trekking In Uganda

A gorilla trekking in the mountaineous forest of Uganda involves a few hours of hiking along the narrow footpaths and also walking through the dense forest area. Therefore, you should be fit in health for walking a long distance and even tour guides will give you opportunities to take plentiful breaks and properly adjust in a tough environment. As a hiking enthusiast, I suggest you to bring broken-in-hiking boots to protect your ankles, double layered socks (with Cotton Inners and Thick Outers) and knee-high gaiters. 

Perfect Time To Trek In Uganda

The best time to visit the rainforests in Uganda is during two dry seasons. The first dry season starts from the middle of December to the end of February and the second one starts from beginning of June to late September. These two seasons are quite comfortable time for trekking expedition. But the climate condition will be still humid and wet with plentiful mud particles; so you don’t forget to bring your gaiters. Excluding the travelling distance, discomfort level of high humidity and trekking level, the chances to encounter these rare species are approximately 90%. 

Last Word

Mountain gorillas are on the edge of extinction; so the trekking is regulated carefully. Even, the permits are a bit costly. So travelling to such remote destinations and ensuring the best chances for a successful trekking expedition requires a personalized experience and local knowledge; that you will get from Uganda Safari Experts. You will get necessary guidance and assistance for your Uganda tours from Uganda Safari Experts.

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