For forest bird watching Uganda tours, birding in Semuliki National Park offers the best experience for bird lovers!

Semuliki National Park in western Uganda is a wonderful tropical rainforest in the western arm of the Rift Valley in Uganda, an extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Eastern Republic of Congo. About 441 birds have been recorded in Semuliki Park including over 36 Congo Guinea biome bird species including the; Congo Serpent eagle, white-created hornbill, Piping Hornbill, and Nkulengu Rail.

Bird watching in Semuliki National Park takes place along charming forest trails that allow you to fully explore all the different biomes of Semuliki Forest. The popular birding trails in Semuliki are; the Kirumia birding trail, the Sempaya Trail as well as the Red Monkey Trail. All Semuliki bird watching tracks allow visitors to encounter wildlife species in Semuliki Forest especially primates like Baboons, red-tailed monkeys, & Colobus monkeys, etc.

Tourists on Uganda birding safaris in Semuliki Forest are normally interested in spotting; Yellow-throated Nicator, Yellow Throated Cuckoo, Fire crested Alethe, and African Green Pigeon. Visitors can also spot the rare Shoebill stork within close quarters of Lake Albert.

Bird watching trips in Uganda Semuliki National Park are best done in the dry season when rainfall inconveniences are nominal. Usually, visitors on Uganda safaris in Semuliki supplement Uganda chimpanzee trekking safaris in Kibale and even wildlife tours in Uganda Queen Elizabeth Park for a notable experience.

Common Bird Species in Semuliki National Park to Spot

Visitors on Uganda bird watching tours in Semuliki Forest National Park are mostly interested in spotting the following bird species;

• African Piculet
• Bronze-naped Pigeon
• Great Blue Turaco
• Piping Hornbill
• Red-billed Malimbe
• Blue Headed Coucal
• White Thighed Hornbill
• Yellow-throated Nicator
• Fire crested Alethe
• Shinning-blue Kingfisher
• Black casqued hornbill
• Swamp Palm Bulbul
• Long Tailed Hawk
• Lyre-tailed Honeyguide
• Red-rumped Tinkerbird

Semuliki National Park Birding Watching Trails

Semuliki Park features numerous birding trails and each track offers a unique and amazing birding experience.

Here is the detail of Semuliki bird watching trails;

1. Kirumia Trail

Kirumia Trail is the main trail for Uganda birding watching tours in Semuliki National Park. This 13km long trail passes in the middle of Semuliki Forest and goes toward River Semuliki. Hikes along this track normally take about 8 hours starting at 8 am from the park headquarters.

Common bird species in Semuliki to spot along the Kirumia trail include; White-crested hornbill, Abyssinian ground-hornbill, Yellow-throated nicator, Red-billed dwarf hornbill, Ross’s turacos, Piping hornbill, Great blue turaco, Black and white casqued hornbill, and Black-billed barbet, among many other birds.

Along the trail, keep an eye open as you’ll encounter other wildlife species such as colorful butterflies and primate species like red-tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys, Blue monkeys, and even Colobus monkeys.

2. Red Monkey Trail

Putting aside the colorful bird species along the Red Monkey Trail, this 11km long trail is famous for its De Brazza monkeys. It takes you to the eastern border of Semuliki Forest going towards Semuliki River. Red monkeys are the most popular monkey species to spot by visitors exploring the Red monkey trail.

This trail is best for spotting woodland birds in Semuliki National Park such as the orange-cheeked Waxbill, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, and Blue-headed Crested-flycatcher, etc.

3. Sempaya Nature Walk Trail

Sempaya nature walk trail is around 8km long. The trail takes you to Sempaya Hot Springs- the most famous hot springs in Uganda boiling at over 100⁰C.

In most cases, this hike takes around 3 hours. Along the walk, be expectant to spot amazing troops of Olive baboons. Likewise, you’ll enjoy distant views of the Rwenzori Mountains in the backdrop of Semuliki Valley.

4. Nyaburogo Gorge Hike

The 7km long Nyaburogo Gorge Hike starts from Semuliki Park headquarters. This charming trail takes visitors through gorges featuring savannah woodlands and a forest in the gorge. Along this trail, you can spot Ground hornbills. The other bird species include; Tropical boubou, Luhdres Bushrike, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Blue Headed Coucal, and Arrow marked Babbler.

Numerous primates are also common for instance the Vervet monkeys, Baboons, as well as Black and white colobus monkeys.

Cost for Birding in Semuliki National Park

The fees for birding in Semuliki National Park cover the park entrance fees.

• Foreign Non-Residents; 40 USD
• Foreign Nationals; 30 USD
• Citizens in East Africa; 30,000 UGX

When is the Best Time for Bird Watching in Semuliki National Park?

Visitors are free to visit Semuliki National Park and even other Uganda national parks around any time of the year. But, for the best bird watching experience in Uganda, travelers should target the dry months when rainfall is little in the savannah and tropical rainforest parks including Semuliki Park.

December-February and June-September are the dry months and most trails in national parks are dry.

Wet weather is common from March to May and October to November. Birds in their breeding plumage are most visible during this time of year.

Tips to Follow While Birding in Semuliki National Park

Since we have wide knowledge in organizing Uganda bird watching trips, we can advise better our clients going for birding expeditions in Semuliki on the guidelines to follow in order to have a wonderful experience.

Must-know tips for visitors coming for bird watching in Semuliki Forest Park;

1. Come with a birding guidebook; this book holds numerous bird species with some information crucial to birders while in the field. Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa is mostly recommended but, feel free to ask your tour operator for the best birding book to purchase.
2. Go for morning birding sessions; in all birding destinations, birds are best spotted in the morning hours as they are actively looking for food. During afternoons, they hide under tree sheds due to the great heat. Evening birding sessions are possible around your accommodation!
3. Have binoculars with you; with binoculars, you’ll be able to see well birds in tree canopies, and those far from you as well as other distant landforms including the Rwenzori Mountains.
4. Don’t leave a camera behind; we normally advise our clients to have a camera with a good lens and enough storage space. Also, it’s better to move with some extra battery of your camera!
5. Maintain silence while on the birding trail; doing so gives you room to spot more wildlife species including birds, and other game animals such as primates. High voice threatens birds, so, always maintain a low voice for a notable birding experience.
6. Undertake other activities in Semuliki Park; normally, travelers visit Sempaya Hot Springs but, it’s also possible to enjoy cultural encounters and even primate tracking.
7. Go for bird watching in Semuliki during the dry season; during this time, there is little rainfall in the tropical rainforest therefore, there will always be minimal rainfall inconveniences.
8. Put on safari clothes; usually, these are eco-friendly thus, blending well in the environment.
9. Wear jungle boots; while in the jungle, your feet are more protected in jungle boots than they can be in open shoes.
10. Have an insect repellent; most rainforests inhabit biting insects like mosquitoes. Therefore, come with an insect repellant for safety.
11. Keep on a birding trail; never be tempted to leave a bird watching trail as this is not safe while in the jungle.

Packing List for Uganda Birding Safari in Semuliki Forest

Visitors coming for birding tours in Uganda Semuliki Park must have some bird watching essential gadgets for a wonderful experience on their vacation.

Tourists on Uganda birding safari expeditions in Semuliki should have the following items;

• Binoculars to see faraway birds.
• Light rain jacket
• A lens camera with extra batteries
• Simple hiking boots will keep your feet safe
• Energy snacks
• Bottled drinking water
• Rain jacket
• Light day pack to keep well all your day items
• Warm jumper
• Eco-friendly clothes- long-sleeved shirts and trousers are ideal
• Insect repellant and,
• Sunhat
• Birding guide book

Other Activities in Semuliki National Park

Travelers on Uganda birding safaris in Semuliki Park not only enjoy bird watching expeditions but this park has a lot to offer.

The following are other amazing things to do in Semuliki National Park;

1. Visiting Sempaya Hot Springs

The Sempaya Hot Springs are the most famous hot springs in Uganda. These great hot springs boil beyond 100⁰C and they act as a cultural site to the neighboring local communities around this park, mostly to the Bamaga people.

Locals believe that the magical waters of Sempaya Hot Springs hold ancestral powers to cure diseases and offer wealth. On your visit, expect to encounter half-naked people taking a natural sauna around.

Tourists are free to cook eggs and bananas in Sempaya hot springs for a remarkable adventure.

2. Go for a Cultural Encounter

Cultural tours in Semuliki National Park give you room to encounter amazing tribes in Uganda; Bakonjo, Bamba, and even the Batwa around. The Batwa cultural experience offers the best amazing cultural adventure due to the wonderful culture and history of Batwa.

Before the gazettation of the park, Batwa people- the Pygmies lived in the jungle and they could entirely depend on it for food and shelter. The gov’t evicted them out to conserve this great forest reserve.

Visitors on cultural tours will explore the unique culture, traditions, and norms and finally enjoy a vibrant cultural performance. It’s lovely!

3. Enjoy Game Drives in the Nearby Toro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve

Game drives are not possible in Semuliki Forest Park but, tourists interested in game viewing can visit the nearby savannah woodland Toro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. This reserve is home to African Elephants, Buffalos, Uganda kobs, Warthogs, Waterbucks, Leopards, Hyenas, etc.

Visitors on game drives will enjoy pleasant views of the Rift Valley escarpment, the distant Blue Mountains in Congo, and even the Rwenzori Mountains.

There are 3 tracks for game drives in Toro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve and visitors can go for these game drives in the morning and also in the evening.

4. Chimpanzee Trekking in Semuliki Park

Although not so popular, chimpanzee trekking expeditions are possible in Semuliki Park. Semuliki chimps are still undergoing habituation therefore, the chance of spotting them is minimal. Therefore, we advise you to go for Uganda chimpanzee safaris in Kibale National Park nearby.

Accommodation- Where to Stay in Semuliki National Park?

During your Uganda bird watching tour in Semuliki National Park, you can stay in either a luxury, midrange, or budget facility.

Some of the common accommodation in Semuliki Park include;

• Semuliki Safari Lodge
• Hotel Vanilla
• Uganda Wildlife Authority Bandas and Cottages
• Kirumia Guest House

How to Get to Semuliki National Park in Western Uganda?

Visitors on Uganda birding safaris can easily reach Semuliki National Park in western Uganda by plane and vehicle.

Getting to Semuliki Park by road

It can take about 5-7 hours to drive from Kampala via Mubende Fort Portal highway and then to the park headquarters.

Another option is to take a 7–8 hour drive from Kampala to the park headquarters via Masaka, Mbarara, and Kasese.

Flying to Semuliki National Park

Alternatively, domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield can take you to the Semuliki or Kasese airstrips, from which you can take a vehicle drive to the park headquarters.

In summary, travelers on Uganda birding tours should never miss bird watching in Semuliki National Park. This park holds unique birds- (including the Congo Guinea Biome bird species) that you can’t spot in any other park in Uganda. It’s also a great site for forest birding expeditions!

Uganda safaris to Semuliki Park are easy to combine game viewing tours in Queen Elizabeth National Park & Kibale National Park chimpanzee trekking tours.

Contact our team for any details about Uganda bird watching safaris.