Tooro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve
Tooro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve is located in the western part of Uganda, towards the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The nearest towns are Fort Portal City and Ntoroko. The reserve is 20 kilometers from the Semuliki National Park. The reserve covers the most significant part of the western rift valley between the Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Albert. It is the oldest reserve that was gazetted in 1926, covering an area of 542 square kilometers. The reserve is 700 meters above sea level, with the Western Rift Valley escarpment. It views the Blue Mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And the glacial views of the Rwenzori mountains on a clear day.
Additionally, the reserve is mainly covered by Acacia open and savannah grassland vegetation mixed with part of the Borassus palm forest, riparian woodland along the water bodies, and wetland vegetation on the lake shores.
The reserve is mainly known for the large numbers of Uganda Kobs, but has 63 mammal species and 440 bird species. Travelers usually decide to visit the reserve during their Uganda safari in Rwenzori National Park.
What can you see in the Tooro Semuliki game reserve?
While on the Uganda safari to Tooro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve, there are a variety of attractions that one can see on their Uganda safari, which include;
Wildlife
The reserve has over 63 mammal species, and initially, it was gazetted due to the large number of Uganda Kobs. The mammal species available now in the reserve are similar to those in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park.
These species include elephants, hyenas, warthogs, white-tailed mongooses, giant forest hogs, waterbucks, and many others. The reserve is also home to primate species like chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, Baboons, and red-tailed monkeys.
Bird species
The reserve is home to over 440 bird species, making it a birding haven for tourists on their birding safari in Uganda. The Rift Valley endemic species can be seen only in the reserve.
The reserve’s bird species include the red-necked falcon, black-billed barbet, Abyssinian hornbill, arrow-marked babbler, and many others. The shoebill is usually found on the lake shores within the reserve.
Cultural communities
The reserve hosts several communities, some of which have a unique lifestyle away from the others, and this will offer a traveler on their Uganda safari opportunity to interact with these communities, including;
Karugutu kyabandara community
This community is mainly made up of the Bakonjo or the Konzo tribe and is situated in the southern part of the wildlife reserve. Its inhabitants are mostly cultivators who grow crops like maize, cassava, beans, etc. During a Uganda safari, a traveler will immerse himself in this community to understand how they do their primary economic activity, harvesting, and many other activities.
Rwebisengo community
The community is located north and northwest of the reserve. It is for the Batuku, who are usually called the Batooro Bahuma. They are mainly pastoralists living in the Semuliki flat plains. They are also considered descendants of the Abarusula, who were the army of Bunyoro during the reign of the Omukama Kabale. This community offers travelers on their Uganda safari the opportunity to enjoy locally made cattle products.
Ntoroko fishing community
Ntoroko fishing community is located in the southern part of the reserve on Lake Albert, and their primary economic activity is fishing. The community also lives near the Wassa and Muzizi Rivers, an area of approximately 4 kilometres set aside as a wildlife sanctuary. This Ntoroko community usually trades much with the Karugutu Kyabandara community for foodstuffs like cassava, beans, and many others, and for fish.
Kasesenge kyakabaseke community
The community is located in the eastern part of the reserve and is mainly comprised of Bakiga migrants who were tea estate workers in the 1960s. This community primarily grew tea, but when the price decreased, they stopped growing tea and started cultivating other crops like bananas, beans, maize, and many others. This community usually trades much for foodstuffs with the Ntoroko and the Rwebisengo communities.
What do you do while in the Tooro Semuliki wildlife reserve?
Game drive
The game drive in the reserve is usually done in the morning, afternoon, and night in the three savannah tracks of the reserve. During this game drive, you can see small elephants, buffalo, leopards, giant elephants, warthogs, and many others. During the night game drive, there are high chances of spotting leopards and baby mongoose since they are nocturnal animals.
Primate walks
During this activity, key primates that you will see are the chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, white and black colobus monkeys, and olive baboons. This activity lasts 3 to 4 hours of the day near the Semuliki Safari Lodge, where you must have a ranger guide. The other wildlife that can be seen are the buffalo, Uganda Kobs, elephants, and many others.
Boat ride
Since the reserve is part of Lake Albert, travelers on their Uganda safari will enjoy boat rides on the lake, where they will have the best scenic views of the shores and banks of the lake. During this boat ride, you will see a lot of wildlife, including shoebill storks, African pygmy geese, and many other species. The boat ride will also offer the opportunity to explore the lakeside of the reserve.
Hike to the Nyaburogo Gorge
This gorge is on the right-hand side of the reserve headquarters, and is a 77-kilometer hike through the savannah and grassland vegetation of the gorge. This hike is usually a birder’s choice since in the gorge, there are a lot of habitats for the bird species of the reserve. The bird species include the red-necked falcon, black-billed barbet, Abyssinian hornbill, arrow-marked babbler, and many others. Also, during the hike, you will see some primates like chimpanzees, white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and many others.
Accommodation facilities in the reserve
The reserve offers various choices for travelers on their Uganda safari stay, including bandas, campsites, and luxury lodges. Bandas are readily available on the shores of Lake Albert. The Uganda Wildlife Authority manages this. Please make sure to book in advance. Meals can be obtained from the canteens.
The campsite facilities are offered at the reserve headquarters for budget travelers in Karugutu.
Luxury lodges are also available within the reserve, including the Semuliki safari lodge near the airstrip and the Ntoroko game lodge with luxury tented camps near the Ntoroko landing site. The other facilities can be obtained from Fort Portal City, the biggest town near the reserve.
How do you get to the Tooro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve?
Tooro Semuliki is located on the highway to the Semuliki National Park in western Uganda. It is a 4- to 5-hour drive to the reserve from Kampala, and the other route is via the Mbarara- Kasese fort portal, which is a 7 -8 8-hour drive. The reserve is 28 kilometers away from Fort Portal City. As you proceed, you will turn to the Ntoroko trading center.
By air, you will book a domestic flight to the reserve via Entebbe Airport or the Kajansi airstrip, where you will have a flight to the Tooro Semuliki airstrip near the Semuliki safari lodge. This airstrip is mainly managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, where chartered flights land. The flight takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour to reach the reserve.
What is the best time to visit Tooro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve?
The Tooro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve is open throughout the year for visitors. The best time to visit is during the dry season. Here, you can spot different wildlife since the vegetation is dry and open. In the wet season, it can also be accessed. However, there are fewer chances to spot the wildlife since the vegetation is usually thick. The roads are slippery and muddy, making it inaccessible for travelers on their Uganda safari to the Semuliki Wildlife Reserve.
