Attractions in the park
- Hot springs
The theories about the existence of these natural havens lose meaning as tourists focus on the endless hotness that oozes out of the crust and is capable of cooking any food stuff. There are two main hot springs that have famed the park and the locals believe that Nyamsimbi is the female hot spring and is just 12 meters away from her beloved Bintente the male geysers. The effervesce of the violent but yet calm and lovely hot sprinklers can be spotted by anyone in a distance of 1 kilometer.
- Wildlife in the park
The tropical forests in the park together with the savannah grasslands assure survival to over 60 mammals found in the park. Animals include forest buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, bush bucks, waterbucks, leopards, Uganda kobs, water chevrotains, pygmy squirrels, target rats and primates like mona monkeys, chimpanzees, bush babies among others.
- Lush green forests
The tropical forests in this park crown it the only true lowland tropical forest found in East Africa, the park flourishes and brings life in the area due to the 336 tree species found in the park where 24 are restricted and three species are termed endangered. The restricted species include euphorbia cactus, chrysophyllum among others. Most of the vegetation in the park is grouped as semi-deciduous forests where most of the trees are cynometra alexandii known as iron wood. The edges of the forests are beautified by the riverine swampy forests found along Semuliki river.
- Batwa culture
Tourists get to applaud the existence of the Batwa found in Semuliki from Boma cultural village that was constructed for them after they were expelled from their original homes. Tourists here are privileged to view the mouthwatering performances made by the Batwa like their music, stories about their olden days, drama among others. It should be noted that the group of Batwa in this area are transforming and gradually going away from their barbaric traits and adopting new traditions through interactions, marriage with other tribes.
- Birdlife
Forget about the Ugandan species of birds that can be spotted in other parks in the country, this park gives its tourists an exclusive and rare opportunity of enjoying the birds DRCs enjoy. The park has over half of the birds indigenous to DRC in its premises. Tourists should stage around the forest, Sempaya hot springs and rangers’ posts to be amazed by the dazzles that come their way after gazing at Ayres hawk-eagles, cassin’s spinetail, great sparrows, red-thighed sparrows, white-spotted flufftail, ituri batis, lemon-bellied crombec, grant’s bluebill, red-billed dwarf, piping hornbills, red-billed helmet shrike among others. In the evening or at night, the pleasure is always for the tourists to appreciate the unique nature brought along by nocturnal birds like African wood owl, buff-spotted flufftail among others.
Tourist activities to engage in the park
- A visit to Sempaya hot springs
Preparing food becomes hectic if one is supposed to first light a fire after collecting firewood but the indigenous around this park can dodge the hustle thanks to the un-ending hot waters that gush from the earth. This is definitely exhilarating watching eggs and other food stuffs boil up due to water and away from the boiling waters that may make tourists lose their senses, tourists get more joys from local individuals who arrange for cultural dances to completely lose tourists in endless joys.
- Semuliki river
The river cannot miss being in the spot lights of the top five haves found in the park because its one of the main suppliers of water to the majestic renowned and great River Nile. Home of thousands of huge hippos, tricky crocodiles, countless colorful birds that survive over the river’s 160km span. This river challenges tourists into undertaking walks along it to beat the meanderings through the rift valley flours and thick forests.
- Game drives
The park is endowed with three major routes that lead tourists to fascinating views obtained from the 52 mammals that are found in the park. The park arranges for both the night and day game drives depending on what the tourist is in favor for. Dazzling views of crocodiles scheming food as they pretend to sleep, huge elephants sinking, floating and enjoying water as though they don’t have a lot of tones on them and other tantalizing views are marked in the brains of the tourists.
- Cultural experiences
The park is at the borders of Uganda and Congo and this gives tourists a chance to sneak a peek into the traditional life of the Batwa pygmies who are very well known to be forest owners. Also, cultural stories from Bakonjo and Bamba are enjoyed by tourists while on this expedition. Cultural dances, the old good stories among others some of the interesting cultural experiences met by the tourists.
- Birding
Water and forests attract birds and this clearly explain that a park like Semuliki that has a prestigious 160km river that feeds River Nile can miss out on having these beauties. The park has half of the bird species that are found in DRC like the African dwarf kingfishers, black-wattled hornbills, African Goshwaks, great sparrows among others.
- Chimpanzee tracking
Tourists who miss trekking these majestic primates from Kibaale national park are not at a loss because Semuliki offers the same opportunity to them. Appreciation is flied back to the researchers from the Indiana University that habituated some clans and hence open for tracking. With just $30, international tourists get deprived of sight from anything else besides these eloquent chimps. While on their hike on search for the chimps, they also planlessly spot Central African red colobus, grey-cheeked mangabeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys among others.
When to visit the park
It is best to visit the park in the dry months of June to September and the second dry season that falls between November to February as there are no waters to flood the park making it inaccessible to the tourists.
Location of the park
There are lots of joys and dazzles that fascinate tourists who visit the western region of the country and Semuliki cannot be left out. This park exposed the remote Bundibugyo to the rest of the world starting from 1993 when it was established up to date.
Getting to the park
The park is mainly accessed by road where tourists can either use personal transportation or engage on the public means where the taxi from Fort portal stops at Sempaya gate in Bundibugyo where the tourists can a private car to the park offices found in Ntandi which is 5km from Sempaya gate. Tourists who choose a private means of transportation have two road routes, either use the shorter route that is resumed from Kampala through Fort Portal and Mubende which is about 4-5 hours or the longer route that tours through Kampala, Kasese, Mbarara and Masaka that spans for 7 to 8 hours but offers exhilarating sceneries.
