How to get to Semuliki National Park
How to get to Semuliki National Park: The park is situated in Uganda near the Albertine Rift and is designated as a “genuine sanctuary for birdwatchers.” It is among the lesser-visited national parks in Uganda, however it offers a profoundly satisfying travel experience, particularly for those visiting Uganda as a destination. The park is situated in the Western arm of the renowned Great Rift Valley, traversing the Semliki Valley, west of the Rwenzori Mountains. The park is predominantly comprised of the Ituri woods that extend throughout the Congo basin. This distinctive national park is the sole lowland tropical forest in East Africa. Semliki National Park is comprised of two distinct areas: the national park, which safeguards an extension of the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Tooro Wildlife Reserve, characterized by a blend of tropical rainforests and grassy savannah plains, where chimpanzee tracking occurs.
Entry to Semuliki National Park
Accessing Semliki Park entails the routes available for visiting Semuliki National Park during your holiday. Various ways are available for people to access Semliki National Park. The majority of the itineraries are highly exploratory, allowing tourists to discover various points of interest along the way. The choice of routes is contingent upon the travel operator’s recommendations and the visitor’s budgetary constraints. Semuliki National Park can be visited via road and air transport.
Via road
Visitors can utilize two primary road routes from the city center of Kampala to reach Semuliki National Park. Both routes are rewarding, offering numerous features for exploration by visitors. Visitors will invariably be captivated by the enchanting stops that might be encountered during the journey. These routes comprise;
Kampala to Mubende to Kyegegwa to Kyenjonjo to Fort Portal (359 miles)
This is the most direct method to approach Sumuliki National Park. The distance to Fort Portal is around 300 miles; you will travel about 59 kilometers to reach the junction for Semuliki National Park.
This route allows you to appreciate the stunning vistas of the formidable Rwenzori Mountains and various crop plantations en way to Fort Portal. In Fort Portal, you will encounter the pristine city in Uganda and have the opportunity to see the Tooro Kingdom palace and converse with the youngest monarch in Uganda, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru. This journey will need approximately four to five hours of driving. In Kampala city, there is an abundance of buses, private vehicles, and taxis utilizing this route, with Link buses operating the Kampala-Fort Portal express being the most prevalent.
The park is located near Bundibugyo, approximately 59 km from Fort Portal, requiring 2 to 3 hours to reach Sempaya Gate over the rough route. Throughout the journey, numerous sights are available, including the various Rwenzori ranges and the stunning vista of the Albertine Rift valley floor. During the wet season, the roads, particularly in the mountainous areas, may be in poor condition, necessitating additional time to reach the park. Currently, the route is being widened to expedite transportation.
Kampala to Masaka to Mbarara to Bushenyi to Kasese to Kibale Park (630 miles)
This journey is marginally longer than the previous one, although offers visually rewarding experiences. While traveling to the park via this route, anticipate the chance to stop at the equator line in Kayabwe and again near Kasese town for another equator line. Additionally, this route necessitates traversing short distances off the main road to experience Lake Mburo National Park, located just before Mbarara, where zebras and giraffes can be observed. A mere 3 km from Mbarara city, one may also pause at the Igongo Cultural Center, which offers a rich historical account of the Ankole region of Uganda.The journey from Kampala to Mbarara via Kasese and Fort Portal spans 465 kilometers and takes approximately 7 to 8 hours. Although lengthy, it provides an adventurous experience, allowing for stops at Lake Mburo National Park, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, or Queen Elizabeth National Park near Kasese before arriving at Semuliki National Park.
Individuals utilizing public transportation must procure a taxi from Fort Portal town to Bundibugyo, disembarking at Sempaya Semuliki National Park. The park offices at Ntandi are located 5 km from this gate. Public transport to Bundibugyo can be unreliable, necessitating prolonged waits for taxis and minibusses, particularly in the evening.
Getting to Semuliki by Air Transport
Charter plane services are also available for visiting Semuliki Park, accessible from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield. These can transport you via air to the Kasese airfields and Nyakisharara airstrip in the Mbarara area.
Travelers will board a charter jet from Entebbe/Kajjansi, near Kampala, to Kasese airfield. From there, private transportation can be provided to Fort Portal, located 75 km away, followed by a 52 km journey on a tarmac road towards Bundibugyo, leading to Sempaya gate. The Semuliki National Park headquarters at Nandi is an additional 5 kilometers from the gate, following the same path to Kibale Forest National Park.