What to do in Semuliki National park?

What to do in Semuliki National park? Are you looking for tourism activities to do in the park? Well, expect to do things like hiking, chimpanzee trekking, bird watching among others.

Hiking safaris to Sempaya hot spring

Both male and female Sempaya hot springs have made Semuliki National Park so popular to the tourists. The hot springs are magnificent features and visitors are enticed by the ways hot water is ooze out from the ground and the process being the formation of these hot springs is so interesting. Tourists will be surprised by the scientific explanation of the formation of the hot spring and the cultural significance attached to the hot spring by the local community. The female hot spring is called Nyasimbi while the male one is called Bintente.  Both hot springs gush out water bubbles high and can be visible one kilometer away. Some tourists often were seen using the hot spring water for tea and it is believed that even the water temperatures can make eggs to boil.    The trail leading you to the forest can also make you see primates such as Mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, and white colobus monkeys. Hiking to a female hot spring lasts for one hour while that of a female hot spring lasts for 30 minutes.

Nature guided walk Safaris

One of the popular tourist activities in Semuliki National Park is to take a walk via the forest to spot different birds, butterflies, and animal and primate species. Walking safaris commences around the Semuliki gate and goes up to the Sempaya hot springs. Tourists visiting Semuliki National park for nature-guided walk safaris will use 3 major trails and these include the Sempaya nature trail, red monkey track, and Kirumia hiking trail which is about 13 kilometers long. Hiking starts very early in the morning at 8 and it can last for 8 hours. This is very good for the tourists interested in birding. Visitors interested in camping in the forests will need to come with their camping equipment.

Safaris game drives

Taking part in game drive safaris in Semuliki National Park will enable tourists to spot over 53 species of mammals registered in this park. Both day and night game drives are well arranged by the staff and are carried out within three major tracks. The main animals that will sight in these wildlife game drives include giant forest elephants, waterbucks, Uganda kob, buffaloes among others. Still, tourists can get a chance to see the pygmy hippopotamus, crocodiles, leopards, and bushbabies while on a day game drive safaris. Game drives are done best during the dry season the fact that the park tends to flood during the wet season.

Bird watching safaris

Semuliki national park offers the best places for birding safaris to the tourists visiting the park. Most of the bird species situated in Semuliki National Park are from the democratic republic of Congo Because of the extensions of Ituri forests in Semuliki National park. As a result of this extension of forests, birds move from central Africa up to Uganda’s Semuliki National park.  Birding can be best done by following the Sempaya trail with well-trained guides. Most of the species you will watch out for while in Semuliki National park include among others the following red-bellied Malimbes, Simple greenbuls, forest francolin, piping Hornbills, white-bellied Kingfisher, yellow-throated Cuckoo, African wood Owl,  red-sided Broadbill, pale-fronted finches, Black’-winged starling, Red-billed Dwarf Red-rumped Tinkerbird,  African Goshawk, and Gaboon woodpecker.

Cultural Safari tours

There are ancient tribes that reside around Semuliki National Park which include majorly Batwa, Bamba, and Bakonjo. The cultural tours will make you explore the Batwa pygmies who were once inhabiting the forests and lived as food gatherers and hunters. While the Bakonjo and the Bamasaba grow crops such as bananas, coffee, and cocoa on the slopes of mountain Elgon.  Encounter these local communities is experiential you learn the history, ways of life and enjoy their cultural and traditional dances and songs sung by the local community members from these communities.

Chimpanzee trekking safaris

Some chimpanzees in Semuliki national park have been habituated and now they are ready for tourists. Visitors can now for chimpanzee tracking in Semuliki and the chimpanzee tracking permit costs 30 United States dollars for international visitors. As you go for chimpanzee trekking expect to spot some of the other primates such as central Africa red colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons Mangabey among others. you will spend 4 hours on chimpanzee tracking in Semuliki National park and even more and visitors will need to ensure that they start early at 8 am with a briefing by the ranger guides.