Toro Semiliki Wildlife Reserve

Wildlife Reserve Brief

Tooro Semliki Wildlife Reserve covering an area of approximately 542 km^{2 is} located in western Uganda, within  Ntoroko and Kabarole districts just a few kilometers from the main Bundibugyo Highway. The reserve was established with the main reason of protecting the large numbers of Uganda Kobs in the area. The Reserve enjoys a dramatic rift valley setting between the Rwenzori, Kijura escarpment and Lake Albert, dominated by acacia-combretum woodland and grassy savannah, patches of Borassus palm forest, significant belts of riparian woodland.

The reserve is topographically set at a relatively low altitude starting from around 700m above sea level and boosts approximately 200 strong Elephant population 440 bird species including Red-necked falcon, Black-billed Barbet, and the turkey like Abyssinian Ground-hornbill. The Shoebill is usually sighted in the marshes of Lake Albert and a number of mammals and reptiles.

The reserve is surrounded with four Local communities; The Karugutu-Kyabandara community in the south made of the Bakonjo; Rwebisengo community on the west and northwestern edgemainly comprises the pastrolist  Batuku (Batoro-Bahuma) believed to be descendants of the Abarusula who were the royal army of the king Kabalega of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom; Ntoroko fishing community in south-eastern tip of Lake Albert between the estuaries of Wasa and Muzizi rivers. The Ntoroko community depends mainly on fishing. And the Kasesenge–Kyakabaseke community located on the eastern escarpment of the rift valley. Mainly comprising of the Bakiga migrants who came as teas workers during the 1960’s.

Memorable Activities: It’s the only reserve within this region where a game drive is perfectly possible. It offers great sightseeing on a clear day, the setting is truly awesome, with the sheer rift valley escarpment rising sharply from the eastern shore of Lake Albert, the 2500m-high Congolese Blue mountains on the western horizon and the mighty glacial peaks of the Rwenzori visible to the south-west; Primate walk life for chimpanzees, retailed monkeys among other mammals; Game drives and With luck, you may even see leopard and elusive Bushbabies , white-tailed mongoose every early in the morning, A 7km Hike to Nyaburogo Gorge best suitable for birders too, Nature walk, Community tourism for conservation education through Music Dance and Drama (MDD). Boat ride on Lake Albert mainly for Shoebills, African Pygmy Goose, Blue-breasted and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, and Blue-headed Coucal.

Accessibility: To do all these activities, we help you to reach the park using either road or air.

Accommodation: There a number of lodges from budget to high-End within a radius of 50 km.

Easiest way to explore this park (3/2 days). It’s possible for visitors sleeping in Entebbe/Kampala (Uganda) to drive direct to the park and do activities on the first day then others on the following day(s) thereafter, come back to Kampala or proceed to other parks within 3 or 2 days.