Toro-Semuliki wildlife reserve
Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve was established as a game reserve in 1926 and was among the first protected areas to be gazetted. The main reason was to protect the large numbers of Uganda Kobs in the area. It covers an area of 542 km2. The reserve is located in western Uganda, within the Ntoroko and Kabarole districts.
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Toro-Semuliki wildlife reserves enjoy the dramatic rift valley setting between the Rwenzori, kimura escarpment and Lake Albert. The dominant vegetation type is the open acacia-combretum woodland and grassy savannah, interspersed with patches of Borassus palm forest, significant belts of riparian woodland along the main water courses, as well as several huge marshes around Lake Albert. The reserve itself is topographically uninteresting, lying at a relatively low altitude of approximately 700m above sea level, yet on a clear day, the setting is simply amazing, with the sheer rift valley escarpment rising sharply from the eastern shore of Lake Albert, the 2500m-high Congolese Blue Mountains on the horizon and the mighty glacial peaks of the Rwenzori visible to the south-west.
How to reach Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve?
You can choose to travel from Kampala to Fort Portal via Mubende which is 290 km or Kampala Fort Portal via Mbarara which is about 465 km. From there, follow the route to Semuliki National Park from Fort Portal for the first 28 km before turning right at Karugutu Trading Centre. The reserve boundary is 3 km further on and the turn-off to Semuliki Safari Lodge is 26 km on just beyond the bridge over the river. Branch to the right 3 km to the Lodge. Lake Albert is 25 km ahead of Ntoroko fishing village where UWA manages bands, a campsite and a canteen.
There is also an airfield managed by UWA, which allows tourists to rent planes and land at Semuliki Safari Lodge.
What activities to do at Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve?
Primate walks.
This walk takes 3 to 4 hours and is conducted near Semuliki Safari Lodge where you will meet experienced UWA ranger guides. Key primate species on this walk include; chimpanzees, red-tailed, vervet, Black and White colobus monkeys, Baboons, and ungulates including waterbuck, warthogs, bush backs, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs and elephants.
Game drives.
There are three tracks across the savannah grasslands of Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. Smaller forests and larger savannah elephants are regularly seen, along with buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, and Uganda Kob. With luck, one may encounter leopards and elusive bush babies. Game drives inside the reserve are done in the morning, evening and at night. After dusk, visitors may see interesting nocturnal creatures like the white-tailed mongoose.
Nature walk.
This takes approximately three hours and it goes through a variety of habitats ranging from savannah woodland to riverine forest. Species encountered on this walk include; ground hornbills, warthogs, Uganda Kobs, baboons, and black and white colobus monkeys.
Community tourism.
The Karugutu Community Conservation Association (KCCA) is a community-based organization that promotes conservation education through Music, Dance, and Drama. They organize traditional dances for guests and have a shop selling handcrafted items at the reserve’s entrance.
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Boat ride.
This is conducted at Lake Albert and the attractions encountered include; shoebills, African pygmy goose, Blue-breasted and Blue Cheeked Bee-eaters and Blue-headed coucal among others.
Hike to Nyaburogo Gorge.
This is an ideal walk for birders that starts right at the headquarters. It is a 7 km hike that goes through a diversity of habitats including savannah, woodland and forest in the gorge. Common birds sighted include: Arrow marked Babbler, Tropical Boubal, Black-headed Bushrike, Luhdrers Bushrike and primates including Black and White colobus, Baboons, vervets and occasionally the chimpanzees.
What are the common wildlife habitats covered by the reserve?
The Toro Semuliki plain is mostly grassy savannah with patches of acacia-combretum woodland, similar to Murchison Falls National Park near Lake Albert’s northern end, stands of borasus palms, lake shore marshland and broad river valleys field with beautiful galley forest all add variety. The lake lies outside the reserve but can be visited for canoeing and bird watching.
What are some of the wildlife found in the Toro-Semuliki wildlife reserve?
Toro-Semuliki wildlife reserve contains the same animals as in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks; elephant, buffalo, Uganda Kob, bushbucks, warthog, Giant Forest hog, Hippotamus, primates including, chimpanzees, baboons and monkeys including, vervet, red-tailed, and black and white colobus. Uniquely, the 200-strong elephant population includes savannah and forest elephants plus a hybrid form from inter-breeding.
There are considerably high chances of encountering the chimpanzees when you a primate walk. The reserve boasts 440 recorded bird species including the Red-necked falcon, Black-billed Barbet and turkey-like Abyssinian ground hornbill. The shoebill is usually sighted in the marshes of Lake Albert.
Local people.
The local people are majorly divided into four communities:
Karugutu-Kyabandara Community:
This community is situated in the south of the reserve, about 18 km from Fort Portal town. This area is dominated by traditional farmers’ communities of Bakonjo. The most important crops grown are traditional cultivators. The most important crops grown are maize, cassava, beans, rice and bananas some of which are sold in Rwebisengo and Ntoroko markets.
Rwebisengo community:
This village is located on the Semuliki flats, on the reserve’s west and northwestern edges. The Batuku (Batoro-Bahuma) make up the majority of the population and are primarily pastoralists. The Batuku are thought to be ancestors of the Abarusula, who served as the royal army of King Kabalega of the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.
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Ntoroko fishing community:
This community is situated at the south-eastern tip of Lake Albert between the estuaries of Wasa and Muzizi rivers. The area, covering approximately 4 km2 has now been excised from the reserve and gazetted as a wildlife Sanctuary to offer protection of any wildlife that interface in this area. The Ntoroko community depends mainly on fishing.
The Kasesenge-Kyakabaseke village:
This village is located on the eastern escarpment of the Rift Valley. The majority of them are Bakiga migrants who came to work on tea estates in the 1960s. Tea was a consistent source of income during periods of prosperity. As tea prices fell, they turned to crop farming, particularly beans, groundnuts, maize, and bananas.
What types of accommodations are available at the Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve?
UWA runs camping and inexpensive bands on the banks of Lake Albert near Ntoroko, which must be booked in advance. Meals are prepared in the campsite’s canteen.
Another campsite is located at the reserve headquarters at Karugutu. Semuliki Safari Lodge is operated by a private concessionaire.
The Uganda Safari Company provides an expensive tented camp.
Ntoroko Game Lodge provides luxurious tented campers and a campground at the Ntoroko Landing site.
