BUDONGO FOREST RESERVE

Budongo forest reserve is found in northern Uganda at about 195km from the capital city of the country in Kampala, the area is located on the escarpment north east of Lake Albert covering 825 square kilometers. It’s well-known for harboring huge mahogany trees which are more than 80 meters tall and some 20 meters in circumference.  The major tourist sites within this forest are: the Kaniyo Pabidi Ecotourism site, Busingiro Ecotourism site and Kaniyo Pabidi Ecotourism site which are located at boundaries to Murchison Falls National Park and dominated by Mahogany and Iron-wood trees.

The area has a rich bio-diversity composed mainly of moist, medium-altitude, semi-deciduous forest, with patches of savanna and woodland. It covers a gently rolling landscape, sloping down to the East African Rift valley. Four streams, Waisoke, Sonso, Kamirambwa and Siba, drain the forest and flow into Lake Albert.

Budongo conservation forest reserve is as well one stop center for chimpanzee trekking which constitute to other activities like bird watching, Camping and nature walks which can be conducted in the area. Therefore there are more than 360 species that will certainly reward you with a very amazing birding safari experience, 24 mammals nine of which are actually primates, 465 tree species and as well as 290 butterflies, 130 moths.

Activities in Budongo Forest

Bird watching experience.

With a recorded number of 360 bird species with 2 endemic bird species within the forest which cannot be seen in other parts of East Africa, bird watching experience in this marvelous forest is one of the breath taking activity where you get to listen the sweet melodies of different birds on the trail during nature walks mostly in the morning and evening hours. Some of these include; yellow-footed flycatcher, Pita reichenow, African dwarf kingfisher, grey-headed sunbird, Brown twinspot, Little green sunbird, Crowned eagle among other. Therefore ensure that you carry your binoculars to enjoy this activity.

Chimpanzee trekking.

Amidst being most pronounced as one conservation area for huge mahogany tree species in East Africa, Budongo forest is another stop center for chimpanzee trekking experience, The chimpanzees in Budongo forest we first studied in 1960 and apparently the area has about 700 chimpanzees and are increasing in number due to conservation process in the area. There are different chimpanzee families that have been habituated and open for travelers all year which include; Kaniyo- Pabidi Chimpanzee Community, Waibira Chimpanzee community, Sonso Chimpanzee community and Waisoke Chimpanzee community all with different experience and will as offer you different formation, history and formation.

Nature trails.

Like other national parks across the country, Budongo conservation forest reserve has as well designated nature trails where you get to enjoy the forest on a guided walk and be able to enjoy most of the species on foot and thus a visit to the beautiful Kaniyo pabidi eco-tourism Centre is highly recommended, on the walk you can meet other primates including Olive baboons, Blue Monkeys, Black-and-White Colobus Monkeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys and Blue Monkeys. You can also venture out to the savannah plains and woodlands that connect to the plains of Murchison Falls National Park and view other wildlife animals like Elephants, buffalos among others.

Getting to Budongo conservation forest reserve?

Budongo forest is located in Masindi en route to Murchison Falls, Uganda’s largest and oldest national park which is roughly 7 hours drive from Kampala capital/Entebbe in a 4×4 wheel drive.

Conclusively a visit to this reserve is while worth with a lot of exploration once you plan to travel to Uganda. Safari Vacations & Travel Services is here to help you arrange a memorable safari to the country at a pocket friendly plan once you book with us.