Semliki Wildlife Reserve is Uganda's oldest wildlife reserve. The reserve is home to a variety of large and small game, as well as a number of different primate species, including chimpanzees and offers a mosaic of different habitats with some excellent birding opportunities.

To the north is Lake Albert whilst to the east woodland climbs the steep Rift Valley wall. On the western horizon are the Congolese Blue Mountains and in the south a spur of hills climb up to the ice-capped peaks of the Ruwenzori Mountains.

The majority of the reserve is open acacia woodland and grassland whilst patches of gallery forest border the rivers.

The game populations in the reserve were at one time enormous but the poaching and hunting that occurred during the civil war and throughout the 1980's saw the numbers plummet. However, since the early 90's the reserve has been protected and although the numbers do not yet equal those of the reserve's heyday, they are increasing rapidly.

Uganda kob is now commonly seen along with reedbuck, waterbuck, bushbuck and buffalo. Elephants are also present and lion appear to be re-colonizing the reserve from over the Congolese border, including the large-manned lions for which the reserve was once famous. The gallery forest is home to a variety of primates including chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus and red-tailed monkeys that can be viewed on guided walks and safaris. It is also an excellent birding safari destination with 500 bird species including the Shoebill stork, regularly to be seen on the shimmering shores of Lake Albert.

The shore of Lake Albert and the swamps that surround it are home to a variety of common and rare water birds including shoebill storks and colonies of red-throated bee-eaters. No visitor to the reserve should miss a boat trip on Lake Albert for nowhere else in Uganda do you stand a better chance of seeing the mighty shoebill.

 Why Visit Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Uganda.

• Visit Uganda's oldest national park.
• For the excellent birding opportunities available in the reserve.
• See the Uganda kob and other wildlife.
• See the large-manned lions for which the reserve was once famous for.
• To visit the Semliki primates including chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus and red-tailed monkeys.
• To conduct guided walking safaris on the reserve.
• Conduct a boat trip on Lake Albert and get a chance to see the mighty shoebill.
• For the birds with over 500 species recorded.

 Featured Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Safari Holiday Vacation Trips