The Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve is one of the oldest protected areas in Uganda, established in 1928 for the King of Toro. This Reserves lies on the floor of the Albertine Rift Valley between the Rwenzori, the Kijura escarpment and Lake Albert, covering some 542 square kilometers.
Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve is a wild and extremely beautiful area of tall grass, dotted with groves of borassus palms and spreading tamarind trees and is also home to avariety of Wildlife-elephant, buffalo, leopard, bushbuck, waterbuck, reedbuck, duiker, Uganda kob forest hog, warthog, vervet monkeys, red-tailedmonkeys, colubus monkeys, and over three hundred species of birds, many seen few other places.
Of the 440 species of birds found in the the riverine forests of Toro-Semliki WR, twitchers will be especially interested in the Red-necked Falcon, black-billed Barbet and the turkey-like Ground Hornbill.
Though the numbers of animals present today does not rival other parks in Uganda, the animals present are healthy and populations are steadily recovering from past poaching.
Toro-Semliki WR has a number of trails, both for driving and for walking. The trails in the forest are ideal for chimpanzee tracking, as they are currently being habituated through a joint project between Semliki Safari Lodge and the University of Indiana's Anthropology Department.
Semliki Safari Lodge has two fishing boats, and the trip on Lake Albert is incredible - the Escarpment, streaked with waterfalls, plunges from dizzying heights straight into the Lake. Here one can catch Nile Perch, Tiger fish or Tilapia. Do not forget the shores of Lake Albert are breeding areas for the endangered Shoebill/Whale-headed Stork, a prehistoric looking bird which if spotted, certainly makes the trip is worth it.
If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of local Ugandan culture, visits can be arranged to the local communities and craft markets in various small villages in the area. See traditional costumes and jewelry making. Locally produced craft items can be purchased from the park tourist office or Lodge gift shop.
