Game Reserves In Uganda : The pearl of Africa is the expression that is used to describe Uganda due to its gifted nature. There are a number of game reserves in Uganda and give an amazing experience to the people while on their safari. The wildlife population has increased and it’s due to the conservation from the government and local community. Each reserve is a home to various wildlife ranging from mammals, primates and bird species. The following are the game reserves that a worth a visit in Uganda.
PIAN UPE WILDLIFE RESERVE
The reserve is the second largest conservation area and it’s found in Nakapiripirit district in the north eastern Uganda. The reserve is a home to mammals such as zebras, elands, serval cats, cheetahs, antelopes, rock hyrax, waterbucks and roan antelopes, primates such as olive baboons, vervet monkeys, patas monkeys as well as bird species such as karamoja apalis, ostrich, superb sterling, fox’s weaver and Abyssinian ground hornbill among others. While at pian upe wildlife reserve, you can have an opportunity to mountain climbing at Mt. Kadam, guided nature walks and wildlife safaris, cultural community visits.
KIGEZI WILDLIFE RESERVE
Kigezi wildlife reserve is located in the western part of Uganda in rukungiri district with an area cover of 265 kilometers. The reserve is a home to the African elephants and it’s a sanctuary to elephants moving from democratic republic of Congo to Queen Elizabeth national park. Other animals include buffalos, bushbucks, giant forest hogs, and kobs as well as a number bird species. Birds include saddle-billed stork, red faced barbets, grey crowned cranes, hammerkop and verreaux’s eagle and many more.
KYAMBURA WILDLIFE RESERVE
The reserve is found next to Queen Elizabeth national park and it’s famous for having chimpanzees thus making it one of the best places for chimpanzee trekking with experienced guides. It’s as well a water source for animals thus making it a hot spot for viewing wildlife. For the bird watchers the reserve is a better place since it’s a home to a number of bird species such as African skimmer, African broadbill, falcons, and white tailed lark among others.
TORO-SEMILIKI WILDLIFE RESERVE
The reserve was gazette in 1926 and it’s among the best wildlife reserves in Uganda and it’s found in between two districts of Kabarole and Ntoroko districts in the western region. While on a safari you can have a boat ride on lake albert where you can spot the rare shoebill and other water birds such as the African open bill, pied kingfisher and great while pelican among others. The reserve is known for having over 400 bird species making it to be among the best birding safari destinations. It’s as well a home to animals such as elephants, hyena, buffaloes and Uganda kob. Primates such as grey cheeked mangabey, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkey and Dents mona monkey among others.
MATHENIKO WILDLIFE RESERVE
The reserve is located in the karamoja sub-region in the North east of Uganda. It’s a home to the lesser kudu, Roan antelopes, Bright’s Gazelle and ostriches as well as other bird species such as Alpine chat, grey cuckoo shrike and thick billed honey guide among others. The reserve has ancient rock paintings said to be of 3000 years ago. Activities that take place in the reserve include birding, nature walks, cultural visits and community walks among others.
KARUMA WILDLIFE RESERVE
The reserve is best known for its greatest feature which is the karuma waterfalls on the Nile River. The reserve is next to Murchison falls national park and the falls have a number of stones making it not best for water rafting. The reserve is a home for primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys and olive baboons. Besides the primates it’s as well a home to other animals such as Rothschild giraffe, elephants, leopards, buffaloes and antelopes and many more. Those who love birds, the wildlife is a home to a number of birds such as yellow-throated leaf, pied kingfisher, abdmins stork, rock pranticole and giant heron among others.
KATONGA WILDLIFE RESERVE
The katonga reserve is found on the banks of Katonga River and is a home to 40 mammal species. These include African elephants, Uganda kob, river otter, and reedbuck and sitatungas antelope among others. The only activities that one can engage in include nature walks, hikes and canoe safaris. This is because of the absence of more developed road networks thus making katonga wildlife a sanctuary that can be best explored on foot and canoe. The reserve is a home to 150 bird species such as grey heron, black-headed heron, purple heron, cattle egret, squacco heron and rufous-bellied heron among others.
EAST MADI WILDLIFE RESERVE
The reserve is found in the north west of Uganda within the north of Murchison falls in Amuru district. The reserve has an area cover of 831 square kilometers and is a home to 50 mammals, 181 bird species and 374 plant species making nature walks, birding and wildlife viewing the major activities that one can do while at the reserve. Primates that can be spotted include blue monkeys, colobus monkeys red-tailed monkeys and vervet monkeys, Game Reserves In Uganda
AJAI WILDLIFE RESERVE
The Ajai wildlife reserve is found in the west bank of the albertine Nile in the north western Uganda in arua district with an area cover of 166 square kilometers of land. Bird species that are found in the area include Marabou stork, grey-crowned cranes, African fish eagles, white browed council, and black headed weaver and helmeted guinea fowl which makes it to be among the best birding safari destination. Animals such as hartebeests, warthogs, hippos, leopards, sitatungas, common duiker, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys and buffalos among others.
KABWOYA WILDLIFE RESERVE
The reserve is located on the western rift valley trail in between Murchison falls and kibale national park with an area cover of 87 square kilometers. Fishing is the main activity done in the nearby communities because of the existence of Lake Albert. There are many types of fish caught but the most caught is the Nile perch. The reserve is a home to 460 bird species such as yellow-billed oxpeckers, black headed weavers, grey parrot, northern carmine bee-eaters, dwarf honey guide and west nicator among others
BOKORA CORRIDOR WILDLIFE RESERVE
The reserve is found in the north-eastern Uganda within karamoja sub region and it got its name from the ethnic group of the Bokora people. The reserve has an area cover of 2056 square kilometers and amazing land scape. Its best for a birding safari because of its unique bird species and the birding places include the Loporokocho swamp, hikes to mount Kadam among others. The reserve is a home to animals such as the stripped hyenas, leopards, Rothschild’s giraffes, topis, cheetahs, Uganda kob, elands and oribis. Birds in the reserve include African hill babbler, black throated wattle-eye, thick-billed honey guide and mountain yellow warbler among others thus making it the best birding safari destination.
BUGUNGU WILDLIFE RESERVE
The bugungu wildlife reserve is found in between the Bulisa and Masindi districts at the base of the rift valley escarpments in the west of Murchison falls national park. It has an area cover of 473 square kilometers and a home to 600 Uganda kobs, 1200 Oribis and 240 bird species. The reserve as well established trails that make it easier for the tourists to enjoy the game drives, nature walks and other activities within the park.
