Rainforest Mabira Forest is located 60 km from Kampala, the capital, and spans an area of 3000 square kilometres. This forest is strategically positioned between Jinja and Lugazi in the Buikwe area, to the north of Lake Victoria.  It has developed into one of the top adventure tourism safari destinations in Uganda. The forest is an excellent safari destination for travelers to halt while their route to Jinja, one of Uganda’s most exciting cities. If you’re wondering if it’s worth it to stop here while a safari in Uganda, the answer is definitely yes!

Because of its thrilling, daring, and enjoyable safari activities, Mabira Forest is an excellent safari destination for tourists to visit and explore. Numerous tourism-related initiatives have been launched in recent years, leading to the creation of a range of activities that visitors can take part in while there.

Activities in Mabira Forest.

Mangabey Tracking.

There is just one place to track Ugandan mangabeys: Mabira Forest. And for that reason, it’s unique. Along this path, trackers also come across eight additional primates that are situated in the jungle. These include the red-tailed monkeys and the grey-cheeked mangabey. Add this monkey species to your Ugandan primate safari; it’s only found in Mabira Forest.

 Bird Watching.

There are about 315 lovely bird species in the forest, making it a birdwatcher’s paradise. Among these are the African Dwarf King Fisher, Blue-throated Roller, Forest Robin, Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill, and African Hornbill. Not forgetting the African Pied Hornbill, Black bellied Seed cracker, Cassin Hawk Eagle, Speckled Tinkerbird, Great Blue Turaco, and numerous other birds.

For birdwatching activities, there are lots of walking trails, and having an experienced guide is essential.

Zip Lining.

For those with extreme courage, zip lining a 250-meter stretch through the forest canopy is an absolute must.  Try this one out if you want to see how much of a phobia of heights you have. This is such a wonderful safari experience that should not be missed on a Uganda safari.

Nature Walks.

Nature enthusiasts will find great satisfaction in taking a stroll or hiking through a rain forest.  A guided nature walk in Mabira is a fantastic way to experience the forest’s ambience firsthand. Any ability level can enjoy a nature walk; options range from leisurely meandering strolls through well-maintained trails to longer, more strenuous excursions.  Did you know that in every forest in Uganda is a tree that will bring your lover back?

Butterfly identification.

The Forest is home to 97 species of moths and over 218 species of butterflies. For those who are interested in learning more about the natural wonders of the forest, this is an incredibly enlightening safari experience that is through identifying different species of the butterflies.

Archery.

Archery is a sport and leisure safari activity that entails using a bow to shoot an arrow. This is one of the recently added activities at the Gryphon Falls Camp in Mabira Forest. Three new categories have just been added to this exercise to spice it up and make it more enjoyable for participants. These consist of quick fire, elimination game, and moving target. Due to them, every visitor will find this safari activity to be entertaining, memorable, and fun.

Every visitor on an adventure safari in Uganda should stop at the Mabira forest en route. Get information from us about a quick vacation that includes an overnight stay.

Mabira Eco Tourism Center

This serves as the central office for the administration of Mabira Forest. A superb trail network begins at the clearing near the reception area, extends to the campsite, and continues deep into the forest. This section of Mabira Forest is particularly excellent for observing lower strata and ground species. The expansive clearing at the campsite provides broad vistas into the underbrush, where lower strata species can be observed flitting between shrubs or retreating behind vines and branches, including the Green-tailed Bristlebill, Brown-chested Alethe, and Red-headed Bluebill. By standing quietly in one corner of the camping grounds, you will observe various species emerging to forage in the open area. For example, Forest Robin, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, African Thrush, Brown-chested Alethe, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, and others.

Other notable species along this trail are the Red-headed Malimbe, Red-bellied Paradise-flycatcher, Honeyguide Greenbul, White-throated Greenbul, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Olive Sunbird, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, African Pied Hornbill, Vanga Flycatcher, Western Black-headed Oriole, Yellow-crested Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet, and more.

Where to do the nature walk in Mabira Forest

The main and most accessible area for a nature walk in Mabira Forest is the Mabira Eco Tourism Center at Najjembe. This is great option if you just want a nature walk in Mabira as the only activity because you will see a lot. It is perfect for those on a day trip to Jinja and will be stopping over in Mabira Forest for a nature walk. The area offers great sighting of the Mangabeys during certain seasons. There are also lots of Red-tailed Monkeys.

The Rainforest Lodge near Najjembe is equally accessible. The lodge has a good trail network where day and overnight visitors to the lodge can explore the trails and discover what Mabira possesses.

Griffin Falls Camp is another area where you can do a beautiful nature walk in Mabira Forest. Unlike the other two areas above this one is not so accessible, located in a different area. The nature walk at Griffin Falls is often done in combination with the Zip Line adventure which is offered by Griffin Falls Camp. Therefore, if you plan to do a nature walk in Mabira and the Zipi Line, best to do the nature walk at Griffin Falls as well