Bugungu wildlife reserve
This is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area, Bugungu at the gateway of the rift valley escarpment that overlooks Murchison westwards. It’s a buffer that protects Murchison Falls National Park.
This wildlife reserve was gazetted in 1968, it’s seated on 473 kilometers squared, it seats in the arrays of the rift valley escarpment protecting the savannahs. The reserve is placed and it’s habitats in a seasonal wetlands. Wildlife reserve features the same vegetation cover as that of the southern sector of Murchison Falls National Park, mainly covered by forest and shrubs.
Wildlife of Bugungu wildlife reserve
Bugungu wildlife reserve is a bleeding areas for a number of wildlife species in the Murchison Falls National Park. Among the animals you’re likely not to miss out on your safari include; Reed bucks, leopards, buffalos, hippopotamus, warthogs, bush bucks, water bucks, Sitatunga antelopes, dik-dik, over 600 Ugandan Kobs, about 1200 Oribis plus primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, Olive baboons, L’Hoest monkey, vervet monkeys, patas monkeys and many more.
For birders, it’s a place for sight a number of bird species. The forest is endowed with several birds about 240 species can be recorded both residential and migratory birds. Some of the birds to watch here include; saddle billed stork, Abyssinian ground hornbill, the rare shoebill, dark chanting Goshawk, white browed sparrow Weaver, black billed bustard, black headed Gonolek, yellow throated greenbul, black headed batis, black billed wood dove, black billed barbet, swamp fly catcher, eastern grey plantain eaters, double toothed barbet, giant Kingfishers and the speckle breasted wood pecker to mention a few.
An adventure to Bugungu can be combined with Murchison Falls National Park and engagements at quite outlined. Travelers here can undertake; guided nature walks to encounter the wilderness on the walking trails. There is community visits for cultural entertainment where one can also buy handmade souvenir made by the locals.
Accommodation at Bungungu wildlife reserve?
The bugungu forest is another inlet for travelers to Murchison Falls National Park, Through Bungungu gate eastern of Murchison falls on the southern section of the park is main concentration of a number of accommodation to use when taken an adventure to Bugungu wildlife reserve. It’s ideal to use accommodation facilities in the close proximity including; Sambiya Rest Camp Lodge, Paara lodge, Bwana tembo safari camp, shoebill campsite, Boomu women’s camp and many more.
When to go to Bungungu wildlife reserve?
The reserve can be visited all year around, but visiting the reserve during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to January, the roads are okay and the savannah grasses are shorter for wildlife watching. All seasons, one needs to have a stronger 4wd safari vehicle for an adventure to the reserve. The wet season can as well be great adventure but only challenged by the poor roads around the reserve.
