Toro-Semliki is one of Uganda's oldest protected areas, a sweep of savannah, riverine forest and papyrus running from the Rwenzori foothills down to the southern shore of Lake Albert. It covers about 542 km² and sees few visitors, which is much of its appeal.
Semliki Safari Lodge sits in the reserve and makes it easy to stay a few nights. The draw is variety: chimpanzees that move between forest and open woodland, boat trips on Lake Albert looking for the shoebill, and game drives where you may have the whole plain to yourself.
Chimpanzees live in the forest strips along the rivers and are studied by long-term researchers here. On the plains you can see Uganda kob, waterbuck, buffalo, bushbuck and warthog, with leopard around but seldom seen. The birding is excellent, with more than 400 species recorded, and the shoebill lives in the swamps at the lake shore.
Chance of seeing
Our estimate for a stay of two or three nights with a good guide. Wildlife is wild, so nothing is promised.
From the lodge the land falls away in long grassy slopes towards Lake Albert, with the Rwenzori behind and the blue mountains of Congo across the water. Gallery forest follows the streams, and near the lake the plains give way to papyrus and fishing villages.
Activities here
The reserve lies in the rain shadow of the Rwenzori, so it is drier and hotter than Kibale, with days of about 25 to 32°C at lake level. Rain falls mostly from March to May and September to November.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | 19 | 40 |
| Feb | 32 | 20 | 60 |
| Mar | 31 | 20 | 100 |
| Apr | 30 | 20 | 130 |
| May | 30 | 20 | 110 |
| Jun | 30 | 19 | 50 |
| Jul | 30 | 19 | 50 |
| Aug | 30 | 19 | 90 |
| Sep | 30 | 19 | 120 |
| Oct | 30 | 19 | 140 |
| Nov | 30 | 19 | 110 |
| Dec | 30 | 19 | 60 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
June to August and December to February are the driest months. The plains are hot by midday, game is easier to find near water, and Lake Albert is usually calmer for the shoebill trip.
The rains come from March to May and September to November, though the reserve sits in the Rwenzori rain shadow and gets less than the forests to the south. Storms can make the lake rough and some tracks sticky, but the valley is green and the birding is excellent.
June to September and December to February are best for game drives and walking. The chimp walks and boat trips run all year, though tracks can be muddy in the rains.
Best time to visit Jan to Feb, Jun to Sep
The reserve is about 1.5 hours by road from Fort Portal, down a winding escarpment road with fine views. From Kampala allow about 6 to 7 hours, or fly to Kasese or Fort Portal area airstrips and drive from there.
Chimpanzee walks are arranged locally and numbers are small. We book them with your stay so you do not need to organise anything on the ground.
Toro-Semliki is hot and a malaria area, so antimalarials are advised. A yellow fever certificate is needed to enter Uganda, so please carry it with your passport. Bring sun protection and drink plenty of water. The reserve is remote, so good travel insurance is essential.
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“The quiet alternative”
We send guests to Toro-Semliki when they want a few slow days after the busier parks. The chimp walks here feel very different from Kibale, following troops through open woodland and along streams. The early boat out from Ntoroko onto Lake Albert is our favourite morning, with fishermen setting off and a real chance of a shoebill in the papyrus.
Safaris from
US$2,312 per person
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