Bugoma Forest Reserve : Uganda safaris can lead one to the most beautiful areas in the country and all these can give you a great mind thrilling venture and hence they boast the body and the nerves system. While on a Uganda wildlife tours one should expect to see various sceneries and most of these sceneries are located in different areas of Uganda, and different areas have different natures in them, sceneries have a lot of meaning in them they simply define the locality where they are situated.
Uganda safari has several sceneries to share with its visitors and most of these include: mountain, rivers and lakes, valleys and parks and so many others, but above all forest.
One cannot speak about forests and mentions not the second largest forest in Uganda, Uganda is a home to several Forest Reserves and Bugoma Forest Reserve is among the most popular.
Bugoma Forest reserve is one of the most important Forest reserves in Uganda and is a home to over 34 species of mammals including 4 globally threatened mammal species of which 9 mammal species are listed under IUCN’s Red List. There are 9 species of reptiles. There are also over 257 trees and shrub species including 7 species that are Albertine Rift endemics.This Tropical rainforest is located in Western Uganda in the South-western side of Hoima district. It is situated in the North-eastern side of Kyenjojo Town and the eastern side of Lake Albert. It is found in Hoima District. This Forest Reserve is specifically located on the top of an escarpment, East of Lake Albert on the fringe of the Western Rift Valley which offers breathtaking views of the countryside and other surrounding areas.
Bugoma Forest Reserve Vegetation
The Countryside of Bugoma Forest Reserve is categorized by medium altitude semi-deciduous Forest. Around half of the woody segment of the Forest Reserve is conquered by Iron wood .This Forest Reserve is drained by four small rivers that include River Bubwa, River Wake, River Sonso and River Waisoke that pour their water into Lake Albert.
Attractions within Bugoma Forest Reserve
Bugoma Forest Reserve is a real biodiversity hotspot that is worth traveling by tourists going on Uganda safaris. The forest hosts an amazing variety of vegetation and wildlife species. This Reserve is a central Conservation Forest which is the 12th top places of importance out of the 65 forests studied for biodiversity. It is also astonishingly the 17th among forests with excellent species.
There are currently over 34 species These include primates such as chimpanzees, the Grey cheeked mangabeys, the Black and white Colobus monkeys, the Blue monkeys, the Red tailed monkeys and the Vervet monkeys etc.
It is projected that about 600 chimpanzees live within the forest. Other mammals that call the forest reserve home include Buffaloes, Bush Elephants, Uganda Kob, Golden Cats and Side-stripped Jackals among others.
There are also 9 species of reptiles, over 257 tree and shrub species including 7 species that are Albertine Rift endemics, more than 12 species that are globally threatened and 14 tree species listed under IUCN’s Red List. Bugoma Forest Reserve is also a home to 20 species of Amphibians including one species that is endemic to the Albertine Rift, 118 species of moths, 292 species of butterflies that include 4 species endemic to the Albertine Rift Mountains.
There are over 225 bird species that have been recorded in the forest and these include several Guinea-Congo Biome bird species. Two of the noteworthy globally threatened bird species within the Forest Reserve include the Black-eared ground thrush and Nahan’s francolin
Lake Albert and River Nkusi cannot miss on the list of important attractions within Bugoma Forest Reserve.
Activities within bugoma forest
Guided nature walks: trails are open in Bugoma Forest to go and try to spot Ugandan mongabeys and other primates. There is also Bugoma Jungle Lodge loop trail; a 20 minutes guided trails where you can spot many species of birds and primates like black and white colobus, red tailed monkeys and mongabeys as well as Chimpanzees, and Reptiles.
Birding: The forest offers a wide range of Uganda bird watching experience with range of forest dependent and biome-restricted species and with two globally threatened species; Nahan’s Francolin and Grey Parrot that are so far the only two globally threatened species found here.
Photography: photography is one of the best activities one can carry out most especially in such alovely scenery create art and moments and bugoma provides the best of these due to its green and nourishing environment.
Picnic: the cool area of bugoma gives a lovely sit for a group rest picnic and even sit and talk about some things as a family that would be of great benefit and that would help one to get a the group a stronger bond. this adventure in bugoma forest gives a thrill of unity and togetherness.
Accommodation in Bugoma Forest Reserve
There are not much options of stay in the forest apart from Bugoma Jungle Lodge. However, you can get accommodation in Masindi Hotel including Hoima Cultural Lodge, Hoima Kontiki Hotel among others.
How to Access Bugoma Forest Reserve
This magnificent Forest Reserve is found at 70 kilometers away from Hoima district, and can be accessed using road transport through a dusty road. You will use the Kampala-Hoima-Fortportal road, then to Kabwoya to access Bugoma via the Kasindi Forest Station.
Therefore the worry for where one would sleep is not that a big case and besides this can easily be arranged by the a well trusted Uganda tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris, touring such places give one a rest of mind and this is a huge way to gain a brain sharpen in all seasons of the year, such movements help to reduce stress that could have led to more illness in the body but because of mother nature one is able to experience thrilling moments that will last for years and years and hence a Uganda safari adventure is a must do to both natives and out ward. bugoma forest is the best place that one could love to sight in Uganda and his will not give one a lot negative attitudes.
