Wildlife Reserve · Bundibugyo District
Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve
A savanna-forest mix on the Rift Valley floor, ecologically distinct from Semuliki National Park just next door.
How to get there
By road from Fort Portal, on the way toward Semuliki National Park.
What to find
Uganda kob, and one of the country's few sites for oil exploration-adjacent conservation tourism.
Overview
Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, first protected in 1926, is one of Uganda's oldest protected areas. It covers savanna, riverine woodland and forest on the Rift Valley floor, running down to the shores of Lake Albert, with the Rwenzori and the Congo escarpment in view.
It's quiet and rarely visited, and known for a long-running study of chimpanzees living in open woodland rather than dense forest, for shoebill boat trips on Lake Albert, and for Uganda kob, buffalo and forest birds.
Highlights
- Boat trips on Lake Albert to look for the shoebill stork
- Savanna-woodland chimpanzees, studied by researchers here for decades
- Uganda kob and waterbuck against a Rift Valley backdrop
- Genuine solitude, with very few other vehicles
Things to do
Shoebill boat trip
Search the Lake Albert swamps for the shoebill.
Game drives and walks
Explore savanna and riverine woodland on foot or by vehicle.
Chimpanzee walks
Guided walks in the woodland, with sightings not guaranteed.
Best time to visit
The drier months (June to September and December to February) are best for drives and walks.
Getting there
About 1.5 to 2 hours by road from Fort Portal, near Semuliki National Park.
Where to stay
A small number of lodges inside the reserve, or stay in Fort Portal.
Toro-Semliki & Semuliki
A selection of well-known options, not a complete list. See all accommodation in Uganda →
Good to know
- Combine with Semuliki's hot springs and Kibale's chimps on a western loop.
Permit prices, park rules and access can change. We always confirm the latest details when we plan your trip.