Bugungu Wildlife Reserve is an idyllic retreat for people who would like to enjoy the true wilderness of the reserve. Bugungu Wildlife Reserve sits on an area of 473 sqkm and was gazetted in 1968 as a buffer zone but is also wonderful wildlife safari destination.
This is a tinny wildlife reserve that shelters and protects the Savannah grassland and temporary/seasonal wetland at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. The Reserve is on the western side of the enormous Murchison Falls National Park – the oldest and largest protected area in Uganda.
Bugungu is part of the enormous Murchison Falls Conservation Area that is made up of Murchison Falls National Park, Karuma Wildlife Reserve and Bugungu Wildlife Reserve. These are all found within the north-western side of Uganda. The Reserve is situated between Buliisa and Masindi districts.
This small, magnificent wildlife reserve covers an area of 501 square kilometers (193 square miles) and shelters a number of wildlife reserves. Bugungu Wildlife Reserve boosts different wildlife species that can be encountered here. These include hippos, more than 600 Uganda Kobs, a large number of leopards, lions, over 1,200 Oribis, herds of buffaloes, warthogs, the Oryx, and the elands and dik-dik.
Don’t miss topis, waterbucks, elephants, reedbucks, bushbucks, Rothschild’s giraffes, sitatungas, and other primates such as olive baboons, vervet monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, Pottos.
The reserve is also known as the paradise for bird lovers because of over 240 bird species that can be sighted here. These include the elusive shoebill stork, black-headed batis, Dark chanting Goshawk, the White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Black-bellied Bustards, the Black-billed barbets, and the Eastern grey Plantain-eater among others.
The most interesting tourist activities you should expect to participate in when you visit Bugungu Wildlife Reserve include nature walks, game drives through the well-maintained game tracks, bird watching, camping, and picnics, nature walks, sightseeing, visit the local communities that surround the wildlife reserve and among others. Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve is also home to amazing wildlife around this area.
Best time to visit Bugungu Wildlife Reserve
The reserve is an all-year destination, but perfect satisfaction and memorable experience are achieved if the activities are conducted during dry seasons. Such seasons cover the months of late June to mid-September and December to February. The rainy season from late February to May and mid-October to November is always avoided because the poor roads leading to the Wildlife Reserve tend to be muddy and slippery. This is one of the main reasons why tourists are advised to use 4WD vehicles that can maneuver through the slippery roads.
Murchison Falls Conservation Area is a must visit, because it is home to several wildlife species. Also, over 240 species of birds such as the shoebill stork and the saddle-billed stork call the Wildlife reserve their home.
Uganda is abundantly blessed with lots of wildlife to uncover. From the corners of Kidepo Valley National Park for the rare Ostriches into the southwestern arm of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for amazing gorilla trekking safaris.