Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve

Away from the main tourist circuit, the devil’s in the detail

Large game sightings aren't as common here as in other protected areas – nor in the 1920s when the area was popular with European hunters - but suffice to say I have been charged by both forest and savanna elephants in Semliki! Dwarf crocodiles have recently been sighted by guide friends. A nocturnal game drive in Semliki opened my eyes to the importance of having an expert guide. On my own, I would have seen very little; with our local experts at the wheel, we pulled over next to a big puddle to retrieve terrapins from its muddy depths. A few metres on, the spotlight picked up evidence of scat; further inspection told us that we had disturbed a leopard eating a baboon. The reserve’s 400+ bird species kept our bird monitoring team happy for days.

The northern boundary of the 542 km² Semliki Wildlife Reserve is Lake Albert, a reliable place to jump in a boat in search of the Shoebill. (Just close your eyes when you drive through the rather grotty fishing village of Ntoroko).

If you want to get away from it all, Semliki is that place. Set in the middle of the reserve, the high end Semliki Safari Lodge tented camp is the only place worth staying. Not only is it a great location, the owners have two decades’ experience collaborating on conservation initiatives. Future plans for Semliki include upgrading the Wildlife Reserve to a National Park.

Expect to hear your ears pop as you zigzag down the Kijura escarpment, the only road in/out of Semliki.