Introduction

Budongo forest is a natural forest located in the northwestern region of Uganda. It is part of the Murchison Falls National Park Conservation Area which extends for about 3,840 square kilometers. This Budongo forest is a nature sanctuary with flora species dating for about 25,000 years. The forest harbors different flora species including the famous East African mahogany trees. These trees can grow to over 80 meters tall and about 20 meters in size. Budongo Forest lies on the northeastern escarpment of Lake Albert. It stretches for approximately 825.3 square kilometers in the district of Masindi.

Other than the flora species in the forest, Budongo hosts a significant number of fauna species. These include birds, mammals, primates, amphibians, and many others. Given Budongo’s strategic location on the boundary with Murchison Falls National Park, few cases of animals, especially buffaloes, elephants, and antelopes, are coming to the forest. These rare visits in some cases are honored by the apex predators like lions and leopards that follow these animals. However, as mentioned these are rare and very few cases, and sighting some of these animals can be termed luck.

Although the Budongo forest is a known tropical forest harboring numerous species, the primates are the highlights of this forest. Nine species of primates live in this Budongo forest, including chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, and olive monkeys, to mention but a few. Budongo forest houses the Kaniyo Pabidi and Busingiro ecotourism sites, which are the major tourist sites in the forest.

What to see in Budongo Forest?

Budongo Forest has a lot to offer from the flora and fauna species to beautiful sites. Here is what you can expect to see when you go to the forest.

Primates

Among the primate species in Budongo Forest, the chimpanzees are the breadwinners and highlights of the forest. The forest harbors an average number of about 600 chimpanzees in the entire park. These primates can be spotted on a trekking adventure experience in the forest where you will encounter them in their natural habitats. Apart from the chimpanzees, there are other primates in the forest including vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, and many others. The Budongo forest also harbors nocturnal primates that are active at night such as potto.

Birds

The forest of Budongo on top of having a reasonable number of primates, houses about 360 bird species. The forest has large tall trees that are perfect for harboring these bird species. Some of the birds in the forest include Ituri batis, white-thighed hornbill, Lemon-bellied crombec, chocolate-backed kingfisher, and chestnut-capped flycatcher to mention but a few.

Mammals

Budongo Forest is a well-placed package offering not only primates and birds but mammals as well. The forest borders Murchison Falls National Park hence several mammals have made the forest their home. The tall trees in the tropical forest of Budongo offer the best shade from the hot sun in the dry season. The thick undergrowth vegetation of shrubs is a source of pasture for the mammals in the forest. The mammals that have made the forest of Budong their home include elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and also forest galago species among others.

Vegetation

Vegetation is also another attraction in the Budongo forest. There are different vegetation patterns in the forest. These patterns make the various ecosystems in the Budongo forest. The terrain of some of the parts of the forest also influences a certain vegetation pattern. Some of the vegetation patterns in the forest include savannah, riverine marshlands, and woodland.

What to do in Budongo Forest

Just like there are diverse attractions for visitors to see and explore, there are also various activities or things visitors can engage in. These include some of the following.

Chimpanzee tracking

Chimpanzee tracking is the major tourist activity in Budongo forest. It refers to moving through the thickets of the forest in search of these primates. Upon their location, visitors are given an hour to send with them in their natural habitat and watch as they go by with their daily chores. Tracking the chimpanzees in the Budongo forest is quite a tiresome and challenging activity that requires patience. The tracking time depends on how far the chimps are and the particular troop or group being targeted. Although it may sound exhausting, it is a fun adventure to explore the hidden gems of the forest. While on your way you can also encounter other primate species like the olive baboons, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and some bird species.

Chimpanzee habituation

Habituation of chimpanzees in the Budongo forest is also a major activity. It refers to slowly introducing the wild chimpanzees to humans to prepare them for trekking. Just like chimpanzee tracking, habituation is quite similar but different at the same time. Tracking involves spending an hour with the chimpanzees upon locating them. However, in the case of habituation, visitors spend about 4 hours with these primates. They get to watch and study the chimpanzees with the help of researchers and trackers.

Guided nature walks

The forest of Budongo is a natural tropical rainforest and guided nature walks are an opportunity for visitors to bond with nature. Guided nature walks as the name suggests are walks done by visitors through the forest led by guides or rangers. These walks are a perfect way to enjoy nature as you encounter other species from primates, and mammals, to birds and amphibians. These walks are also healthy dwells that help visitors burn calories as they are entertained by nature.

Bird watching

Budongo forest harbors approximately 360 bird species that live across the different ecosystems of the forest. From the resident endemic birds to the migratory birds that come in seasonally, the forest has quite a number of these birds to watch. Bird watching in the forest of Budongo is done under the guidance of an experienced guide. With the number of bird species in this forest, Budongo is surely a birders paradise.

How to get to Budongo Forest

Since Budongo forest is located close to Murchison Falls National Park, it can very easily be accessed. There are two means of transport to Budongo forest, road and air transport. Accessing the Budongo forest by road can take about 4 hours. This is because the forest is about 300 kilometers from the capital Kampala and the improved road network system. Depending on the vehicle to use, this time can be less or more. Accessing the forest by road is very interesting as visitors get to enjoy the beautiful scenes of the countryside off the busy fast and sound life in the cities.

Accessing the forest of Budongo by air is also possible and is the fastest way to the forest. There are scheduled domestic flights to the different airstrips around the forest especially in Murchison Falls National Park. These flights begin from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Pakuba airstrip. This flight can take visitors about an hour and then connect to the forest by road.

Where to stay in Budongo Forest

Accommodation is very essential when planning to explore the forest of Budongo. There are very many accommodation facilities in and around the Budongo forest such as Budongo Eco Lodge. These facilities vary from price to type. The accommodation facilities in the forest range from luxury to midrange to budget. Visitors can therefore choose where and which type of accommodation they wish.