Budongo forest is the biggest natural mahogany forest in Uganda with trees growing up to 80 meters tall with a circumference of about 20 meters. This forest dates back to the 1800s and has been a natural heritage for Uganda for many years. The Budongo forest is part of the Murchison Falls National Park Conservation Area which engulfs the forest and the park all in one. The Budongo forest is still the remaining naturally grown forest in the country. The forest is a natural habitat for several flora and fauna species such as primates, birds, mammals, and amphibians. The forest is under the management of the National Forestry Authority (NFA) with other organizations from community to non-governmental bodies.
Guided nature walks are some of the major tourist attractions in the park. These walks involve maneuvering through the designated walking trails in the forest while sightseeing. Nature walks in the Budongo forest are led by a professional and experienced guide who takes the visitors through the forest as they encounter different sights and sounds. The forest licks with a lot to see thus these nature walks pave the way to beautiful views. During these walks, visitors should expect to encounter several attractions such as birds, primates, mammals, and amphibians.
What to see in Budongo Forest?
The Budongo forest has pretty much to offer regarding things to see in the forest. These attractions are the only reason why many visitors flock to the forest.
Primates
The Budongo forest is a renowned habitat for over 9 primate species like chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys. However, the chimpanzees are the main highland of the Budongo forest tours. There are over 600 chimpanzees in the forest however a small community of about 80 chimpanzees are habituated for trekking daily.
Bird species
The Budongo forest is an incredible haven for different bird species. There are about 360 bird species in the forest. The forest has different ecosystems of tall trees with dense undergrowth which are the main habitat for these bird species. Some of these birds include African Moustached Warbler, Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-throated Greenbul, African Citril, African Golden-breasted Bunting, Black-crowned Waxbill, Bronze Mannikin, Black-billed Bluebill, Black-winged Red Bishop, Purple Starling, Purple-headed Starling, Splendid Starling, Northern Puffback, Black-headed Gonolek, Tropical Boubou, Isabelline Shrike, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, White-headed Saw-wing, White Wagtail, Black-eared Ground-Thrush, Little Crake, Yellow-billed Barbet, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, African Paradise Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Grey-backed Camaroptera, and Lemon-bellied Crombec to mention but a few.
Mammals
Given the strategic location of the Budongo forest in the Murchison Falls National Park Conservation Area, the forest hosts some mammals. These mammals have made the forest their permanent home occasionally seen during nature walks and other activities. Some of the mammals in the forest include forest pigs, giant hogs, forest elephants, hyenas, buffaloes, and antelopes to mention but a few.
Other activities in the Budongo forest
The Budongo forest has a handful of activities other than the mentioned nature walks. These include the following.
Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking refers to the act of navigating through the tropical rainforest and dense vegetation searching for chimpanzee primates and spending an hour with them upon location. The forest hosts approximately 600 individuals coming second for the best chimpanzee trekking destination in Uganda after Kibale Forest National Park with over 1500 chimps. Budongo forest has a community of about 80 chimpanzees that are habituated and ready for trekking daily.
Bird watching
The vast population of over 360 bird species has been the main factor that has made the Budongo forest an important birding area. The forest hosts both migratory birds that are seasonal to the forest only appearing in different seasons. There are also endemic species that are the residents of the forest. These bird species in the Budongo forest include African pied wagtail, Neafraspus Cassini, Pitta reichenow, parmaptila wood house, fork-tailed drongo, zoothers Camaronesis, Chocolate-backed kingfisher, black-eared ground thrush, Cassin’s hawk-eagle, Olive-breasted greenbuls, Crowned eagle, Grey-headed sunbirds, Sabine’s spine tail, Ituri Batis, Forest Robin and many more. There are several birding sites in the forest including Sonso, Kaniyo Pabidi, and Busingiro. These are the main 3 birding sites and trails for birding in the forest.
Vegetation
The Budongo forest is the biggest natural forest in Uganda. It hosts some of the unique flora species that have been in the forest for centuries. The mahogany tree species that can grow to over 80 meters tall with a circumference of about 20 meters is worth seeing. There are other flora species in the forest such as iron-wood trees.
What to pack
Nature walk adventures in Budongo forest require not just the physical ability of the visitor but also an item list that helps the client in the walk. These items include the following.
- Walking shoes
- Long-sleeved light shirts
- Insect repellent
- First aid box
- Reusable water bottle
- Energy-giving snacks
- A camera
- Extra money
- Waterproof trousers
- Rain jacket
- Binoculars, etc.
