Bugungu Wildlife Reserve is a small park part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area covering 473 square kilometers situated in Bulisa and Masindi district west of Murchison Falls National Park, at the bottom of the Albertine rift valley protecting savannah grasslands. Murchison Falls National Park is the largest conservation area and oldest in northern Uganda known for its magnificent falls, the most powerful in the whole world and the only park where you can the big five, elephants, buffalo, lion, leopard and rhino. Unfortunately the rhino went extinct form the park however the government together with the Uganda Wildlife Authority plan to re-embers the Rhino back to its original homestead.
Bugungu was gazette in 1968 to protect animal and bird species that are found around this area common wildlife include kobs, warthogs, reedbucks, bushbucks, giraffes, sitatungas, elands, hippos, hartebeest’s primates like vervet monkeys, olive baboons, l’hoest monkey, patas monkey , and a wetland harboring the famous shoe bill, and a number of over 200 bird species like egrets, abyssian ground horn bill, fish eagles, piapiac, darters among many birds that call this game reserve home and therefore recommendable for birding.
It is a prominent seasonal wetland dominated by the thorny acacia tree species sighted at the rocky rift valley escarpments adjusting through to Murchison Falls National Park. The shores of lake albert harbor bugungu, one of the great African lakes among those with the largest volume of water a beautiful sights and fishing around the lake, two rivers Waiga and Waisake that give life support to the abundant wild life is present animal sightings like hippos and antelopes are popular.
The game reserve together with Murchison Falls National Park and the Karuma gave reserve receive tropical and hot climate being close to the equator, the temperatures are the same all throughout the year with only two rainy season as compared to the equatorial climatic region. The best time to visit the park is during the hot seasons.
Bugungu lies in northern western Uganda, spreading inland towards lake albert around the Victoria Nile, tourist can enjoy best activities like boat cruise, nature walks, fishing, game drives during these activities it’s advisable to wear long sleeved shirts, trousers and boots, wear mosquito repellent more protection and sun screen, they can as well visit the local communities that live with in the area, learn their way of life, norms and traditional customs.
The game reserve can be visited all year round however the best time to visit is during the dry seasons of December to February and July to September as compared to the wet seasons where it’s always muddy and slippery making it difficult to race through the park.
Bugungu is located in the north western part of Uganda in Bulisa district bordered by lake albert and Murchison falls national park, approximately 6 and half hours’ drive from Kampala chatter flights can be organized to Murchison in Kampala Kajansi or Entebbe, accommodation is available in the park ranging from luxury to budget.
An itinerary to Murchison Falls National Park can be toppled with bugungu to have more sightings of game that could have been missed on the Murchison falls game drives and also have to participate in more activities like fishing and community walks.