Bugungu game reserve is a small wildlife reserve that was established in 1968. It is also under the Murchison Falls area just like the Karuma game reserve, which is all found in northwestern Uganda.
This game reserve is relatively small compared to other game reserves and it is not mostly crowded by many tourists, and this makes it a perfect getaway for you if you are the kind of person who needs privacy.
Bugungu game reserve consists of savannah grassland and seasonal wetland at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment of the western side of the most powerful Murchison Falls National Park, which is indeed the largest protected area in Uganda.
This game Reserve is situated between Bulisa and Masindi districts. It covers an area of 501 square kilometers. This area is home to numerous wildlife species, over 600 Uganda Kobs, over 1200 Oribis, a large number of Lions and Leopards, herds of Buffalos, and Elephants, stay in Bugungu game reserve you will encounter the big five animals here.
The place also harbors other wildlife animals like Hippopotamus, Oryx, Topis, waterbucks, warthogs, reedbucks, Rothschild’s Giraffes, bushbucks, and sitatungas.
In Bugungu game reserve, you will also encounter different primates that will amaze you, these include vervet monkeys, Olive Baboons, black and white Colobus monkeys, patas monkeys, and L’Hoest’s monkeys.
The game reserve is also home to about 240 bird species some of which you might not find in other game reserves and these include, Black –the headed Batis, Dark chanting Goshawk, the white-browed sparrow weaver, the shoebill stork, Black-bellied Bustards, the Eastern grey plantain-eater, Black-billed barbets, the Speckle-breasted woodpecker, yellow-throated greenbul, the Black-billed wood dove, the Giant kingfisher, the double-toothed barbet, the swamp flycatcher, the black-headed Gonolek among others.
Activities are done in the Bugungu game reserve.
With the amazing animals and birds mentioned above, visiting Bugungu game reserve will be fun, as you will enjoy bird watching, carry out nature walks in the scenic landscape, and do Game drives as you view the spectacular wild animals.
When to visit Bugungu game reserve.
Bugungu game reserve can be visited throughout the year, however, it is best to visit this reserve in the dry season which is normally from late June to mid-September and December to February. Then from late February to May and mid-October to November, the reserve receives a rainy season and this makes the roads slippery making it difficult to be penetrated.
Accommodation in Bugungu game reserve.
Bugungu game reserve itself has no particular accommodation or lodges, however, the place provides camping sites for those who have an interest in camping around the reserve.
For lodges, tourists can sleep in the nearby areas of Murchison falls national park, and these include, Paara Lodge, and Bwana Tembo safari lodge, shoebill campsite among others.
How to get to Bugungu game reserve.
Two routes can be used to go to Bugungu game reserve, by road you can use the Kampala – Hoima route which is about 292.5 kilometers, making it around a 5- 6 hours’ drive, you can as well use the Kampala –Masindi route which is about 313 kilometers, making it approximately a 5 hours’ drive.
If you prefer air transport, you can use domestic flights offered by Aero Link Uganda from Kajjansi Airstrip and Entebbe international airport, up to Bugungu Airstrip.