Kyambura Game reserve
Located in the south of Lake George, west of the Kyambura Gorge and east of Queen Elizabeth National park exactly where Kazinga channel also known as the hippos haven escapes from Lake George towards the direction of Lake Edward. The reserve was formed as the Kyambura controlled hunting area in the year 1962, and then upgraded to a game reserve status in the year 1965.
Despite having ecosystems that are comparable to those of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve may be managed as a distinct area because of the natural barriers created by the Kyambura Gorge and Kazinga Channel. The northeastern portion of Queen Elizabeth National park is buffered by Kyambura Wildlife Resreve.Animals easily cross the Kyambura River, which is at its shallowest during the dry seasons, to go between the protected regions because there is no land link between the reserve and the park.
What to see in Kyambura Game reserve
Wildlife
The few primates in Queen Elizabeth National Park are among the many species that call it home. Although the location is bordered by savanna and serves as a vital supply of water for other animals, it is most famous for the large number of primates who live in the gorge.
The kyambura gorge
About 30 kilometers from Queen Elizabeth National Park Headquarters, Kyambura is situated on the northeastern part of the organization. The reserve’s northern limit is formed by the 11-kilometer Kyambura Gorge, which connects to the Kazinga Channel. To the south are plantations and villages.
A chimpanzee trekking adventure in Uganda to the “valley of apes” is available at Kyambura Gorge, a chimpanzee tracking location unlike any other in the world. Because the Kyambura Gorge is around 100 meters below sea level, it is known as the valley of apes. Chimpanzees accustomed to trekking are less common in the Kyambura Gorge, and sights are not as spectacular as they are elsewhere.
Activities carried out in kyambura wildlife reserve
Chimpanzee tracking
Since the wildlife reserve is the finest place to track chimpanzees in Queen Elizabeth National Park, this is the primary activity conducted there. The majority of the chimpanzees in the gorge are habituated, which means they are accustomed to and comfortable with humans and the fact that they are free to engage in their activities while people are around. You will be able to spend an hour with the chimpanzees in their natural environment after finding their group, where you may observe them playing with one another, learning more about their habits and behavior, and feeding
However, because there is hiking deep in the bush to find the chimpanzee population, this activity will require a chimpanzee permit and only be available to physically fit guests. Additionally, you may encounter several bird species, olive baboons, black and white colobus vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, and red colobus.
Chimpanzee tracking in kyambura gorge costs 100 USD for Non Foreign Residents, 80 USD for Foreign Residents and 50,000 UGX for East African Citizens
Birding
Many forest birds can be found in the lush rainforest trees of Kyambura Wildlife Reserve. When you visit this intriguing reserve, you will see a variety of birds, such as the African skimmer, flamingo, black-rumped buttonquail, rare shoebill, African fin foot, turacos, sunbirds, hornbills, bee-eaters, pigeons, and many more
Guided nature walks
This gives you the chance to see wildlife and plants that are tucked away in the reserve’s interior under the direction of the informed ranger. In addition to bird species like falcons, greater flamingos, hamerkops, herons, sunbirds, egrets, turacos, hornbills, nightjars, African skimmer, papyrus canary, pick-backed pelican, white winged warbler, white tailed lark, African broadbill, papyrus gonolek, and corncrake, you will encounter primates like the red colobus, olive baboons, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, and blue monkeys.
Best time to visit kyambura game reserve
Because of its amazing biodiversity, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve is open for visits at any time of year. The dry seasons, which run from June to September and December to February, are the ideal times to go. In contrast to the wet seasons, which occur from March to May and October to November, when the forest receives heavy rainfall that leaves the forest trails muddy, wet, and slippery, this is also known as the peak season. During this time, there is little rainfall, making the forest trails suitable for chimpanzee tracking, birding, and guided nature walks. Nonetheless, the low season, sometimes referred to as the wet season, is the best time of year to observe birds because there will be an abundance of fruits for both migratory and resident bird species.
Accessing kyambura wildlife reserve
Charter flights are available from the International Airport in Entebbe to the Airstrip in southwestern Uganda at Mweya, which is less than 60 minutes away. By road, it is typically about six hours from the capital city of Kampala. The distance is 420 kilometers from Kampala past Mbarara and 410 kilometers from Kampala past Fort Portal.
Where to stay while in kyambura wildlife reserve
Mazike Lodge (previously Kyambura Gorge Lodge), Park View Lodge, Buffaloes Safari Lodge, Katara Lodge, King Fisher Camp, Jacana Safari Lodge, Pumba Safari Lodge, and many more are close by safari lodges where guests can spend the night while on a kyambura safari.
Conclusion
A tour in kyambura wildlife reserve rewards travel endeavors with unique experiences. It is one spectacular and distinct part of Queen Elizabeth national park that is worth exploring while you are on Uganda safari.
