Semliki National Park is located in Bundibugyo and it is situated within the Albertine Rift at an average altitude of around 700m. It is bounded to the northwest by the Semliki River which runs along the Congolese border into Lake Albert and to the east by the Fort portal –Bundibugyo road. It was gazette in October 1993, prior to which it was more widely known as the Bwamba Forest a name you will come across regularly in old ornithological literature about Uganda. Semliki National park harbors an exciting range of lowland forest species associated with the Congo Basin.
There are 300 species of butterflies have been identified in the park including 46 species of forest swallowtails together with 235 moth species. Considering its small size, the park protects an extraordinary faunal diversity. It is of particular interest to birdwatchers, 435 bird species have been recorded, including a high proportion of forest birds and roughly 45 species that occur nowhere in Uganda. Semuliki is the only east African stronghold for the peculiar water chevrotain, a superficially duiker-like relic of an ancient ungulate family that shares several structural features with pigs and is regarded to be ancestral to all modern-day antelopes, deers, cows and giraffes. Only 53 mammal species have been recorded and the most popular attraction in Semliki National Park is the cluster of hot springs at Sempaya which can be reached via a short walking trail.
Longer guided walks take the best part of a day, can also be arranged at Sempaya as can overnight hikes deep into the forest. The guides at Semliki are exceptionally knowledgeable and enthusiastic about birds. A short guided trail leads from the roadside tourist office to the Sempaya Hot Spring. Ringed by forest and palm trees and veiled in a cloud of steam, these springs are a primeval, evocative sight and well worth the diversion.
Semliki National park has around various accommodation facilities that can be used by tourists during their visit to the park. For example semliki safari camp and National park Bandas and Campsite. Aside from the basic bandas and campsites listed that is National park Bandas and Campsite, there is no accommodation within the national park.
The park office and campsite at sempaya are clearly signposted on opposite sides of the Semliki Road from Fort Portal. The main attraction of the road to Semliki National Park is its scenery while by travelling by public transport