Bigodi nature walks Kibale National Park

Bigodi nature walks

Bigodi nature walks

Rich in biodiversity and scenic beauty, the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary is a must visit. The “Home of the Great Blue Turaco” is a real bird watcher’s paradise. This wonderful place shelters over 200 species of birds including Hornbills, Turacos, Parrots, Cranes, Kingfishers and many more swamp endemics. Furthermore, the sanctuary is the home of 8 species of primates, including the Black and White Colobus, Red Colobus, Red Tailed Monkey, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, L’hoest Monkey, Vervet Monkey and the Blue Monkey.

The swamp is also a haven for other mammals such as sitatungas, bushbucks and others.  You will take on an interpretive tour as you  go through the lush vegetation. This is the perfect opportunity to view the wildlife from the forest pathways, boardwalks and atop a tree house tucked high in the canopy.

When you picture Uganda, the first thing that comes to mind is probably mountain gorillas. Next, you might think of chimpanzees or the tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park. But this tiny country has plenty of off-the-beaten-path wildlife experiences to offer as well. And the best of the best is the Bigodi Swamp Walk.

The Swamp Walk runs through the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary, about 5 km from the entrance to Kibale Forest National Park. It’s one of the best places for bird-watching in Uganda, and it’s home to a huge variety of monkey species.

Better yet, the walk is part of a community tourism initiative that has transformed the lives of people in Bigodi Trading Center. It’s one of the best examples in the world of your money going to support genuine sustainable development projects. And it’s one of the most accessible wildlife tours in East Africa for backpackers on a tight budget.

In this post, I’ll cover everything you need to know about doing the Bigodi Swamp Walk during your Uganda safari!

I know, “swamp walk” doesn’t sound super appealing. But trust me on this — visiting the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is extremely rewarding. I promise you won’t even get muddy and gross.

The Bigodi Swamp Walk is a 5-km, three-hour tour through this protected forest on the outskirts of Bigodi Trading Center. The trail circles the swamp — you don’t actually go through the swamp itself — and through the subsistence farms around the edges.