While at Queen Elizabeth Park Explore Maramagambo Forest
Forest Hikes – Nature Walks-Primates-Bird Watching – Bat Caves – Crater Lakes
Maramagambo Forest is an extensive forest in Queen Elizabeth Park. It is off of the beaten Tourist Path, and not many come here. Most head for the nearby Kyambura Gorge ignoring this large Central African Like Forest, which is just waiting for you to come and Explore Maramagambo with excellent birding, great hiking trails, and scenic crater trails.
Hit the Trails and Explore Maramagambo Forest – with its Caves – crater lakes – birds and primates, you will be glad you did. There is is much to discover here along the trails that take you into and through the forest. These are guided Hikes that take you into the forest without the crowds. For the most part the forest is off of the beaten tourist path.
If you like to include the Maramagambo Experiential Hiking Trails in your safari with us while visiting Queen Elizabeth Park – let us know and we will include it in your safari itinerary that we prepare for you.
Explore Maramagambo Forest – Queen Elizabeth Park
Experiential Hikes where you Explore Maramagambo Forest – the word Maramagambo comes from a local tale where a group of young people were lost in the forest and it took them days to find their way back to the village from which they came. A sort of African Hansel and Gretel Story – when they did reach the village they could not speak for a long time – they were exhausted – hence Maramagambo – meaning “the end of words”.
Maramagambo forest extends across the central part of Queen Elizabeth Park – from the Kichwamba escarpment to Lake Edward. It is the perfect place for some hiking and nature walk from 1 1/2 hours to a half day – the latter taking in some beautiful crater lakes.
The mostly shade covered trails through this magnificent ironwood forest give you a very different experience from the open savanna.
There are 7 different primates that you might see during your nature walk – Chimpanzees – L’Hoest’s Monkeys, Red Tailed Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Baboons and the Black and White Colobus Monkeys. The forest is also home to two the nocturnal Bushbabies and Pottos.
Forest Birds are found here in abundance, and the birder will find this the perfect place to spot a variety of species, including some rarities such as the White Naped Pigeons, Forest Flycatchers, and the Rwenzori Turaco, to name a few.
You might also come across long columns of Soldier Ants- columns have been seen 100 meters long and six abreast – obviously, it is best to avoid soldier ants and their bite since they have quite a sting – fortunately, there is no long-term effect on humans besides being painful.
The most popular destination are the Bat Caves that were closed in 2008 due to a woman contracting the Marburg Virus – in cooperation with the American Center of Disease Control a safe viewing center has been erected outside of the cave where you can view the thousands of bats found there and the bat gorging pythons – quite the sight and now done safely without the fear of contracting the Marburg Virus.
If you are bit tired of sitting in a vehicle – Maramagambo Forest is the perfect place for a leisurely forest walk – just watch out for the soldier ants…enjoy hiking through Maramagambo Forest.
Maramagambo Forest – our Take:
Hitting the trails in Maramagambo Forest is a must for Experiential Hiking Enthusiast that wants to get out of the vehicle and onto the trails in Queen Elizabeth Park.
If you are on Safari with us, we love to include a day’s hiking in Maramagambo Forest. It will add a day to your time in the park, however you can also make it a half day of hitting the trails.
Hiking the trails is one of our specialties and each week clients of ours hit the hiking trails in Uganda and Maramagambo Forest is often a choice that they voice to us. Just let us know that you want to hike in Maramagambo Forest while at Queen Elizabeth Park.
Birders will find the guided walks a fulfilling adventure for them – enjoy hitting the trails.
If you want to Explore Maramagambo Forest let us know.
