One of the earliest protected areas in Uganda, Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve was established as a game reserve in 1926. The main reason for its creation was to protect the large number of Ugandan Kobs living in the area.
The reserve covers a total area of 542 km² and is located in the Ntoroko and Kabarole districts in western Uganda.
The reserve lies in a beautiful rift valley between Lake Albert, the Akaijura Escarpment, and the Rwenzori Mountains.
The landscape is mostly covered by open acacia combretum, woodland, and grassland Savannah, with patches of borassus palm forest.
Along the main rivers, there are thick belts of woodland, and large wetlands stretch toward Lake Albert.
Although the reserve itself is at a low elevation of 700 meters above sea level, the scenery is breathtaking. On a clear day, visitors can see the steep rift valley escarpment rising from the eastern shore of Lake Albert.
To the southwest, the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains are visible, while to the west, the Congolese Blue Mountains, reaching 2,550 meters, can be seen on the horizon.
Communities Around the Reserve
There are four main communities living near the reserve:
Karugutu – Kyabandara Community
This village is located about 18 kilometers from Fort Portal, in the southern part of the reserve. The Bakonjo, who are traditional farmers, make up most of the population.
The main crops grown in this area include cassava, rice, beans, bananas, soybeans, and maize. Some of these crops are sold in the local Rwabisengu and Ntoroko markets.
Rwabisengu Community
This settlement is located in Semliki, on the northwestern border of the reserve. The people in this community are Batuku (Batoro-Bahuma), who are mostly pastoralists.
The Batuku are believed to be descendants of the Abarusura, who were warriors in King Kabelenga’s royal army.
Ntoroko Fishing Community
This village is located between the Wasa and Muzizi River estuaries, at the southeastern edge of Lake Albert. The area, which covers about 4 km, has been declared a wildlife sanctuary to protect the species that live and interact with it.
The main source of income for the people in this community is fishing.
Kasesenge – Kyakabaseke Community
This village is located on the eastern escarpment of the Rift Valley. Most residents are Bakiga, who originally arrived in the 1960s to work on tea estates.
When the price of tea dropped, many people turned to crop farming, as it became a more stable source of income.
