What Makes Sempaya Hot Springs A Must Visit On Your Uganda Safari?
When it comes to safaris in Uganda, hot springs are remarkably a few most stunning touristic sites but very few have discovered the hidden secrets in this magical areas hence untapped natural wonder. Hot springs serve different purposes and for any need to get healed, they are a perfect place for one to visit and for this case the Uganda Sempaya hot springs should be on your bucket list.
These powerful hot springs lie within the Semuliki River Valley just in Semuliki National Park and feature among a few unique touristic sites that are still unexplored. This river lies below the escarpment in Budibugyo town. These hot springs are popular for their powerfulness and the boiling temperatures can go up to 103 degree Celsius with a spurt shelling of up to two meters from a wide hole of approximately 8 meters as well as numerous microorganisms.
This unique treasure boils from the rock at the bottom of the earth hence indicating the great underground geographic forces which have for many years back led to the formation of the mighty rift valley. The Semuliki Valley National Park alone spans for about 220 square kilometers and features among Uganda’s newly established protected areas with yet untapped natural wonders.
The Sempaya hot springs comprise of both male and female hot springs and have for long attracted huge numbers of visitors with different reasons. The long track that takes visitors to the outer side of the male hot-springs may take about an hour and leads you via a spot of woodland where you will also have a chance to catch a glimpse at the grey-cheeked mangabeys, the black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, to mention but a few. Besides, there is also a tree house along the way which rewards travel endeavors with breathtaking aerial views.
There is also half an hour walk through the palm forest from the main route that takes visitors to the inner female hot-springs and at this point, you prove what other people have always said about the powerfulness of these hot springs. Make sure that you come along with eggs or bananas and dip into the hot springs and you will realize that they get ready within the shortest time possible.
Hot springs are scientifically a spiral made by an appearance of geothermal heated underground water from the earth’s layer. The hotness of the rocks inside the earth upsurges with deepness. When the water infiltrates deep plentifully into the crust, it is heated as it touches the hot rocks. They are formed by fissures spreading deep towards the hot temperatures of the earth layers and water trickling down is heated and enforced back up with much pressure that makes a bubble.
Semuliki Valley National Park is one of the thick forested areas and also makes part of the Ituri forest that expands to cover some parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While on Uganda safari in Semuliki Valley National Park, the possible wildlife species for you to catch a glimpse at include civet, leopards, elephants, pygmy antelopes, bush babies, buffaloes, chimpanzees, scaly-tailed flying squirrel a mention but a few.
This protected area inhabits about 8 species of primates and over 400 avifaunal species as well as more than 300 butterfly species. On your safari at this park, you will use the marked trails to reach the Sempaya hot springs and then take a walk to different parts of the park. Based on the geographical perspective, River Semuliki is a small tributary of the bigger Congo River.
The forest cover within this protected area is a major habitat for the Batwa community;- a renowned endangered group of people in Uganda. Encountering this group of people is worth as it allows you to learn more about their unique lifestyles. For those of you who love birding, there is Mungilo waterfall that features as the best site for bird watching and rewards visitors with incredible sights at birds like the black dwarf hornbill, shining blue kingfisher, yellow-throated nicator and many more.
In conclusion, for any plans to pay a visit to Uganda, the Sempaya hot springs should be a must to include in your travel plan. You can incorporate a visit to this natural treasure with a visit to Kibale National Park for more birding, chimps and other primates tracking, or Queen Elizabeth and Mount Rwenzori National Parks.
