Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a community protected wetland and a riverine forest habitat on the edges of Kibale Forest that offers excellent nature walk tours with high chances to see various primates and a quality birdlife. These varied activities are a great adds-on experiences to chimpanzee trekking and birding tours while at Kibale Forest.
The wetland sanctuary is run under a community organisation of Kibale Association for Rural Environment Development (KAFRED). Established in 1992, the award-winning community organisation of KAFRED comprises of local residents of Bigodi who promote the management, protection and sustainable uses of natural environment resources around the wetland of Bigodi and other villages near Kibale Forest. The community’s initiatives include education on proper usage, proper agricultural methods and reforestation.
Bigodi Wetland Biodiversity
Bigodi wetland sanctuary stretches over 8 km long and 1.3km wide supporting a diversity of habitats including papyrus swamp and riverine forest adjacent to Kibale Forest. The biodiversity across this extensive habitat include; a checklist of over 200 bird species, 8 species of resident primates and numerous butterflies and varied plants.
Guided Walking Tours in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Bigodi wetlands (KAFRED) which lie 5km beyond the Kanyanchu Visitors’ centre of Kibale Forest also the main chimpanzee trekking trailhead is famed by its rewarding guided nature trails that crisscross a diversity of habitats. These trails excellent walking trails are divided into short and long sections, suitable to cater for visitor’s interests and available time. The sanctuary being a training centre, boasts some of the best guides specializing in different interests of birding, botany and culture.
Guided walks at the wetlands include;
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Primates Watching Tours at Bigodi Wetlands
Primates watching tours are the most popular adventure experiences offered at Bigodi wetlands where up to 8 species of primates are encountered on forest walks here. Led by the sanctuary’s excellent guides, the primates walking tour explore the narrow riverine forest that offers better sighting and photography experiences for the smaller primates compared to the mature canopies of Kibale Forest. Bigodi wetland primates list include; L’hoest’s Monkey, Vervet Monkey, Blue Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Red-colobus Monkey, Guereza Monkey and Olive baboon.
Chimpanzee communities frequent the Bigodi riverine forest during fruiting season of the figs and can be encountered with luck. Guided night walks are available on request and offer chances to encounter for various potto species and mongoose parties.
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Birding Watching Tours in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Bigodi wetlands are a great birding hotspot featuring on all Uganda birding tours for its quality sightings, excellent birding trails and knowledgeable bird guides. The wetland support up to 200 species including a number of Guinea-Congo forest-restricted species and wetland-restricted specialists. Birding trails run along the riverine forest edges that offer high opportunities tick off a wide range of species that utilize these overlapping zones.
Top bird highlights at Bigodi Wetlands include; Great Blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Yellow-Spotted Barbet, Masked and Buff-throated Apalis, Grey-winged Robin, Yellow-billed Barbet, Brown Illadopsis, Least Western Nicator, Yellow-crested and Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Purple Starling, Tambourine Dove, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher etc. Other sightings include; Little and Toro Olive Greenbul, White-breasted Nigrita, Snow-crowned Robin-chat, Magpie Manikin, Red-headed Malimbe, Crowned Hornbill, Black and White Casqued Hornbill, Meyer’s Parrot, Shikra, Afep Pigeon among others.
The forest pools attract the shy White-spotted Flufftail and Shining Blue Kingfisher. The papyrus wetlands support various Lake Victoria biome specialists including; Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Blue-headed Coucal etc. The wetland edges host Red-chested Sunbird, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Bronze Mannikin, Bocage’s Bushshrike, Black and White Mankin, Compact Weaver, Grosbeak Weaver and more.
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Community Guided Tours
Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary tours include immersive community expereince where local guides lead you to explore and learn of the diverse culture, agricultural practices and local traditions. The tour includes demonstrative coffee expereince where you learn of high-demand cash crop right from from the farm, to the local traditional roasting process and finally brewing your own cup. On these activities, you will be invited for hands-on-expereince on a visit to a local women’s groups to participate in basket weaving and hand craft making. The tour then passes by the traditional healer ending at the entertaining banana gin making process and testing.