Mabira Forest
Mabira forest is one of the most famous forests and one of the largest surviving natural forests in Uganda, mabira forest is an equatorial type of forest situated in Mukono district with lugazi as the nearest town. The forest is a tranquil forest composed with beautiful tree species with patches of grassland and various papyrus swam stretching through an area coverage of 306 square kilometers.
Mabira forest is a prominent tourist attraction in Uganda, the only equatorial forest in central Uganda where you get to experience African rain forest experience. The forest is situated along Kampala- Jinja highway making it very accessible because it is close two prominent tourist cities that is Kampala and Jinja, while on a safari in Uganda to Jinja visiting the forest can be added on your itinerary.
ATTRACTIONS IN MABIRA FOREST
GRIFFIN FALLS
Griffin falls are situated in the middle of the forest are one of the top attraction in mabira forest, griffin falls offers incredible sightseeing experience and nature walk experience in the forest as you watch the water flow through the rocks.
VEGETATION
Mabira forest is a tranquil forest of equatorial type with spectacular vegetation cover which includes 312 tree species with over 50 indigenous tree species such as afro carpus falcatus, Acacia manguim, desert date, celtis Africana, marula and many more. For nature lovers the forest is the best place as it is filled with cool vibrant conditions and fresh unpolluted air. Some of the tree species in forest are medicinal plants used to cure a number of diseases.
BIRDS
The forest is a home to a variety of forest bird species, among the bird species living in the thick forest trees of mabira there is rare species such as Nahan’s francolin, Tit Hylia, Yellow and grey long bills, Purple-throated cuckoo shrikes, Illadopsises, Jameson’s wattle eyes. Other bid species in the forest include Black and-white Casqued Hornbill, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Forest Woodhoopoe, African Shrike-flycatcher, Yellow-spotted Barbet, African Pied Hornbill, Yellow White-eye, Hairy Breasted Barbet, speckle-breasted, Bockages Shrike, grey and Cassin’s Honey guide, fire-crested Alethe, cattle Egret, white-bellied Kingfisher, yellow-billed Barbet, dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, sooty Boubou, honeyguide greenbul, tambourine Dove, buff-spotted Woodpeckers, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Red-tailed Bristle bil, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Forest robin, purple-throated cuckoo, Hadada Ibis, speckled Tinkerbird, African Harrier Hawk, broad-billed Roller, the White-spotted Fluff tail, the African Dwarf-kingfisher, little Greenbul, hammerkop, long-crested Eagle, the Marabou Storks, the Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, red-chested Sunbird, capuchin Babbler, speckled Tinker bird, great-Blue Turaco, the Yellow-crested cockatoo, pied Crow, black Kite, green-breasted Pitta, the African Thrush, black-and-white Manikin, black-shouldered Nightjar, brown-eared bulbul, shining-blue kingfisher, Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, chestnut Wattle-eye, Sabine’s spine tail, black-bellied seed cracker, open-billed Stork, superb Sunbird, Yellow-mantled weaver, Illadopsis, African Grey Parrot, guinea fowls, grey long-bills, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, palm nut Vulture, the Lizard Buzzard, the White-threatened Bee-eater, the Black-headed Weaver, the Cassin hawk eagle, red headed blue bill, yellow-throated Tinkerbird, African Shrike Flycatcher, Red-headed Malimbe, velvet-mantled Drongo, the Yellow long-bills Black-billed Turaco, black shouldered Nightjar, bronze Manikin, grey-green Bush-shrike, blue-throated Roller, Afep Pigeon, Nahan’s Francolin among others.
WILDLIFE
Mabira forest habits a variety of wildlife species which reside in the thick vegetation of the forest, wildlife in the forest include bush pigs, blue dickers and primates such as red tailed monkey, grey checked mangabeys. Occasionally leopards are also spotted in the forest but it is a chance.
TOURIST ACTIVITIES OFFERED IN MABIRA FOREST
Tranquil mabira forest offers a number of entertaining and exciting safari activities which can be engaged in by a tourist on a safari, these activities include
Nature/ forest walks
Nature/forest walks in mabira forest takes the tourist through well maintained trails talking approximately 30 minutes’ walk to griffin falls. While on the walk you will encounter monkeys, birds, colorful butterflies. Forest walk is more than watching animals but also enjoy the fresh unpolluted video in the forest.
Forest canopy/zip lining
Zip lining in mabira forest is one of the most loved and participated in activity in mabira forest, zip lining in this forest is very extra ordinary as it is the only zip lining in east Africa offered above tree tops. This amazing activity is done from 8 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6pm daily, while on this activity which takes 4 hours across a network of 5 zip lines stretching 250 meters. These zip lines cross river musamya and while zip lining you get to enjoy the tranquil nature of the forest, birds, falls and the river.
Mountain biking
Mountain biking in the forest is one amazing safari activity which can be done in mabira forest, the forest has well maintained trails of approximately 68 kilometers where biking can take place. When going for mountain biking experience you can either come with your bike or rent it from Griffin falls camp which is situated outside the forest at national forestry department facility. Mountain biking in the forest is very amazing as you spot monkeys, birds and the green vegetation cover of the forest.
Bird watching
Mabira forest is a habitant to approximately 315 forest bird species such as yellow-billed Barbet, dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, sooty Boubou, honeyguide greenbul, tambourine Dove, buff-spotted Woodpeckers, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Red-tailed Bristle bil, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Forest robin, purple-throated cuckoo, Hadada Ibis, speckled Tinkerbird, African Harrier Hawk, broad-billed Roller, the White-spotted Fluff tail, the African Dwarf-kingfisher, little Greenbul, hammerkop, long-crested Eagle, the Marabou Storks, these beautiful birds species can easily be spotted in the trees. The fascinating fact about the forest is that in this forest you can spot 46% of Uganda’s forest bird species.
Primate tracking
Mabira forest is the best place in central Uganda to do primate tracking, the forest host a good population of primates such as Uganda mangabey monkey, red-tailed monkey and many more. Uganda mangabey monkey are rare species you can only spot in mabira rain forest and few specific small areas in Uganda at the borders of Uganda and Tanzania.
ACCESSING MABIRA FOREST
Mabira forest is located in Mukono district along Kampala –Jinja high way 59.2 kilometers from Kampala the capital city of Uganda and the starting point of many Uganda safaris, it is a 1- 2 hours’ drive to the forest. From Jinja town one of the greatest tourism towns in Uganda it is 3.6 kilometers to reach the forest which is approximately one hour’s drive.
ACCOMMODATION IN MABIRA FOREST
There are less accommodation options in the forest, as you are on your safari in this forest you can use eco-tourism site, griffin camp, mabira forest lodge. Eco-tourism site consists of 3 bandas which comfortably accommodates 10 guests, these bandas situated near Najjembe trading centre are self-catering though light meals are offered by house keeper. There is also a camping site where you can camp while on your safari.
