Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

Located in western Uganda you find the bio-diverse Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community run sanctuary that is not only known for its rewarding birding opportunities but is also a habitat for primates in Uganda. Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary protects Magombe Swamp in Kamwenge district and the sanctuary is run by two community groups. The main group that manages the sanctuary is the Kibale Association for Rural and Enviromental Development that is abbreviated as KAFRED. KAFRED was formed in 1992 with six members, a year later the Bigodi Women’s Group was formed which is the second community group that is involved in the conservation of the wetland. Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary has over the years been well-maintained and protected by these two community groups that have contributed heavily to the conservation of birds, primates and trees in Uganda.

Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a must-visit while on safari in Uganda as it has so much to offer the visitor, however some visitors always miss out on this great sanctuary as their main focus is always on chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest which is a few kilometers away from Bigodi. However Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary can be a great addition to your itinerary as it’s possible to combine chimpanzee tracking with an afternoon Bigodi swamp walk. This ideally means that one would track the chimpanzees in the morning and then head to Bigodi for the afternoon swamp walk. The sanctuary is easily accessible as it is just 6km away from the Kanyanchu visitor’s centre in Kibale National Park which houses park offices and is the starting point/briefing area for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale.

Wildlife in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

Bigodi Wetland Birds

Bigodi Wetland is a rewarding birding destination as it offers one opportunities to look out for birds along the trails in the sanctuary, over 200 species of birds have been recorded at Bigodi. The most sought after bird at the sanctuary is the Great Blue Turaco, a stunning bird with beautiful plumage which belongs to the Turacos (Musophagidae) family. The Great Blue Turacos are usually seen moving in pairs as they hop from one tree branch to another and are mostly found in rain forests and they will occasionally visit the neighboring local’s gardens especially the ones that have trees.

Other birds that one can look out for in the sanctuary include;

Tambourine Dove, Ross’s Turaco, White-spotted Flufftail, Shining-blue Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Double-toothed Barbet, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Gray Parrot, Papyrus Gonolek, Western Nicator, Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher, Green Crombec, Red-faced Crombec, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, Yellow-billed Barbet, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Red-headed Bluebill, Red-faced Cisticola, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Lesser Striped Swallow, Slender-billed Greenbul, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Green Hylia, Green White-eye, Brown Illadopsis, Gray-winged Robin-chat, Speckled Tinkerbird, Green-headed Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Black-necked Weaver, Bronze Mannikin, Black-and-white Mannikin, Gray-headed Nigrita, Northern Gray-headed Sparrow and Yellow-fronted Canary among others.

Primates

There are six different primate species in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary and the 4.5km circular trail through the swamp offers an opportunity to look out for these primates. Primates to look out for include Red-tailed monkey, Vervet monkey, Black-and-white colobus monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Red-colobus and L’Hoest’s monkey.

Things to do in Bigodi Wetland

Bird watching

The Bigodi Wetland bird watching excursions offer great birding opportunities and is a well-known destination for keen birders as over 200 species have been recorded at the sanctuary. Birding in Bigodi is even more rewarding because the community groups like KAFRED mentor and support local bird guides who are in most cases residents of Bigodi and have spent most of their lives in Bigodi. The local guides are experts at identifying birds and are well-conversant with the birding trails since they bird the areas almost daily. You can bird in the morning, afternoon and if you have some extra days you can do some night birding for opportunities to look out for nocturnal species.

Bigodi Swamp Walk (Nature Walks)

A guided nature walk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is also a great way to spend time while on safari. The guided nature walks work best for nature lovers and you can spend an afternoon with your guide exploring the diversity of the swamp along the 4.5km circular trail. The Bigodi Wetland walk will have you look out for primates, bird life, trees, butterflies and various plant species. The nature walks are not famous as a stand-alone activity so we usually arrange them for nature lovers who are on safari in Uganda with their special interests being trees and butterflies, which is why most times we combine the nature walk with chimpanzee tracking and birding.

Community Visits/Tours

Since the sanctuary is a community run initiative there is so much that one can do around the communities and it is a great way to contribute to the local communities as well as interact with the locals. Community visits include home stays (Tinka homestead) where you spend time at the home cooking traditional meals and experiencing what a typical day for a Ugandan local looks like.

Coffee tours can also be arranged where you visit a home and participate in the process of making coffee from the bean stage to grinding and finally making a cup of coffee. Uganda is known for its amazing coffee that is locally grown and the coffee tour is an immersive experience for coffee lovers.

During the community visit you also get an opportunity to visit the local women’s group that makes handicrafts, baskets and bead jewelry. If you like you can purchase some gifts or souvenirs from them. Local dance and drama is also part of the community visit where traditional and educational performances are performed. You also get an opportunity to visit Bigodi Primary school, a health centre and Bigodi trading centre which is a small active rural town.

Other activities that one can do near Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary include chimpanzee tracking in Kibale and mammal watching in Kibale Forest. You can read more on Kibale Forest National Park here.

Where to stay

There are a number of accommodations in Bigodi trading centre and near Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary but we usually recommend staying in the lodges near Kibale as they offer better comfort and much better service especially while on safari. The lodges range from Up-market, mid-range to budget lodges so the choice of stay is totally up to you. Lodges that you can consider include;

Ndali Lodge – Ndali lodge is an upmarket lodge situated in Rweihamba overlooking the stunning Fort Portal crater lakes, the lodge features 8 cottages and 1 honeymoon cottage. All the cottages are en-suite with amazing views from the cottage balcony and comfortable beds/linen bedsheets. Ndali Lodge makes for a perfect base for the luxury traveler.

Primate Lodge Kibale – Located a few minutes away from the Kanyanchu visitor’s centre, Primate Lodge makes for a perfect base for a visitor tracking chimpanzees and also interested in visiting Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary as it is 6km away from the visitor’s centre. The lodge is mid-range and features comfortable spacious cottages and is situated within the forest hence offering an immersive nature experience.

Kibale Forest Lodge – Kibale Forest Lodge is a great budget property located right next to Bigodi trading centre, the lodge features wonderful trees and a compound that attracts different species of birds. The lodge has spacious rooms, a main area that features a restaurant, lounge and a mini-bar. The lodge is much closer to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary and is a 5 minute walk away from the sanctuary’s information centre.

How to Get to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

The distance from Kampala which is Uganda’s capital city to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is 330km. It is therefore a 5 and a half hour drive from Kampala. The sanctuary can also be accessed from Fort Portal and is 39km away from the CBD, the drive from Fort Portal is about 1 hour along Fort Portal-Kamwenge road. Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary can also be accessed from Queen Elizabeth National Park by visitors who would like to combine game viewing in a savanna park with birding/nature walks in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.