Maramagambo Forest in Uganda

Maramagambo forest bat cave
A bat cave in Maramagambo forest

Stationed in the western Uganda in the arm of the Great East African Rift valley, Maramagambo forest is a tropical rain forest valuable for travellers seeking nature friendly tours in Uganda. The name “Maramagambo” basically means “ends of words”. It originates from an old tale of a group of locals who had disappeared within the thicket and it took them a while to find their way back to the village. On return home, they were unable to speak for a long due to the wearing journey hence the name.

Maramagambo forest’s location is also within the conservation area of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It overlooks the Kichwamba escarpment all through to lake Edward. Queen Elizabeth national park is the most popular national park in Uganda famous for its unique wildlife safaris that bless visitors with sighting of the Big 4, tree climbing lions of Ishasha, community encounters, numerous savannah game and the mesmerizing Kazinga channel; a congregation point for hippos and birds in the park. Primate safaris can also be done here in the Kyambura gorge, dubbed a valley of chimpanzees.

The forest is a splendid haven for great nature walks not forgetting tranquilizing birding experiences. Nonetheless, watch out for the Vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, blue monkeys and red tailed monkeys among other primates that inhabit this forest and have continued to attract visitors from all over the world. Here you can also find Pottos and Bush babies that are nocturnal. Birders will certainly discover the 190 peculiar bird species like the forest flycatchers and Rwenzori Turaco when they include Maramagambo forest as on their Uganda birding safari itinerary.

The Kyasanduka and Nyamasingiri crater lakes border Maramagambo forest and present awesome views as attractions in the pearl of Africa. Maramagambo broke the airwaves in 2008 when a Dutch tourist was infected with Marburg virus from the bats that live in a volcanic tube cave. The cave today is the most adored destination in the forest and completely safe and open for viewing. Shortly after that incident the cave was closed and a viewing platform was established with partnership from the US based Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The new vantage point offers impressive scenes of the bats that live in the cave and the serpents that feed on them.

Maramagambo is accessible both by road via the Kampala- Fort portal, Kasese and Bushenyi Route and by air by means of chartered planes from the Entebbe International Airport to the Mweya Airfield.