Katonga Wildlife Reserve
Overview
Uganda Parks
Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Bradt guide to Uganda.
Katonga Wildlife Reserve, named after the river that flows along its southern boundary, lies in western Uganda 235km/146mi by road from the capital Kampala. One of the country’s least visited and most encroached upon protected areas, it supports a wide variety of birds and a more limited range of large mammals. There are no internal roads in the reserve, and boat safaris have been discontinued, so Katonga can only be explored on guided walks.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
Relatively common large mammals in Katonga include black-and-white colobus, vervet monkey, defassa waterbuck, common duiker, bushbuck, impala, giant forest hog and bushpig. The swamps are home to hippo and the localized sitatunga, but neither is likely to be seen now that there are no longer boat trips in the reserve. Elephant and buffalo are known mainly from their spoor (footprints and droppings). Birding is excellent with 300-plus species recorded.
Scenery
Katonga Wildlife Reserve is set in an ancient river valley that once flowed west toward the Atlantic Ocean. Its dominant geographic feature is the Katonga River, which now forms the reserve’s southern boundary as it courses eastward to empty into Lake Victoria. Habitats protected within Katonga include rainforest, papyrus swamp, woodland and savannah.
Activities
Although Katonga is accessible by road, there are no drivable tracks within the reserve. For this reason, it can only be explored on guided walks, which are best undertaken in the early morning if you hope to see much wildlife and a good variety of birds. Boat trips into the swamp are no longer offered due to the danger posed by hippos.
Weather & Climate
The weather and climate of Katonga Wildlife Reserve are similar to that of Uganda in general. More info:
Best Time To Visit
Katonga can be visited at any time of the year, but the best time for wildlife viewing is in the Dry seasons (December to February and June to August).
Getting There
Katonga is the closest reserve to Kampala as the crow flies, but the 235km/146mi drive still takes a good 5 to 6 hours*. To reach the reserve from Kampala, follow the surfaced Fort Portal Road west for 195km/121mi to the town of Kyegegwa. From there it’s a left turn onto a dirt road that may require a 4x4 vehicle after rain. Katonga can easily be incorporated in a standard Uganda itinerary, but it seldom is due to the lack of amenities and low wildlife densities.
*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.
Health & Safety
Please read our malaria and vaccinations page for Uganda, and our general ‘Wildlife Viewing Safety Precautions’ below for more info:
