Mpanga Forest

Location:

Coordinates: 0.29147864584712224,

32.430618926689434

Bearing: 240.85° (WSW) of Kampala

Road distance: 40 km from Kampala

Mpanga Forest is a small patch of natural equatorial rainforest measuring about 453 hectares in Mpigi District about 40 kilometers southwest of Kampala conveniently located along the Masaka highway.

Though small, the forest supports an impressive biodiversity with 500 species of trees and shrubs, over 300 species of birds, 97 butterflies, and 112 moths.

The forest is also home to three monkey species namely; vervet, red-tailed and black-and-white colobus monkeys. The small mammals that call Mpanga home include banded mongoose, squirrels, pottos, pangolines and bushabies

Mpanga Forest is surrounded by a community of traditional drum makers who use soft wood for drum making leaving hard Celtis trees to flourish though the forest is their source of firewood.

Mpanga Forest also offers forest nature walks under the cool forest canopies where you can observe various species of trees, monkeys, butterflies and birds. For overnight stays one can do a nocturnal walk in the forest and search for the rare nocturnal elements such as the bushbabies and potto. Mpanga offers basic accommodation in a clearing for camping and affordable eco cottages.

Birding in Mpanga Forest

Mpanga Forest is one of the Uganda birding spots near Kampala and very rewarding for forest bird species. Birding in Mpanga Forest can be a combined with wetland/water birding in Mabamba Swamp famous for the Shoebill and great for water birds. Both spots are located in the same direction and are about 30 minutes’ drive in between.

Mpanga forest bird list

Source eBird

Mpanga Forest

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