Experience the extremely hot waters from under ground sempaya hot springs, the sempaya hot springs are the most outstanding attractions in the Semuliki national park located at the edge of the park which is attached to Ituri forest bordering DR Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the remote western side of the Rwenzori mountain rangers.
The female and Male hot springs are main reason why travelers visit Semuliki national park, the park is less visited however it is the best place for bird watching on Uganda safaris trips thus the title ” Birders haven” and the home to the largest hot springs in Uganda. The Semuliki valley contains a number of features central African catchments rather than the East Africa. Hot springs that bubble up from the depth to demonstrate the powerful subterranean force that have been shaping the rift valley during the millions of years back. The Female and Male hot springs are called Sempaya, the name Sempaya was deliver from a Swahili phrase > sehemu mbaya< which means “the difficult side” due to the challenges encountered during the construction of the Fort portal – Bundibugyo road along the ridges of the of the Rwenzori Mountain rangers thus the name sempaya hot springs.
The sempaya hot springs are said to exist in two springs that is the female hot spring and the male hot spring both are found in different locations, while scientists have a technical explanation to the origin of the springs and the local people of the area called the indigenous Bamaga clan who stay near hot springs in Semuliki national park they have story and history about of the sempaya hot springs in Semuliki national park.
The male spring , according to elder people of the Bamaga clan says the site where we find the male hot spring is historical. It is said that there was a time Bagama women went to fetch firewood from the forest and they saw a hairy man dressed in backcloth wielding a spear and with a dog moving in a zig-zag formation around that location. The women run back home to tell their husbands who decided to pick and take him to their homes and then got him a wife from the village.
Biteete the name given to found man who continued hunting however, one days one time he left for hunting and never returned. After 3 days , the village men decided to look for him unfortunately they didn’t found him only found his spear but traces of him and his dog, that is the place they assumed that the man disappeared at the same place of the spring thus this place become male hot springs.
The Female springs, the inner female hot spring are locally referred to as Nyasimbi by the local Bamaga tribe who believe that scared location of their female gods is in the hot springs, its said that the men who went to look for Biteete after his disappearance returned home , they told his wife also ran into the forest to look for her husband and disappeared from the same spot where her cloth around the other spring thus currently called the female hot springs.
This was how the 2 springs are named as female and male hot springs and date it is still having their names. This is why the Bamaga people still perform annual rituals at the springs to appease their ancestors, while on Uganda safari tour , you may find the local people undressed in the springs to seek blessing from their ancestors. Fore example the female hot springs are said to helpful to local woman who go there to offer sacrifices and prayers to appease the female ancestors.
Bird watching in Semuliki national park , the park has over 400 bird species recorded in this park thus making it one of the top birding destination in Africa earning a title of “True birders haven”. There are about 130 Guinea-Congo forests Biome species recorded in Semuliki forest. Other bird species in the forest includes; Capuchin, blue headed crested flycatcher, piping hornbill, Orange weaver, and Red-billed Marimbe, among others.
There are other activities in the Semuliki national park , such the game viewing , Batwa cultural tour , nature walks and hiking experience , shoebill tracking among other book with Mirama hills safaris we are ready to give you the rewarding journey.