Vibrant Holiday Safaris presents Bokora Corridor Wildlife Reserve, located in northeastern Uganda. Bokora Corridor is one of the numerous wildlife reserves within the country and forms part of the network of wildlife reserves in the greater Karamoja sub-region. Within the Karamoja sub-region, there are three spectacular game/wildlife reserves that form part of the enormous ecosystem mountains and Savannah plains in the semi-arid area, and they include the Pian Upe wildlife Reserve-the largest Wildlife Reserve in Uganda and the second largest protected Area in Uganda after the Murchison Falls National Park, Bokora corridor wildlife Reserve and Matheniko Wildlife Reserve.
Interestingly, these various wildlife reserves lie within the wider Karamoja region, where different ethnic groups—including the Pian, Bokora, Matheniko, and Upe—live in areas that correspond to wildlife reserves named after their respective groups. The Pian and the Upe occupy the Pian Upe wildlife reserve, the Matheniko inhabit the Matheniko Wildlife Reserve and the Bokora people occupy the Bokora Corridor wildlife Reserve.
Authorities gazetted this protected area in 1964, and Uganda Wildlife Authority now manages it. The reserve covers 2,056 square kilometers (794 square miles) of mainly dry plains stretching from Mount Kadam to Mount Napak on its northern side. This Wildlife reserve is a real wildlife hot spot but due to the poor condition of roads, it is very difficult to access it especially during the rainy season, and hence the best time to visit is the dry season.
Attractions within Bokora Corridor Wildlife Reserve
There are wide range of wildlife species that call this Wildlife reserve home and they include; the extinct Rothschild’s Giraffes, the leopards, the Topis, the Elands, the Oribis, the lesser kudu, Buffaloes, Lions, Zebras, Roan antelopes, the striped hyenas, the Uganda Kobs, the Bright’s gazelles, hartebeests, the spotted hyenas, the Uganda Kobs, the Oryx and the Reedbucks among others.
There are also several bird species found within this Wildlife reserve, and most of them are found within the swamps hence are perfect birding spots for birding safaris. Loporokocho swamp for example is a perfect birding area where you can spot exceptional bird species such as the Dusky Turtle Dove, the African Hill Babbler, the Thick-billed Honey guide, the Alpine Chat, the Jackson’s Hornbill, the Eastern Bronze-napped Pigeon, the Grey Cuckoo-Shrike, the Hartlaub’s Turaco, the Mountain Yellow Warbler, the Black-throated Wattle-eye, the Lemon Dove, the White-headed Buffalo-weaver and the Ostrich among others.
The fact that there are no accommodation facilities within the Park, Camping would be a perfect idea because you will get to camp within the Wilderness with the Wildlife. However, there are plans by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to establish some Lodges within the Wildlife Reserve.
Best time to visit Bokora Corridor Wildlife Reserve
This Wildlife reserve is accessible all year round, but the dry season (from June to September and December to February) is the most perfect for safaris. The murram roads are in poor condition hence makes it accessed in the wet season (April, May and November). This doesn’t mean that the wildlife reserve closes during the rainy season. You can still visit during this period, and because fewer tourists travel then, you can enjoy a more exclusive experience and have much of the reserve to yourself.
In conclusion, the Bokora Corridor is one of the Wildlife Reserves found within the Karamojong sub-region and is known for unique wildlife species such as the Cheetahs, Striped hyenas, the spotted hyenas and the Oryx among others.
