Exploring Zika Forest, Entebbe

If you are interested in forest exploration and you are on safari in Uganda then this is one of the incredible forests that shouldn’t miss out in your bucket list. Zika Jungle is situated on Entebbe road about 25 kilometers’ drive off Kampala capital city and stands as the main tourist attraction on its own.

For visitors who are starting or ending their safaris from Entebbe International Airport, this is should be one of the places that you must make a stopover while on Uganda holiday. It is from this that the Zika virus is believed to have originated from (around 1947), a virus which has spread a lot of fear on earth. It was first discovered in a monkey that thrived within Zika forest and assumed to have connection to microcephally a birth defect condition.

The forest however features a number of incredible swamps that are filled with lots of crocodiles, distinct forest types and grasslands which expand up to the popular Lake Victoria. About 140 different kinds of woody plants, 35 types of saturniid, 60 moths, snakes, leopards, monkeys, 60 mosquito species and all these make the Zika forest one of the most incredible destinations that Uganda offers for the world.

Compared to the rest of the forests, Zika forest is a few smallest known forests that Uganda offers to the world travelers to explore in depth. It features several mature trees and interestingly one of the perfect birding sites that you should consider exploring while on Uganda safari.

A visit to this forest for bird watching will reward you with unforgettable experiences and you won’t regret spending sometime in this area. Zika forest features its own virus research field station which is affiliated to UVRI-Uganda Virus Research Institute.

The Zika Forest features one of the tallest research towers in the Uganda, a 40 meters high steel research tower that was relocated from Mpanga Forest Reserve for about 50 years back with the funding and influence of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The steel research tower has since offered an incredible platform for Uganda Virus Research Institute to conduct detailed research and various ecological studies within the forest. The tower is also amazing site for visitors and foreign travelers who are interested in getting spectacular views of the monkeys and birds in the Zika forest.

Zika forest is undeniably the best site for one to make a stopover while on road trip from Entebbe to Kampala and amazingly, you can try out picnic tour around it and you will be thrilled with experiences of lifetime. This is the perfect spots that shouldn’t miss out in your travel plan. Not only is this forest famous for its natural beauty, history and wildlife but features as a vibrant educational site and most students flock here for studies and hosts a number of leisure enthusiasts. Interestingly, the former POTUS J. Charter listed the forest among his must to visit areas while setting off for bird watching in Uganda.

In conclusion, Zika forest features among the very few most spectacular forests that come with unique history, tree species, birds, wildlife and many more for travelers to explore while on safari in Uganda. The forest is a perfect stopover for most travelers setting off from Entebbe International Airport to Kampala or any safari destination in Uganda and offers the most interesting views of numerous tourist attractions.