PIAN UPE WILDLIFE RESERVE
Pian Upe wildlife reserve Uganda: Pian Upe wildlife reserve in the eastern part of Uganda and is connected to Matheniko Game Reserve. It was established as a wildlife reserve in 1964. It was previously declared as a Debasien Animal Sanctuary in 1958 and later became a wildlife reserve under the management of Uganda Wildlife Authority.
This wildlife reserve is popular for its relatively wide base of different wildlife species such as lions, leopards, giraffes, cheetah, waterbucks, Uganda Kobs, Jackson’s hartebeests, oribis, topi, zebra and so many more.
Other commonly sighted mammals in Pian Upe wildlife reserve include; jackals, civets, spotted hyenas, leopards, servals, wildcats, Blue and common duiker, Roan antelope, waterbucks, the crested porcupine and the Klipspringer among others.
Pian Upe wildlife reserve also has a number of bird species such as; ostriches, the secretary bird, Sagittarius serpentarius and the yellow-billed shrike to mention but a few.
The wildlife reserve is located approximately 90 kilometers from Mbale in the northeastern part of Uganda. It is situated within the Karamoja region, just north of Mount Elgon.
Pian Upe wildlife spans over a radius of approximately 2,788 square kilometers which makes it the second largest protected area in Uganda after Murchison falls national park.
The wildlife reserve derives its name from two pastoralist groups called Pian and Upe. The Pian people are quite similar to the Karamajong while the Upe people share a lot of similarities with the Kalenjin ethnic tribe.
Pian Upe wildlife reserve features semi-arid climate with one annual rain season. Most of the wildlife reserve is dominated by undisturbed grassland and wooded grassland.
The reserve also has lots of plant and tree species such as the red acacia, desert date, bush willows, Harrisonia abyssinica and red spike-thorns. It also has lots of shrubs like butterfly pea and wooly caper bush to mention but a few.
Activities done in Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
Among some of the activities done by tourists visiting Pian Upe wildlife reserve include;
Guided Nature Walks
Guided nature walks in Pian Upe wildlife reserve in Uganda offer visitors the best opportunity to explore the reserve on foot. Get a chance to have up close views of different wildlife in the reserve such as; the cape buffalo, common eland, impala, bohor and mountain reedbuck to mention but a few.
Game Drives
Wild viewing in Pian Upe wildlife reserve in Uganda is best done during a game drive in the reserve. Day game drives offer visitors the best opportunity to view a variety of wildlife like elephants, zebra, giraffe, and spotted hyenas to mention but a few. You can also spot some primate species in the reserve such as vervet monkeys, Patas monkeys and Olive baboons to mention but a few.
Other activities offered to visitors in Pian Upe wildlife reserve include, bird watching and community cultural tours.
Best Time to visit Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
Pian Upe wildlife reserve can be visited at any time of the year. However, the best time to visit the reserve is between January, February and March which are the dry months and favor wildlife viewing in the wildlife reserve.
Accommodation in Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
For those who wish to spend a night at the wildlife reserve, you can stay at the UWA bandas or in nearby towns like Soroti, Moroto or Mbale.
How to get to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
Pian Upe wildlife reserve can be accessed by road from Kampala city through Moroto and Mbale which takes about 7to 8 hours of driving. The reserve can also be accessed from Mbale which is about a 2 hour’s drive.
