Pian Upe wildlife reserve is a conservation area in the Karamoja sub region of northeastern Uganda and it’s regarded as the second largest conservation protected area in Uganda after Murchison Falls reserve. Pian Upe headquarters are located just right alongside the direct Mbale-Moroto road 90kms from Mbale and 11kms north of the reserve’s northern boundary.
The reserve covers an area of about 2788 square kilometers to the north of mountain Elgon and it is now under the management of mountain Elgon conversation area, it lies in a semi arid county which usually receives rainfall in April and more considerable light rainfall from June to early September although in some years the rain fall is complete. Most of the Reserve is covered by undisturbed grassland and wooded grassland. The Pian Upe is a home of two pastoralist tribes from which the name suggest: the Pian being part of a sub group of the Karamoja, and the Upe being a Kalenjin speaking people more widely known as the Pakot within Kenya.
The reserve is a home to several species of wildlife which makes it attractive and often visited by tourists. The wild animals such as giraffes, lions, leopard, zebras, buffaloes, Harte beast, greater kudu, topi, Orib, and Uganda’s last population of roam antelope. It is one of the few places to observe Rothschild’s giraffe; different species of birds can also be spotted out around the swamp terrains in the Loporokocho swamp, bird species like the Ostrich, Jackson’s Hornbill, Hartlaub’s Bustard, and the white-headed buffalo- weaver. In addition the vervet monkey, olive baboons can all be spotted out.
When it comes to tourism destinations in Uganda, Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve stands out as one of the unique wildlife reserves. It is among the most amazing wildlife reserves in Uganda also serving as a habitat to different extinct species of wildlife which has made the reserve a major destination for tourists who would prefer to spend wildernesses encounters while on Uganda Safaris.
Leave along the amazing species of birds in the reserve, the wildlife reserve also harbors various species of primate like the vervet monkey and the extinct olive baboons. The existence of these primates makes it possible to view different species of wildlife at the reserve. Pian Upe is also shelters several of the rock pythons and Savannah monitors (largest lizards).
Some of the wildlife in the reserve include: giraffes, lions, leopards, Zebras, buffaloes plus more wildlife. The reserve is also a good place for Uganda birding safaris considering the array of the amazing bird species that reside in the reserve. Some of the birds include: the Ostrich, the Jackson’s Hornbill, the white-headed buffalo-weaver plus more. These birds can best be viewed in a swamp called Loporokocho.
