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Queen Elizabeth National Park – Uganda Safari Guide
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a remarkable tourist destination to dive into while on a Uganda safari. The park’s Ishasha sector and Kazinga channel are popular for tree-climbing lions and home to the highest concentration of hippos in the world, respectively. In this guide, therefore, we have shared everything you need to know about Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Table of Contents
Queen Elizabeth National Park at a Glance
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in western Uganda, spanning the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri. It lies on Africa’s Western Rift Valley floor, sprawling 1,978 sq km (764 sq mi) at an altitude of 884 to 1,337m (2,900 to 4,386ft). The park is roughly 400 kilometres (250 mi) by road from the capital, Kampala.
Queen Elizabeth National Park was formerly founded as Kazinga National Park in 1952 before being renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II of England. The park has a fascinating cultural history along with outstanding wildlife attractions. Visitors have the opportunity to meet the local communities and enjoy storytelling, dance, and music.
The gazetting of the park has ensured the conservation of its ecosystems, which in turn benefits not only the surrounding communities but also the world as a whole.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is set against the backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains and offers impressive views of diverse landscapes, such as dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, the Kazinga Channel, and the endless Ishasha plains.
Attractions in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts over 95 species of mammals, including 20 carnivores like lions, leopards, side-striped jackals, and spotted hyenas, and over 600 bird species. Its diversity of ecosystems, ranging from sprawling savannas to sparkling lakes, shady, humid forests, and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for classic big game and ultimately a remarkable tourist destination.
The park’s grasslands provide home to impressive wildlife species such as hippopos, chimpanzees, elephants, leopards, lions, water buffaloes, Uganda kob, waterbuck, warthog, hyena, giant forest hog, duiker, bushbuck, and reedbuck, among others.
The Ishasha sector offers great opportunities for viewing agile tree-climbing lions, while the Kyambura Gorge and Maramagambo Forest provide favourable primate viewing experiences (chimpanzee tracking).
The Kazinga channel has the highest concentration of hippos in the world, and this is the best spot to view them on a boat cruise. Its banks are usually lined with hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffalos, and elephants in the dry season (January to February and June to August).
Activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park
1. Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge
Chimpanzee tracking is a thrilling activity to embark on in the Kyambura Gorge. Visitors have the opportunity to spend one precious hour with the chimpanzees at close range in their natural habitat. There are several habituated chimps in this gorge. They stay in troops of about 30–80 members, usually chewing on foliage, and use them like sponges to dip in water and suck out the moisture.
Kyambura Gorge is a 16 Kilometre-long, 100-metre-deep and 500-metre-wide valley in the northeastern corner of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The valley was created as a buffer zone to protect the park from encroaching human activities.
The gorge is now covered by thick underground forest which is home to several species of primates, including olive baboons, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys, among others.
2. Tracking tree-climbing lions
A considerable number of visitors flock to the park’s Ishasha sector to enjoy an up-close encounter with these agile tree-climbing lions and observe their mysterious behavior.
Whether it is to enable them to have better views of their potential prey, seek the cool breeze in the trees, or escape notorious bites from flies on the ground, the real reason for the lions choosing to reside up in the acacia trees remains an intriguing mystery.
The Ishasha sector is located along the highway leading to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is a perfect stopover for travelers intending to see the lions and trek gorillas in Bwindi.
3. Game Drives
Game drives are the major highlight of a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You have the opportunity to view even the most elusive of the park’s wildlife. Game drives are usually conducted in the morning and evening and feature up-close viewing of wildlife in the comfort of a vehicle. Your driver guide knows the different tracks intimately so he will lead you to the best spots to view wildlife.
4. Launch cruise
The 2-hour launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel is an exhilarating activity that gives visitors the opportunity to explore a variety of wildlife. The Kazinga Channel is a wide, 32-kilometre (20 mi) long natural water channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George.
During the cruise, you will get to enjoy sightings and sounds the park’s rich aquatic life extravagantly offers such as hippos taking their dips in the waters and the fierce Nile crocodiles basking lazily on the channel banks for a feel of the warm sun.
5. Bird watching
With a bird list of over 600 species, it’s no doubt that the enthusiastic bird watcher is in for a major delight in one of the best bird watching paradises in Africa. The park’s expansive grasslands, forests, and wetlands are the perfect habitats for this impressive birdlife.
Some of the birds here include the Sedge Warbler, Papyrus Canary, Martial Eagle, Pink-backed Pelican, Yellow-Throated Cuckoo, and Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, which are likely to grace your photographic memories. You can’t afford to miss out on sighting the flamingos at the Katwe and Bunyampaba salt lakes.
6. Cultural/community tours
As a part of the community tour program, the Queen Elizabeth National Park is a great destination for cultural encounters. Visit the locals traditionally harvesting salt from Lake Katwe, visit traditional homesteads, and enjoy energetic music and dance performances by the Kikorongo Equator Performers.
Best time to Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park
The best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park is in the dry season from December to February and June to September. These are periods of the year when the weather is dry and animals roam throughout the park in separate groups in search of water and pasture making it easier to spot them.
The tree-climbing lions of Ishasha hang up in the branches of the candelabra trees, running away from the hot ground. This phenomenon offers an opportunity to spot even the most elusive animals.
The wet season, which takes place from March to May and September to December, is sure to reveal the inner beauty of Queen Elizabeth National Park. As a visitor, you wouldn’t want to miss out on the beauty of nature revealing itself in the wilderness during these periods.
Again, the wet season is the best time to go bird-watching since it is the breeding season in April and May.
Getting to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is situated around 410 km (255 mi) west of Kampala. The direct drive takes about 7 hours and 30 minutes, but your itinerary will most likely include some parks along the way.
The park is also connected by daily domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield near Kampala, which land at Mweya Airstrip, Kihihi Airstrip, and Kasese Airstrip.
Visitors will enter Uganda through Entebbe International Airport (EBB), about 46 km/29 mi from the capital, Kampala. We will arrange for your pick-up from the airport and transfer you to your reserved lodge as you prepare for your safari adventure the next day.
Where to stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Tourist accommodations at the park include a range of lodges and tented camps such as.
- Ishasha Wilderness Camp.
- Kyambura Tented Camp.
- Kyambura Gorge Lodge.
- Mweya Safari Lodge.
- Mweya Hostels & Cottages.
- Jacana Safari Lodge.
