Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park Safaris & Tours, Location, Best time to visit, attraction, Safari accommodations and more
Queen Elizabeth National Park
The remarkable wildlife safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park, the untamed wilderness with unique tree climbing lions and charming wildlife, two fresh waterbody lakes connected by a single strong channel exposes you to majestic boat cruise on lakes Edward and George, giving you spectacular views of aquatic animals and fascinating birds.
The game drive encounters the most thrilling tree climbing lions, you must not miss sightseeing such an extraordinary experience and beauty that will leave everlasting memories.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Entrance
Location
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a wildlife safari park located in the western region of Uganda, spanning the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri.
The Park adjoins Kyambura Game Reserve to the east, which itself adjoins the Kigezi Game Reserve (including the Maramagambo Forest and thus the Kibale National Park to the northeast.
The Virunga National Park in the DRC lies across the border to the west. Together, these protected places completely encircle Lake Edward. The Mount Rwenzori National Park in Uganda lies not far to the northwest.
The Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most protected area with a diversity of ecosystems including sprawling savanna, shady forests, sparkling lakes, lush wetland vegetation and provide ideal habitats for classic big game, forest primates and birds.
The wildlife safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park has an abundance of magnificent vistas including the jagged backdrop of Rwenzori mountains, rolling hills pocked with extinct volcanic crater, open rift valley grasslands of Kasenyi and Ishasha, hippo lined Kazinga channel
Hippos in Kazinga Channel
History.
Queen Elizabeth National Park was initially occupied by the Basongora patriotists who were forced out of their land due to a rinderpest outbreak and sleeping sickness in 1921.
This led to loss of many lives and migration after which the British colonialists used this incident to evict the remaining population converting nearly 90% of their land into game reserves. This group of people were forced to flee across the border into Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In 1952, the park was officially founded as Kazinga National Park combining lake George and Lake Edward Game Reserves. It was renamed to Queen Elizabeth National Park two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth 11.
After this, the last remaining communal grazing rights of the Songora herders were rescinded, causing thousands more to move across the border with their herds into the Virunga National Park, most only beginning to return after 1964 due to the strife caused by the Mulele rebellion in the DRC.
In 2006, the Basongora who had returned from DRC settled north of Lake Edward with their livestock. This increased predator attacks on their animals and due to no compensation by the government, it led to retaliatory poisoning of the carcasses, killing of about 6 elephants in 2015 and at least 11 lions in 2018.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Pictorial
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Covering 1,978 square kilometers (764 square miles), Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to a diverse range of wildlife with over 95 mammal species. You’ll find 4 of the African big 5 which include; the African elephants, buffalos, lions, and leopards.
Lions in Queen Elizabeth are particularly famous for their unique abilities to climb trees especially in the renowned Ishasha sector. This is one of the features the National Park is famous for.
Other wildlife species found in this National Park include; Ugandan kob, hippos, topi, waterbuck, warthogs, giant forest hogs, Nile crocodiles, spotted hyenas, warthogs among others.
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Primates in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Primates in Queen Elizabeth National Park are particularly found in the Kyambura Gorge which is famous for chimpanzee trekking adventures. Some of the primates that inhabit this National Park include red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys among others.
You get to see all these primates on a guided walk in the Maramagambo forest and during your trek for chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge.
Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the top birding spots in Uganda with over 600 species of birds. For the very best birding experience, it’s much better to visit the National Park during the wet season when migratory birds are in plenty.
Some of the birds that proudly inhabit the 1,978 square kilometers of this National Park include the African fish eagle, yellow-billed stork, kingfishers, yellow wagtails, yellow throated cuckoo, wood sandpipers, white winged warblers, shoebill stork, open billed stork, papyrus canary, red-chested, flamingos, sunbirds, martial eagle and many others.
Attractions and activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the places that justify Uganda being called the Pearl of Africa. Its sprawling savannah and lush vegetation offer the very best experience for you with a lot of activities that can be done. These activities include the following,
Game Drives
This is one of the most popular activities done in Queen Elizabeth National Park allowing you the opportunity to sightsee over 95 mammal species. You can have a game drive experience in one of the three sectors of the National Park which include, the Kasenyi plains, Ishasha sector and the Katwe crater fields.
Kasenyi Game drive: This is found in the northeastern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park lying adjacent to the western shores of Lake George in the Kazinga Channel. It is well known for its abundant wildlife making it a prime location for safari game drives in Queen Elizabeth.
During your game drive in this sector, you will have an encounter with animals such as Uganda kobs, lions, buffalos. Warthogs, bushbucks among others. Coinciding with peak animal activities, morning and evening game drives are particularly rewarding in this sector.
Ishasha Game drive: This sector of Queen Elizabeth is particularly known for its unique tree climbing lions seen seated on fig trees. It is located in the southern part of the park enroute to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This sector also harbors a large population of elephants, buffaloes, kobs and topis that often serve as prey to the resident predators.
The Ishasha sector features two loops i.e, the northern and southern loops each stretching approximately 20 kilometers with more encounters with wildlife viewing.
Katwe Crater Drive: With some of the most beautiful scenery and distinctive geographical features, the Katwe crater driver passes through the park’s craters.This sector of the park is home to bushbucks, waterbucks, giant forest hogs to mention but a few.
A fascinating game drive through the crater is satisfying with a 4×4 vehicle accompanied by a professionally well experienced driver guide provided to you by Nata Adventures.
Game Drive In Queen Elizabeth National Park
Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
It is no secret that Queen Elizabeth is a natures hub for bird enthusiasts with over 600 species of birds that proudly call it home.
During your birding safari, you will come cross birds like the African fish eagle, Kingfisher, yellow-billed stork, , yellow wagtails, yellow throated cuckoo, wood sandpipers, white winged warblers, shoebill stork, open billed stork, papyrus canary, red-chested sunbirds, martial eagle , pink backed pelican, long tailed cormorant, flamingo and many others.
Recommended Safaris to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Guided Nature Walks
With the help of an armed game ranger, you get to have an up-close encounter with the wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park as you traverse the beautiful lush vegetation and sprawling savannah. Some of the places to have this wonderful encounter in are below.
Maramagambo forest: Maramagambo forest is a natural reserve located in Bushenyi district and commonly known for the bat experience.
The forest is home for primate species such as Chimpanzees, blue monkeys, baboons, and animal species such as the giant forest hog, African buffalo, bush pigs, bush babies, pygmy antelopes, chimpanzees, L’hoest’s monkeys, vervet monkeys, bats and pythons viewed at a safe distance among others.
This sector offers fascinating activities such as nature walks following the forest trails, viewing the waterfalls, crater lakes like Lake Kyasanduka and Lake Nyamasigiri, bat watching and birds like the Rwenzori Turacco, black headed batis to mention but a few.
Katwe salt mining sector: The people of Katwe town, 12km from Mweya, have been extracting salt from the saline lake Katwe using evaporation pans during the dry season i.e, July to December.
The evaporation in the dry season makes the saline water of lake Katwe to concentrate making a hyper solution that forms salt.
Guided Nature Walk
Launch Cruise at Kazinga channel.
Kazinga Channel is a wide long natural channel of 32 km that links two freshwater bodies, lakes Edward and George and has a wet land that is home to crocodiles, bird species, watebucks and land sitatunga antelopes,
During the Mweya boat cruise you will see buffaloes mud bathing, view the biggest lizard in Africa called giant monitor lizard and elephants.
Chimpanzee Tracking in Kyambura Gorge.
More intelligent than even the mighty mountain gorillas, chimpanzees are one of the most fascinating creatures on earth. In Queen Elizabeth National Park, you have the opportunity to go chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura Gorge located in the western part of the National Park.
The 16-kilometer-long gorge is 100 meters deep and 500 meters wide covered with thick forests and water streams. Besides chimpanzees, other primates you are likely to see in Kyambura gorge are baboons, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and many others. You will also get to see countless bird species, snakes, butterflies and other attractions.
Kalinzu forest: This is yet another fascinating location for chimpanzee tracking experience. It is located in the southeastern part of the park
Chimps in Kyambura Gorge
Lion Tracking
Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park offers unmatched opportunity to connect with Uganda’s if not the world’s most fascinating and iconic predator.
Conducted by trained researchers in the Kasenyi plains, the northern part of the park is a prime location for lion tracking. Radio collars fitted on specific lions are used to monitor their movements which helps in locating them easily.
This lion tracking adventure is best done in the morning and late afternoon and takes about 1-3 hours during which you get to learn about lion feeding, behavior and social structure.
Top Sightings in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Black & White Colobus Monkey
Leopard
African Fish Eagle
Ostrich
Warthogs
Topi
Nile Crocodile
Baboon
Thompsons’s Gazelle
Hippo
Coke’s Hartebeest
Buffalo
When is the best time to Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park?
Although Queen Elizabeth National Park is a year-round safari destination, the best time to have an unrivaled experience in this wilderness is during the dry season spanning from the month of January to February and then June to September.
This season is also considered the peak season for safari in the National Park seeing a lot of visitors crowding the park.
However, for bird enthusiasts, the best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park is in the wet season during which migratory bird species grace the park with their presence.
This encounter is experienced from the months of August to December and March to May.
Tree Climbing Lions
How to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
There are basically two ways to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park catering for all types of travelers and budgets as described below.
By road: This is the most common and cheapest way to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Your driver guide takes you for a 420 kilometers drive from Kampala to the park which typically takes about 8 hours to reach.
By air: The most convenient yet expensive way to reach Queen Elizabeth National Park is by air. This is less tiresome as you can opt to board a chartered flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip to one of the park’s airstrips in Ishasha, Mweya or Kasese.
After which you are picked up by your experienced driver guide for a short drive to the park or accommodation facilities depending on how your itinerary is crafted.
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