5 Days Best of Queen Elizabeth National Park
Our 5-day best of Queen Elizabeth National Park is a fascinating Uganda safari that starts and ends in Entebbe. The safari will allow you to visit the stunning Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second-largest national park after Murchison Falls National Park. Among the many species of wildlife you will see on the safari are elephants, tree-climbing lions, leopards, buffalos, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, hippos, crocodiles, and more to be seen on the game drives and boat rides along the Kazinga Channel. Additionally, you will have one hour with the endangered chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, commonly known as the Valley of Apes.
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Your driver guide will pick you up depending on your location in Kampala on the first day of the 5-day best of Queen Elizabeth National Park, brief you about the safari, and then begin your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda. On the way, you will have en route lunch in Fort Portal, after which you will continue the journey with spectacular views of the beautiful scenery, Rwenzori Mountains, tea estates, banana plantations, and crater lakes, among others. Upon arrival, you will go for an optional evening game drive where you will be able to see a number of species, including elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, and warthogs, among others. Following the game drive, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Option: Elephant Plains ( Luxury), Parkview Safari Lodge( Midrange) Pumba Lodge ( Budget)
Meal Plan: Half Board
Day 2: Morning game drive/lion tracking experience and afternoon boat ride
Following an early breakfast on the second day of the 5-day best of Queen Elizabeth National Park, your driver guide will pick you up from your lodge to head to Kasenyi Plains for an early game drive or lion tracking adventure. You will have amazing sunrise sights; the big four mammals’ including the lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes, together with other animals like waterbucks, bushbucks, and Uganda kobs; views of several bird species, among other things, during the game drive. Lunch will be at the lodge after the game drive.
Following lunch, you will drive to the landing spot close to Mweya Safari Lodge for an amazing boat trip along the Kazinga Channel, a 40-kilometer waterway linking Lake George and Lake Edward. Large numbers of hippos and Nile crocodiles in the water may be seen during the 2-hour boat ride, along with buffaloes, elephants, and warthogs drinking water along the shores, and water birds, including yellow-billed storks, cormorants, hornbills, African skimmers, kingfishers, and fish eagles, among other species. You may also photograph the fishermen on the beaches getting their fishing tools ready for night fishing, among other gorgeous photos. You will go on an evening game drive after the boat tour to see some of the animals you missed in the morning and later go back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge.
Accommodation Option: Elephant Plains ( Luxury), Parkview Safari Lodge( Midrange) Pumba Lodge ( Budget)
Meal Plan:Full Board
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge and Crater Lakes Exploration
On day 3 of the 5-day best of Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kyambura Gorge, also known as the Valley of Apes, for the briefing about the rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking. Following the briefing, you will be assigned a park guide and begin hiking in the forest looking for the habituated chimpanzees. Depending on where the chimpanzees are, trekking at Kyambura Gorge takes 30 minutes to 4 hours, as they prefer to travel from one location to another in search of food. During your trekking, you will see magnificent views of other primate species, including olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys, and view colorful bird species like African kingfishers, blue-headed bee-eaters, falcons, and African finfoot, some animals like elephants, and plant and tree species, among others. Once the chimpanzees are discovered, you will spend one hour with them in their natural environment to study their habits and behaviors and witness them performing their everyday tasks, including feeding, breastfeeding, playing, hunting, and resting, as you take pictures and record events, among other things. Following an hour with the chimpanzees, you will hike back to the launch site to meet your driver guide for a transfer back to the lodge for lunch.
You will meet with your driver guide after lunch to go on a Crater Lake tour at Katwe Crater Lake. During the tour, you will be able to interact with the local people who will be extracting rock salt from the lake to earn a living and visit Nyamunuka Crater Lake, which is known as the hospital for animals, among others. You will drive back to the hotel for an evening rest, dinner, and overnight stay after the Crater Lakes tour.
Accommodation Option: Elephant Plains ( Luxury), Parkview Safari Lodge( Midrange) Pumba Lodge ( Budget)
Meal Plan: Half Board
Day 4: Game drive in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
You will meet with your driver guide after breakfast on the 4th day of the 5-day exploration of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a full-day game drive in the Ishasha sector. Known for housing the renowned tree-climbing lions that would be seen on the game drive. The Ishasha sector is situated in the southern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for tree-climbing lions, which are usually spotted sluggishly camped in acacia/fig tree branches, gazing at other creatures like the Uganda kobs, waterbucks, buffalos, elephants, and other species. Following the game drive, you will travel back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Option: Ishashe Wilderness ( Luxury), Enjojo Lodge ( Midrange) Topi Lodge ( Budget)
Meal Plan: Full Board
Day 5: Departure to Kampala
You will have a leisurely breakfast on the last day of 5 days exploring Queen Elizabeth National Park, check out of the lodge, and meet up with your driver guide to travel back to Kampala. Along the route, you will pause at the Igongo Cultural Center for lunch and then go on with another stopover at the Equator, where you may purchase crafts, artwork, and paintings and take photos. From the Equator, you will proceed with your journey towards Kampala, reaching it in the early evening, and your driver guide will drop you at Entebbe International Airport or at your hotel.
End of 5 days explore Queen Elizabeth national park
Includes
1 Chimpanzee trekking permit
Park entrance fees/game drive
Lion tracking fees
Boat cruise fee
Full-time English-speaking driver guide
Accommodation
Pick up and drop off in Kampala
4WD safari vehicle and fuel
Bottled drinking water
Excludes
Air flight tickets and Visas
Optional activities not included on the itinerary
Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, tips, and others.
