A Guide To Queen Elizabeth National Park
This guide to Queen Elizabeth National Park will take you to Uganda’s most popular safari destination, located in western Uganda. It covers approximately 1978 square kilometers, the best conservation area and a must-visit destination on your Ugandan safari. The park was initially known as Kazinga National Park in 1954 to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. It is home to a rich variety of wildlife, including tree-climbing lions, chimpanzees, lions, elephants, waterbucks, hippos, mongoose, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, leopards, crocodiles, and black and white colobus monkeys. Bird lovers will find this park to be a paradise, as it hosts over 600 species of birds, including the saddle-billed stork, the grey crowned crane, the yellow-billed stork, and the fish eagle. If you are seeking an unforgettable adventure surrounded by nature’s wonders, Queen Elizabeth National Park is the perfect destination. The activities which you can participate in while on your safari include bird watching, game drives, boat cruise on kazinga channel, chimpanzee trekking, mongoose tracking, nature walk among others. You can contact Caracal Explorers to organize for you your dream African safari.
Where to find the park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located on the western edge of Uganda, specifically in the districts of Kasese, Rubirizi, Kamwenge and Rukungiri. It’s about 410km from Kampala City to the park. The park is situated between of Rwenzori Mountains to the North, which helps the park to be very green because of the shadows from the Mountains and plenty of water from Lake George and Lake Albert.
Activities to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Boat Cruise at Kazinga Channel.
This is one of the best tourist activities in the park, which offers unique encounters with birding and wildlife experiences to all nature lovers seeking a great Ugandan safari. This channel connects Lake Edward and Lake George, and it’s one point where most of the animals in the park gather to hunt, drink water and bathe. This is one of the ways to spend your time sitting back and relaxing while observing various wildlife species, bird species and embracing the beauty of Uganda, the pearl of Africa. You will have a great opportunity to observe schools of hippos swimming, elephants, buffalo, crocodiles, water bucks and among others bird lovers will have a chance to see African Fish Eagle, grey-headed kingfisher, pied kingfisher, pink-backed pelican, various weaver birds, herons, storks, cormorants, to mention but a few.
Game Drives -A Guide To Queen Elizabeth National Park
This is one of the most interesting activities in the park for wildlife lovers, you will have a wildlife experience whether in kasanyi, Mwenya or Ishasha sector. All sectors offer amazing games with various wildlife species. For your ultimate safari experiences, contact Caracal Explorers for a lifetime African Safari experience. The morning game drive is interesting because it will give you an opportunity to see nocturnal animals like Lions, leopards and hyenas retreating to their dens after feasting. The night game drives are perfect for observing hyenas, lions, leopards hunting and also seeing night birds like Verreaux’s Eagle Owl and the Slender-tailed Nightjar. Whether you decide to have a morning game drive, evening game drive or night game you will have a memorable experience of spotting lions, elephants, waterbucks, hippos, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, leopards, crocodiles, and black and white colobus monkeys among other not forgetting the tree-climbing lions in Ishasha sector, these rare lions can only be seen in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.
Bird Watching.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a premier birding destination in Uganda, with over 600 recorded bird species. The park’s diverse vegetation supports various specific bird species, including savannah, forest, aquatic, and swamp birds, making it a true haven for bird enthusiasts. There are numerous birding sites to explore, and you can choose the ones that best suit your interests. Popular birding areas include the Katwe sector, Maramagambo forest area, Ishasha sector, Lake Kikorongo area, Katunguru area, Mweya peninsula, and the Kazinga Channel during boat cruises. Among the bird species you might encounter in the park are the African Crake, Black-headed Gonolek, Marsh Tchagra, Black Bee-eater, African Paradise Flycatcher, Red-chested Sunbird, Pin-tailed Whydah, Blue-napped Mousebird, Lesser Masked Weaver, and Swamp Flycatcher, to name just a few.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge.
Chimpanzee trekking is one of the must-do activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It takes place in Kyambura Gorge, often referred to as the “Valley of Apes.” This forested area is home to a number of habituated chimpanzees that are open for visits. Due to the steep terrain, chimpanzee trekking can be a bit challenging, but the experience is truly unique. The reward comes when you finally encounter the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, observing them as they play in the trees, mothers cuddling their young, and feeding. It’s fascinating to see how similar they are to humans.
Nature Walks- A Guide To Queen Elizabeth National Park
The guided nature walks can be done while on your safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and this involves experiencing nature on foot, which is amazing to experience. Nature walk is done in the tropical rainforest of Maramagambo forest or Mweya Peninsula, which has pathways to use. You will have a chance to see different mammal and bird species, views of the savannah, woodlands and forest vegetation
How to Access the Park.
You can access Queen Elizabeth National Park by taking a road trip from Kampala, which is approximately a 5-hour drive. Along the way, you’ll have several stopovers that will make the trip both interesting and memorable. Alternatively, you can fly domestically from either Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Mwaye Airstrip or Kasese Airstrip. The flight takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, making it the fastest way to reach the park for those who prefer not to sit for long hours.
Where to stay on a Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park offers a variety of accommodations to fit different budgets, ranging from affordable options to luxury lodges. For those seeking budget-friendly stays, consider Pumba Lodge, Baboon Lodge, or Bush Lodge. If you’re interested in mid-range options, you can choose from Twin Lakes Safari Lodge, Enjojo Lodge, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Parkview Safari Lodge, or Elephant Hab Lodge. For a more luxurious experience, look into Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Elephant Plains Lodge, Volcanoes Lodge, or Kyambura Gorge Lodge.
