Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park (formerly Kazinga National Park), one of the best destinations to explore the diversity of savanna wildlife on a game drive. Located in Kasese and Rubirizi District, Western Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park (Medley of Wonders) is known for its biodiverse and stunning landscapes. The Park is situated at an altitude of 910 to 1390m. It is also a recognized UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and was declared a National Park in 1952.
Queen Elizabeth National Park spans over 1978 sq. km and has its boundaries stretching in the prime districts like Rubirizi, Kamwenge, Rukungiri, and Kasese. This is Uganda’s 2nd largest park and features different sectors including Kasenyi Plains, Mweya Peninsular, Kyambura Gorge, Ishasha, and Kazinga Channel. These sectors or regions hold a diversity of wildlife and birdlife. The Kazinga channel connects the scenic Lake Edward to Lake George, and along the banks, visitors can enjoy sights of hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic species of birds.
The Kazinga channel is a 32 km stretch of natural channel and is a perfect spot to find aquatic species. Other areas of interest to explore in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Maramagambo Forest, Lake Katwe Salt Works, and, in the adjacent part, there is Kalinzu Forest.
Wildlife
At Queen Elizabeth National Park, expect to explore more than 95 species of mammals and many other species. The diverse mammals found in this park consist of waterbucks, giant forest hogs, lions, which also include the tree-climbing lions, buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, warthogs, and spotted hyenas. The Park also has the Nile crocodiles, primates (including chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, & blue monkeys), side-stripped jackals, and mongooses.
The Bird species
A composition of 625 bird species resides in Queen Elizabeth National Park. They include forest, aquatic, and savanna species. This park supports plenty of bird species, such as the blue-headed bee-eaters, swamp flycatchers, little bee-eaters, Grey kestrel, African skimmers, papyrus gonoleks, African mourning doves, pygmy kingfishers, African crakes, African jacanas, striped kingfishers, and shoebill storks.
Other species of birds to identify during a guided birding tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Ross’s turacos, little bee-eaters, broadbill billed rollers, Great white pelicans, Pel’s fishing owl, African fin-foot, handsome spurfowl, Diederik cuckoos, Ruppell’s griffons, Grey-backed fiscals, Brown backed scrub robin, lappet faced vultures, green crombec, and slender tailed nightjars. In other habitats, expect to find birds such as yellow-bellied wattle-eye, Egyptian goose, Red-chested sunbirds, Grey kestrel, Collared pratincole, and others.
Activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Guided game drives
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the best destination in Uganda to visit for you to experience the best game drive. You can go for self-drive or guided safaris to explore the variety of savanna wildlife in the Kasenyi track or the Ishasha wilderness. During a guided game drive in the morning, afternoon, or evening, expect an amazing treat of the park’s abundant wildlife.
Visitors can start their day with the sunrise game drive or the afternoon session. Each of the sessions can last for 2-3 hours and comes with astonishing encounters including small and large mammals. Expect to also keep an eye on diverse bird species such as yellow yellow-throated long crow, Kori bustards, red-throated surf owl, and African jacanas.
Lion trekking
The best way to also spot lions in particular and learn more about their distinct behaviors in the wilderness is by embarking on a lion trekking session. Kasenyi Game Track is the ideal spot to consider exploring during the lion trekking excursion. While on lion trek, you can also enjoy sights of other wildlife and birds. These help spice your excursion along the Kasenyi track.
Launch tours
Queen Elizabeth National Park is most popular for its rewarding boat/launch excursion on the Kazinga Channel. Exploring this natural channel comes with encounters with aquatic species such as Nile crocodiles, hippos, and water birds. Along the Kazinga channel, expect to enjoy sights of birds such as long-tailed cormorants, African jacanas, shoebill storks, African spoonbills, yellow-billed storks, and others.
Chimpanzee trekking tours
Enjoy 2-4 hours of immersion into the Kyambura Gorge jungles while you search for chimpanzees. At Kyambura, expect to explore more about the unique behaviors of chimpanzees, and a great portion of these have been opened to the public. An hour is allotted to guests to learn more about chimpanzees, and after you can be led back to where you started your trek.
Birding experience
Expect to identify abundant bird species on a guided birding tour experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The birds that await you to spot include African mustached warblers, shoebill storks, white-winged warblers, African broadbills, blue-shouldered robin chat, African skimmers, elusive shoebill storks, red-capped larks, and scarlet-chested sunbirds. The best birding spots to explore in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Katuguru Bridge, Kasenyi, Ishasha, Lake Kikorongo, Maramagambo Forest, and Kyambura Gorge.
Forest nature walks
A nature walk introduces you to the lush forest of Maramagambo Forest and the savanna plains, a great opportunity for you to interact with different species. Kyambura Gorge is also an ideal location to enjoy a guided nature walking excursion. During the guided nature walk, expect to come across primates, flora, and bird species.
When to go
Wildlife tours can be arranged for Queen Elizabeth National Park at any time of the year. But the peak dry season offers more excellent time for you to experience the best of Queen Elizabeth Park, and this can be from June to September or December to February. The park also welcomes guests during the off-peak season, especially for birding excursions. The preferred time for birding tours extends from March to May then from October to November.
Accommodation Choices to Consider
The choices of lodges and camps –accommodation in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park comprise budget, midrange, and luxury. The common lodging options include Ishasha Jungle Lodge, Mweya Safaris Lodge, Enganzi Game Lodge, Ishasha Pride Lodge, Bush Lodge, Katara Lodge, Elephant Plains Lodge, Topi Lodge, and Ishasha Wilderness Camp. Additional accommodations include Ihamba Safari Lodge, Bulbul Lodge, Simba Tented Camp, and Kyambura Gorge Lodge etc.
Getting there (Queen Elizabeth National Park) –by road or air.
Drive for about 8 hours along the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Ishaka route or spend around 7 hours on the Kampala-Fort Portal tourism city route. By air transportation, expect to spend not more than 2 hours and land at Kasese/Mweya Airstrip.
Conclusion: The above visitor guide provides updated travel information to help you arrange a successful wildlife safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Book with us your game viewing tour and get rewarded by the most sensational experiences.