Situated in the western portion of Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the most well-known and established savannah national parks. With more than 600 species of birds and 95 species of animals, it encompasses 1,978 km² of land. Along with being adjacent to Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Queen Elizabeth National Park is located astride the Equator in the Western Rift valley of South West Uganda, near the southernmost tip of the fabled, mist-covered Mountains of the Moon, the Rwenzori Mountains. There are many different types of habitats in this area, such as thickets and open grasslands, forests, wetlands, and lakeshores. Lake Edward is surrounded by Queen Elizabeth National Park and Virunga, and it is connected to Lake George via the Kazinga Channel.
It’s possible to see lions lazing, elephants strolling, and enormous forest hogs snuffing. Every visitor to this park is sure to be in awe of the immense diversity found in every kingdom of creation. It’s just a feast for the eyes. Experience a boat ride, a game drive, a hike through a crater, a woodland stroll or just take in one of the many breathtaking vistas. Experiences in Queen Elizabeth National Park are exceptional and one-of-a-kind.
The Ishasha sector, located in the southern portion of the park, is home to tree-climbing lions that sit atop Savannah fig trees. This Savannah landscape, which encompasses Lake Edward and the Ishasha River flats, as well as the Ishasha riverine forest, has a high concentration of game. Beautiful landscape can be found at the hippo pools located in the Congo escarpment and Ishasha River.
One of Uganda’s largest forests, Maramagambo Forest is a part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It’s a damp, semi-deciduous woodland at a medium altitude. In Africa, these kinds of forests are getting fewer and further between. Its craters and lakes are quite amazing. It is the only location in the park where Blue Lakes may be found. Primate species such as L’hoest’s monkeys, chimpanzees, bush babies, baboons, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, etc. are additional attractions in the forest. Maragambo boasts a significant diversity of butterflies because of its location. Other enjoyable activities in the forest include seeing bats and visiting hunters’ cave, in addition to the usual assortment of forest birds.
Tourism Activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Game Drives
During game drives along Kasenyi and Queens Mile in the morning, evening, and night, guests can see lions, leopards, Uganda Kobs, buffalo, water bucks, warthogs, lakes, and a variety of birds. The ranger guide will accompany visitors in a safari vehicle featuring a pop-up roof, allowing them to see wildlife while inside. Most of the park’s animals may be seen by tourists because to the large number of trucks that are reserved for game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Game drives last three to four hours, during which time you can look for and observe the animals. Early morning game drives begin at precisely 6:00 am, evening game drives take place between 3:00 and 4:00 pm, and night game drives begin at either 7:30 or 8:00 pm, depending on your arrangements with your driver guide. Because most animals will be coming out of hiding to look for food, game drives are conducted in the morning, evening, and night. This allows tourists to see a variety of animals in public areas. Note that compared to day game drives, night game drives allow guests to see animals up close.
Boat cruise at Kazinga Channel
Boat cruises and launches in Lake Edward’s Kazinga Channel offer a special viewpoint for seeing Savannah fauna. Starting in Mweya, the park headquarters, a launch excursion travels 32 km down the Kazinga Channel, which joins the water flow from Lake George to Lake Edward. This is undoubtedly one of the park’s most thrilling and unforgettable experiences. You can anticipate being ecstatic when you see yawning hippos and up-close views of aquatic birds along the coastlines during your journey. A two-hour boat ride across the well-known Kazinga Channel is a worthwhile way to see animals including warthogs, elephants, chimpanzees, and hippopotamuses. Aside from seeing amazing birds, this excursion gives visitors the chance to witness Darters, Black Crake, African Jacana, Open-Billed Stork, Saddle Bill Stork, Yellow Billed Stork, Great and Long Tailed Cormorants, and African Shoebill. Scheduled boat tours typically depart between 2:00 and 4:00 pm. Another one is scheduled to operate at 9:00 am and requires a minimum of four (four) passengers.
Chimpanzee Tracking at Kyambura Gorge
One of the forests in the centre of Queen Elizabeth National Park is Kyambura Gorge, which serves as a home to a variety of animals, including chimpanzees. Since Kyambura Gorge is home to around 27 chimpanzees, chimpanzee tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park has increased. Numerous primates, including vervet monkeys, baboons, black-and-white colobus, and red-tailed monkeys, are present during the chimpanzee tracking experience. A wide range of bird species, including African skimmer, Ovampo sparrow hawk, Papyrus gonolek, white-winged warbler, and martial eagle, are all recognised for inhabiting the canyon.
It takes two to four hours to monitor habituated chimpanzees, with morning and afternoon sessions. The ranger guide will give you a briefing at 8:00 a.m., after which you will be taken into the forest to look for chimpanzees, which are the closest living relatives of humans. 2:00 pm is when the afternoon session begins, and it ends in the evening. For foreigners and non-foreigners, the activity costs USD$ 50 per person; for East Africans, it costs UGX 30,000.
Bird Watching
More bird species than any other park in East Africa may be found in Queen Elizabeth National Park, making bird watching there an excellent experience. Birding International has designated the park as an Important Birding Area (IBA). Kazinga Channel, Kasenyi region, Mweya Peninsula, Maramagambo Forest, Ishasha Sector, Lake Kikorongo, Katunguru Bridge region, and Katwe Area are among the locations in Queen Elizabeth National Park where birdwatching is possible.
Martial Eagle, Black-rumped Buttonquail, African Skimmer, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Pink-backed Pelican, African Broadbill, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed Lark, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, Corncrake, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Shoebill, and Bar-tailed Godwit are a few of the birding species that can be found at Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Guided Nature Walks
Walking in the Park’s authorised areas is part of a nature walk. The armed ranger guide will escort the clients in order to safeguard visitors and identify and describe the local flora and animals. In addition, it gives clients a chance to stretch their muscles as part of the exercise and observe animals up close. The Maramagambo Forest, the Mweya Peninsula, and the Ishasha River are among the locations for nature walks in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Thousands of bats relax in the bat cave that may be seen by nature walkers in Maramagambo Forest. As a result, during the nature walks, a variety of animals, birds, and beneficial tree species will be seen and described along with their purposes.