Queen Elizabeth National Park
This national park is located in southwestern Uganda, in the Kasese District. Established in 1952, it is one of Uganda's largest parks and borders the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. The park's vegetation mainly consists of small trees, including acacias.
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers an area of 1,978 km². It is situated in the Albertine Rift Valley between Lakes George and Edward. This park is a popular spot for safaris in Uganda due to its rich wildlife, beautiful scenery, and easy access from urban centers.
The park was named after Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the area in 1954. It is home to four of Africa's Big Five animals: lions, elephants, leopards, and buffalo. The Ishasha sector in the south is famous for its tree-climbing lions, which are unique in Uganda.
A notable feature of the park is the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lakes George and Edward. This channel is crucial for the survival of the park's wildlife. Visitors can enjoy boat cruises on the channel, where they can see hippos, elephants, and various bird species up close.
The park offers stunning views of savannah grasslands with scattered acacia trees and wildlife. The Kikorongo area has attractive craters, and the sunset views beyond the Mitumbi Hills across the Congo are a highlight of any safari in Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is an ideal destination for all types of travelers, offering many adventure opportunities. It is a must-visit on any safari to Uganda.
Reason to Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park
Explore off-road to find lions and leopards that can climb trees. The savannah grasslands are home to elephants, buffalo, antelopes, and warthogs. Take a boat trip to see pelicans, buffalo, elephants, hippos, and crocodiles.
Enjoy the beautiful scenery of wide savannah grasslands mixed with green trees. In the mysterious woodlands of the Kyambura Gorge, look for chimpanzees.
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda is the most biodiverse area in the country. It has 600 species of birds and over 95 large animal species. The park features a variety of habitats, including grassland, woodland, tropical forests, wetlands, freshwater rivers and lakes, and saltwater lakes. About 40,000 hectares of the park are covered by semi-deciduous forest.
The park is home to around 5,000 hippos, 2,500 elephants, and 10,000 buffalo. The Ishasha sector is known for its tree-climbing lions and other big cats. In Kyambura Gorge, you can find chimpanzees and many bird species.
Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best places for bird watching in Uganda. It is home to over 600 bird species, making it a paradise for bird enthusiasts. You can see birds like sedge warblers, pink-backed pelicans, yellow-throated cuckoos, and owls, among many others.
Game Drives
One of the best parts of visiting the park is going on game drives, where you can see some of the park's rarest animals. These drives usually happen in the early morning or at night. Your driver guide will help you find different wildlife. During the game drive, you might see elephants, antelopes, hyenas, lions, buffaloes, kobs, and leopards, among others.
The Tree-Climbing Lions of Ishasha Sector
It's not every day you see lions climbing trees, and it used to be safe to climb a tree if a lion was chasing you. But not in the Ishasha sector, which is part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here, you can see lions resting in acacia and fig trees, which is a beautiful sight. You can visit the Ishasha sector on your way to or from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park when you're going gorilla trekking.
Boat Trip
This boat trip happens on the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the cruise, tourists can enjoy the sights and sounds of the rich aquatic life in the area. You'll see large hippos cooling off in the water and Nile crocodiles basking on the banks to soak up the sun.
Access to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Uganda's roads are getting better, but it still takes most of the day to drive from Entebbe to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Driving from Kibale Forest to Fort Portal takes about three hours, and from Mweya Peninsula to Buhoma in northern Bwindi takes around four hours.
Alternatively, you can take regular flights between Queen Elizabeth National Park and Entebbe, as well as other Ugandan cities. These flights take between one and two hours, depending on the route.
Popular Safari in Uganda
Check out these popular safaris in Uganda! They're just a few examples of what you can do. You can use these plans to get ideas or start planning. When you're ready, reach out to us, and our team of experts will help you create the perfect safari experience for you
