Uganda’s most scenic and diverse park has a wonderful location on the floor of the
albertine rift valley 914mtrs above sea level, at the floor of the 5100 mtr Ruwenzori
Mountains. Varied habitats such as lakes, rivers, open savanna, acaia woodland,
tropical forests and vast wetlands support an impressive 95 mammal’s species and over
600 species of birds. It’s a remarkable park covering less than 2000sq km.
How to get to Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth national park is located in western Uganda and can be reached by
either road or air transport means.
Air transport:
When getting to Queen Elizabeth national park by air you will book
scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield to
Kasese airstrip or Mweya airstrip which is located within the park.
Road transport:
When getting to Queen Elizabeth national park by road you will drive
from Kampala City via Masaka, Mbarara, fort portal, Kasese and then to the park which
takes about 7 to 8 hours’ drive. You can also connect to Queen Elizabeth national park
from Bwindi Impenetrable national park in south western Uganda via the Ishasha sector
which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.
Attractions in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth national park is rich in various attractions which include
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park: Queen Elizabeth national park harbors
different wildlife species including 95 animal species which are classified into the big
game animals such as hippos, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks,
warthogs, Uganda kobs, giant forest hogs, and Topi among others which can be viewed
during the game drive in Kasenyi plains, Mweya peninsula, and along the water banks
on Kazinga channel during the boat cruise.
Big cats
big cats in Queen Elizabeth national park include lions, leopards, civets,
Serval and Genal cats. These cats are usually seen during the nocturnal game drive in
Queen Elizabeth national park and the park is also known for its tree-climbing
lions which are found in the Ishasha sector and can be viewed during the game drive in
Ishasha sector.
Primates
Queen Elizabeth national park is home of 10 primate species which include
the red-tailed monkeys, chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys,
baboons among others. Primates in Queen Elizabeth national park are found in Kyambura
Gorge also known as the valley of Apes in the eastern part of the park and within the
Maramagambo forest.
Birds
Queen Elizabeth national park is also known as the birders’ paradise because it
harbors the biggest number of bird species which is equivalent to over 612 species. Bird
species in Queen Elizabeth national park include the hooded vulture, African crake, black-
bellied bustard, crowned plover, long-crested eagle, martial eagle, African white-backed
vulture, Rufous napped lark, black-headed gonolek, yellow-backed weaver, black cuckoo,
yellow bill, common greenshank, southern red bishop, palm-nut vulture, papyrus gonolek,
yellow wagtail, and gull-billed tern among others. Bird watching is a common activity carried
out in Queen Elizabeth national park in various sectors namely Kazinga Channel where
you will be able to view various aquatic birds, lake katwe, Ishasha river, Maramagambo
Forest, Kyambura Gorge, Mweya peninsula, Kasenyi plains among others hence making
your birding safari is exciting.
Mweya Peninsula:
Mweya peninsula is another attraction in Queen Elizabeth national
park located on the northeastern shores overlooking the Katwe Bay where the Kazinga
Channel joins the lake. Mweya peninsula is a great destination for game drives where
you will be able to view various animal species such as the elephants, waterbucks,
warthogs, giant forest hogs, buffaloes, leopards, mongoose tracking which is an
interesting and exciting activity among others. You can also take a boat cruise on the
Kazinga channel where you will be able to view different animals on the water shores
especially during the dry season such as large herds of hippos, bird species like
malachite king fishers, black bee-eaters, eagle owls among others. Mweya peninsula
has a souvenir shop that sells are craft items and a luxurious accommodation Mweya
safari lodge which offers great views of the Kazinga channel and the Rwenzori
Mountains.
Kazinga Channel
Kazinga channel is a 40kilometre long natural channel that connects
Lake Edward and Lake George where Lake Edward is situated in the western part of
the park and Lake George is located in the eastern part of the park. Kazinga channel
offers boat rides as the most popular activity where the boats leave four times a day on
a scheduled time table but you can hire a small boat from Mweya safari lodge in case
you want to go at your own time. Boat cruise at Kazinga channel can be done either in
the morning or in the afternoon but most visitors prefer the afternoon boat cruise. During
the boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, you will be able to view large herds of hippos in
the water, and other animals like elephants, buffaloes, Nile crocodiles, antelopes on the
water shores. Kazinga channel is great destination for bird watching where the bird
lovers will be able to view different bird species such as spur-winged plover, yellow-
backed weaver, fish eagle, pink backed pelican, long-tailed cormorant, African jacana,
Squacco heron, pied kingfisher, Wattled plover, yellow-backed weaver among others.
During the afternoon boat cruise, you will also be able to see the fishermen from the
neighboring fishing villages on Kazinga channel setting out in their small boats for night
fishing in that there won’t be the hippos to disturb them during the night because they
will be grazing on the land.
Tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector
Ishasha sector is located in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park and
harbors the tree climbing lions which are usually seen lazily lying and relaxing in the fig
tree branches. The tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector climb trees due to heat from
the ground, to avoid bites from insects and also for clear views of their prey the
antelopes which graze in the open savannah woodland. The tree climbing lions are the
major attractions in Ishasha sector Queen Elizabeth national park and they are seen
during the game drive in Ishasha area though the area has other animal species like the
Uganda kobs, elephants, buffaloes and different bird species like Senegal plover,
striped kingfisher, martial eagle, white-headed barbet, hooded vulture, African crowned
eagle among others. Ishasha Sector is a must-visit destination in Uganda in that you will
be able to view the unique tree-climbing lions which are not found elsewhere in Uganda.
Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura gorge also known as the valley of Apes is a tropical
forest located in the western rift valley in the eastern part of Queen Elizabeth national
park. Kyambura Gorge is popularly known for chimpanzee trekking where you will see
other primates like red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, bird
watching with bird species like blue-headed bee-eater, African broadbill, pink backed
pelican, white tailed lark, African skimmer, natural forest walks among others.
Maramagambo Forest:
Maramagambo is one of the largest forests in East Africa and
Uganda; it’s located in Queen Elizabeth national park bordering Lake Kyasanduka and
Nyamasingiri crater lakes. Maramagambo forest stretches from Kichwamba
escapement to Lake Edward and is a home of various wildlife species including the
Elephants, Bush pigs, Pygmy Antelopes, Pottos, Bushbaby, Chimpanzees, Red tailed
monkeys, Black and white monkeys, L-Hoest monkeys, bats, bird species like RwenzoriTuraco, forest flycatcher among others. When you visit the Maramagambo forest you
will get an opportunity to engage in different activities including bird watching, nature
walks, primate viewing, cultural encounters, visiting the bat caves among others hence
making your safari in Queen Elizabeth national park enjoyable.
Crater lakes in Queen Elizabeth National Park:
Queen Elizabeth national park
harbors 10 crater lakes including Lake Katwe an ancient salt mining lake situated on the
northern side of the Mweya peninsula that was formed by volcanic eruption many years
ago. Lake Katwe is a salt lake where the local people in Kasese extract rock salt and dry it
for sale. During your visit to Lake Katwe, you will have an opportunity to interact with
the salt miners as they explain their experience in mining and the process used when
mining salt. From Lake Katwe you will visit Lake Munyanyange a seasonal lake that is
located 2km away from Lake Katwe. Lake Munyanyange is known for birding with bird
species such as Black-headed gonolek, Long-tailed starlings, African hoopoes, White-
browed robin chat, Seagulls, Black terns, Black-winged stilt, Pied avocet, Flamingos, and
migratory birds from Kenya and Canada. Queen Elizabeth national park harbors other
crater lakes like Lake Nyamunuka, and Lake Munyampaka situated in Kasenyi plains among
others and each Crater Lake has a different historical story to tell which is worth
listening.
The Equator and the Queen’s pavilion:
The Queen’s pavilion is located near the
the northern entrance to Queen Elizabeth national park overlooking the crater lakes and
near the equator monument. The Equator monument is good for photos while on your
safari in Queen Elizabeth national park and the Queen’s pavilion is a great place to chill
out and relax after a morning or evening game drive for a cup of coffee with the internet
facility. The Queen’s pavilion also has a souvenir shop that sells art and craft items like
hats, sandals, baskets, and paper bead jewelry where visitors can stop by and buy craft
items.Tented Camp, Lake Chibwera Camp among others. These lodges provide
comfortable shelter with hot and cold water, charging facilities, spacious rooms, and prepare
international and local foods, free internet, fire camps, great scenic views of the water
bodies like Mweya Safari Lodge and wildlife species such as elephants, buffaloes,
hippos, bird species, reptiles, and butterflies among others which make the visitors stay at
home as they enjoy their safari in Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth national park is a must-visit destination with unique and breathtaking
attractions that will make your safari in Uganda exciting and enjoyable.
