Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The park is bounded to the west by the Ishasha River and Lake Edward along the Congolese border, to the north by Kasese and the Rwenzori foothills, to the east by Lake George, the Kyambura Gorge and Kalinzu Forest Reserve, and to the south by the Kigezi wildlife reserve.
It also boasts a marvelous waterfront setting in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains. Elsewhere, the remote Ishasha sector id famed for its tree- climbing lions, the Kyambura Gorge harbours habituated chimps. The Maramagambo forest is home to an alluring selection of forest monkeys and birds, and flocks of flamingo are resident on the crater lakes.
As well as its outstanding wildlife attractions, Queen Elizabeth national park has a fascinating cultural history. There are many opportunities for visitors to meet the local communicates and enjoy storytelling, dance, music and more. The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga national park, and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth ll.
Size: 1,978 sq. km
Location: Located in western Uganda, shared by districts of Kasese, Bundibugyo and Bushenyi, Queen Elizabeth national park is 1978km2 in size. The park lies 5-6 hours from Kampala on a surfaced road via Mbarara, and can be reached on a dirt road from Bwindi.
Getting there:
By Road
The park can be accessed mostly from Kampala. The tarmac road from Kampala via Mbarara town and Bushenyi leads to the centre of the park, passing just 22 km from Mweya peninsula, the main tourism hub. Approaching the park from the south via Mbarara covers a distance of 420km while the north through fort portal covers a total of 410km. En-route to the park, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy short detours to Lake Mburo National Park, renowned for its chimpanzee from Bwindi impenetrable National Park.
Air travel
Charter flights can be arranged to existing airstrips of Kasese, Mweya and Ishasha.
What to see and do
The activities and game viewing circuits described below all lie on the north side of the Kazinga Channel. For those without private transport, organized game drives along channel drive to the Kasenyi plains are offered by Mweya safari lodge.
Mweya Peninsula
The peninsula is the heart of sightseeing activities with excellent accommodation in the park. The only way to enjoy your tour in this park is by touring with a ranger guide. This person helps you explore the park as well as the distant parts of the peninsula. Mweya information center organizes all the activities that tourists may want to get involved in.
Kazinga Channel
The most popular activity at Mweya is the launch trip to the mouth of the Kazinga channel. The Kazinga channel is about 40m long Lake Gorge to Lake Edward. It has the perfect view of the parks’ major wildlife ventures. The shores of the lake attract a large concentration of mammals, birds as well as reptiles all year around. The animals can be viewed well by the Nile cruise or probably at the entrance of Lake Edward. The operation of the cruise run from 15.00 and 17.00 furthermore voyages run 11.00 and 13.00 depending on the demand of the tourists.
Kazinga channel has parts for instance North Kazinga as well as Kasenyi. It’s acknowledged that the plains of channel are focal points for game viewing. Tracking is the only ways that will enable you see all the wildlife in its nature setting for example buffalo, elephants and other animals that dwell in the grassland thickets of the Northern Kazinga close to Mweya. The most accessible spot for lions is in the eastern part of Kasenyi plains and the Kasese road where they quarry on the big inhabitants of Uganda Kobs. The most favorable time for game drives is during morning and late afternoon hours. The work of the range guide is to help you get enough information about the park and still get the most memorable experience in Africa.
The Equator and the Queen’s Pavilion
The Uganda’s Equator provides a beautiful place for photo shooting along with craft shops that can make you buy a souvenir .The Queen’s Pavilion is easily spotted by the northern entrance to the Crater Drive. In 1954 Queen Elizabeth gave a provision shelter for this site until in 1959 when a permanent pavilion was constructed for the visit of Queen Elizabeth. Renovations were made by second visit of Duke of Edinburgh in 2007 with better facilities such as coffee shop and internet facilities.
Ishasha tree climbing lions
Ishasha covers an area of about 100km south of Mweya. The Park’s distant southern segment gives a genuine Africa wilderness experience. Among the inhabitants in this place include Savannah woodland, Ishasha River along with Lake Edward that has a diversity of wildlife such as climbing lions, rare shoe bill stork and many others.
Wildlife
The grasslands of the park settles wildlife such as Cape buffalo, Uganda kobs, water buck, warthog, lion, leopard, hyena, giant forest hog as well as elephants. Topi can only be discovered in Ishasha and forest primate found in Kyambura gorge in addition to Maramagambo forest.
Birding
Africa has some protected areas. Therefore the park’s remarkable bird list that to exceed that of the neighboring Virunga National Park. Among these include African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, Pink-backed pelicans, Papyrus canary, Shoe bill stork, martial eagle, black-rumped button quail as well as the great flamingos.
Lake George
The papyrus swamps of this Ramsar wetland site are home to the semi- aquatic sitatunga antelope. One can spot the elusive shoebill plus other native birds on the lake.
Katwe
One of the most famous lookout points in Uganda is in the Katwe- Kabatoro community on Katwe salt lake where traditional salt mining has been practiced since the 16th century. The neighboring lake Munyanyange is a bird sanctuary, as well as a migratory location for the lesser flamingo from August to November.
Explosion craters
The 72 huge round basins scattered across the equator are evidence of the Albertine Rift’s bubbling volcanic past, and are a must see for those with a particular interest in the region’s fascinating geological history. The 27km drive between Kabatoro gate and queen’s pavilion takes in views of the enormous craters, circular lakes, the rift valley escarpment and the Kazinga channel all in front of the might backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains.
Kasenyi plains
The vast Savannah of Kasenyi is the perfect setting for a classic African safari experience. Huge herds of Uganda kobs attract prides of lions warthogs graze bent down on their knees guinea fowl scuttle through the grassland and huge dark elephants stride across the game drive tracks providing dream photo opportunities for visitors.
Kyambura Gorge
The Kyambura River flows through this thick ‘underground forest’ 100 meters below the Kichwamba escarpment. The gorge is best for their resident chimpanzees -some of which are habituated and can be tracked through the forest with trained UWA guides. While walking through the gorge, you may spot other primates and some of the many birds found in the forest. The entrance to the gorge is also a pleasant spot for a picnic.
Kyambura Wildlife Reserve
The beautiful crater lakes of this reserve, located to the east of Kyambura gorge, offer excellent opportunities to observe many water birds including greater and lesser flamingoes and the great egret.
Maramagambo forest
Buzzing with primates, including chimpanzees, baboons and several monkey species, the species, the forest is also alive with numerous birds including the rare forest flycatcher, whiten -aped pigeon and the striking Rwenzori Turaco. One can also visit the ‘cormorant house’ a large tree that has been turned white by the birds that roost here at night. The shady forest also conceals crater lakes and a ‘Bat Cave with a specially constructed viewing room.
Ishasha sector
This remote southern region enjoy fewer visitors than the north, but those who venture this far may be rewarded with sightings of Ishasha’s most famous residents- the tree climbing lions – lounging in the branches while keeping a close eye on herds of Uganda kobs. It is also home to many buffaloes and elephants as well as the rare shoe bill. Ishasha is also a convenient region to pass through on the way to Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Where to stay
The park has luxury accommodation that will favor all visitors. It also caters for the budget travelers. Mweya safari lodge and Jacana lodge have excellent services and Ishasha wilderness camp with lavishness accommodation. Budget accommodation includes Mweya hotels and Ishasha bandas with average standards that will make your stay memorable. The park also has camping sites such as Maramagambo, Ishasha and Mweya alternatively; one may take on the Hippo Hill Camp adjacent to Katwe along with Kingfisher camp on a beautiful Kichwamba escarpment. Kyambura Uganda safari wildlife is also establishing a luxury lodge that will surely meet your needs
At Mweya there is an up market lodge, a campsite and budget hostel. Another up market lodge fringes a Crater Lake in Maramagambo Forest. A low-key camp is found in the Ishasha Sector.
- Simba safari lodge
- Ishasha Wilderness Camp.
- Kitandara Hippo Hill Camp
- Ihamba Safari Lodge
- Kingfisher Lodge Kichwamba Uganda
- Bush Lodge
- Tembo safari lodge
- Salaam lodge
- Kyambura game lodge
- Kazinga channel view resort
- Kabatoro guesthouse
- Hippo Hill Lodge
- Kyambura Gorge lodge
- Mweya campsite
- Mweya safari lodge
