Queen Elizabeth national park.
The park is located in the western Uganda and is situated in the Albertine Rift valley bordered by Rwenzori Mountains to the north. Queen Elizabeth national park is a famous savannah park located in the western part of Uganda in the districts of kasese , bushenyi, kamwenge, rukungiri. The park is referred to as one of the largest bio diverse parks in Africa, it is considered by most travelers on their Uganda safaris
The park was established in 1952 as kazinga channel national park and renamed after queen Elizabeth 2 who visited Uganda in 1954. Queen Elizabeth national park is a habitat of over 600 bird species and a variety of mammals including elephants , hippos, and a large population of climbing lions.
Attractions in queen Elizabeth national park.
Birds.
Over 600 bird species have been recorded in queen Elizabeth national park, the most comprehensive checklist of any protected region in east Africa. Many birds recorded in the park are regarded as specials within east Africa making the park an ideal destination for birding. The bird species commonly sighted in the park include; gull billed tern, African spoon bill, sacred ibis, water thick knee, afican fish eagleamong others.
Wild animals.
Queen Elizabeth national park is a home to an extensive diversity of wildlife in Uganda .this is one of the reasons it was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. There are over 95 mammal species which makes the park one of the best Uganda safaris parks to experience the wild life of Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth national park is is home to four of then big five ; lions, leopards, buffaloes and elephants. The tree climbing lions and hippos are the most acknowledged wild animals in the park by Uganda tourists . this is because the park is the only national park in Uganda with the tree climbing lions.
Kazinga channel.
The kazinga channel is a 32 kilometer long fresh water channel that links lake Edward to its smaller neighbor, lake George . The channel is home to a wide range of animals and birds , including one of the worlds largest concentrations of hippos (around 2000) and countless Nile crocodiles.
You can choose to do a boat cruise along the famous kazinga channel which gives you an opportunity to view large concentration of hippos, crocodiles and an ample birding experience to see savannah birds, woodland birds and the famous water birds.
Tree climbing lions.
The tree climbing lions are one of the major attractions in queen Elizabeth national park, found in the Ishasha sector in the southern part of the park. as the climbing lions rest on the tress in the heat of the day , they keep a close eye on the savannahs aiming to spot Uganda kobs and buffaloes grazing in the open Ishasha plains to play on.
Maramagambo forest.
The forest is located within Queen Elizabeth national park. Maragambo forest is not only a Uganda birding safari destination but also harbors many Uganda animals including about 300 wild chimps. The nature walks through Maramagambo forest bring you face to face with rich biodiversity including various primates, tree species, and numerous birds. The forest is also a home to the bat cave, where you can observe fruit bats and occasionally spot their predator.
Katwe salt lake.
Lake Katwe is known for its substantial salt production. Taking a trip to Lake Katwe offers an opportunity to learn about the sill of salt water mining. You can as well get a chance to directly interact with the salt miners, regarding their experience in salt mining. Visiting the lake can add an extraordinary experience that can give you a real African experience of salt mining and the living conditions. The waters of this lake is 60% salty because the region is semi-arid and the soil doesn’t favor agricultural activities.
Activities in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Game drives.
The game drives in queen Elizabeth national park is the most popular activity allowing you to see 95% of the mammals . The game drives in the park are very interesting and memorable and best done in the morning or late after noon hours.
On hot days , giant African elephants can be seen making their way down to water streams while bushbucks and buffaloes can be found on the channel track. Game drive in queen Elizabeth national park can be split into three sectors; the channel drive circuit, kasenyi plains and the Ishasha plain sector. The activity is i popular in the kasenyi plains. This is because the region hosts the richest number of animals in Queen Elizabeth national park Uganda wildlife in its beautiful landscape.
The common Uganda animals to see in game drive safari in queen Elizabeth national park include the four of the big five African animals which are the leopards, lions, elephants, and buffaloes.
Nature walks.
The nature walks in Queen Elizabeth national park are one of the safari activities that enable you to observe with keen mindfulness the nature of Uganda. They offer an intimate, up close experience with the parks divers’ landscapes and wildlife, providing an enriching complement to game drives and boat safaris. There are many hiking trails in and around Queen Elizabeth national park which include the kyambura gorge hiking trail, Maramagambo forest, kasenyi track, the Mweya peninsular, the Ishasha track, kalinzu forest each allowing you to discover unique and varied natural wonders in different habitats in the park.
Boat cruise.
This is one of the interesting activities in Queen Elizabeth national park done on the kazinga channel. You will be able to view large concentrations of hippos in waters, buffalos, elephants, Nile crocodiles basking along the shores during the boat cruse at kazinga channel. A boat cruise on the kazinga channel will expose you to greater chances of seeing one of the amazing wildlife species as you enjoy the good atmosphere of the see.
One of the interesting things about the slow boat cruise apart from the animals is the opportunity to pass by the local fishing villages where fisher men are seen preparing their fishing gear as the get ready to head for the waters in the night. You will be able to view aquatic bird species lie kingfishers, cormorants, hornbills, fish eagles, bee-eaters during the boat cruise.
Bird watching
Queen Elizabeth national park is one of the best birding areas in Uganda with over 600 recorded bird species. Birding in queen Elizabeth national park can be done throughout the whole year depending on your schedule. A verity of bird species exist in the park and these include; savanna birds , woodland birds, and water birds. During birding , a number of birds can be sighted which include; dark-caped yellow warbler, black-headed batis, bat hawk, red-tailed bristle bill among others.
The Cuckoo-Hawk birds in Queen Elizabeth are only found in the Ishasha sector.
Chimpanzee tracking.
Chimpanzees in the park are found in only two forest destinations that is kyambura gorge and Maragambo forest. Chimpanzee trekking in kyambura gorge is extremely interesting and exciting adventures as it gives an insight to travelers to explore other primates that are found in the park. The park is one of the best alternatives for chimpanzee safari adventures due to the fact that the tracking permits are more affordable than Kibale forest national park and Budongo forest.
Guided primate tracking excursions provide a unique opportunity to witness these intelligent beings in their natural habitats, swinging from tree to tree and engaging in their social behaviors.
Accommodation in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Accommodation in Queen Elizabeth national park is at its best as the park is dotted with a number of accommodation facilities to cater for all safari accommodation needs. The park has quite range lodges, hotels, and camps .the accommodation facilities rang from luxury to budget accommodation facilities, you can book any that suits your test and preference.
Luxury lodges in the park are those that provide up market facilities on your Uganda safaris and thy include mweya safari lodge, mazike valley, Ishasha wildness camp, Queen Elizabeth katara lodge among others.
The mid-range lodges in the park feature moderate prices, services, and amenities. Various mid-range lodges in the park will give you memorable experiences and services at average costs on your safari. They include; enganzi game lodge, Queen Elizabeth bush lodge, ihamba lakeside, Ishasha jungle lodge among others.
Budget lodges in the park offer quality services at cheap prices and they include; pumba safari cattages , bull bush river camp, tembo safari, simba safari camp among others.
Getting to Queen Elizabeth national park.
The parks convenient location makes it a popular choice for Ugandan safaris. Getting to the park is best accomplished by plane or car.
By road.
It takes at least 6 to 7 hours to drive straight from Kampala to the park. There are two routes to get to the park. One is via Kampala, mbarara-bushenyi. Or Kampala – fortportal-kasese.
By air.
This is another excellent method of travelling to the park. From Entebbe airport u can fry with Aero link and land at any of the three airports in and near the park; namely Ishasha, mweya, or kasese airport.
Best time to visit the park.
Uganda experiences two min seasons, i.e. the dry and the wet seasons. To make most of your visit, it’s important to consider the timing of the trip based on weather patterns, wildlife movements and available activities. June to august (long dry season) is the best time for one to enjoy Uganda life safaris such as game viewing. Large mammals are easily spotted and it’s the best for game drives, boat safaris and chimpanzee tacking.
