Queen Elizabeth National Park

ueen Elizabeth National Park: The national park is the second largest national park in Uganda, covering a total area of 1,978km². The highest point of Queen Elizabeth national park is at the Katwe explosion craters, elevated at an altitude of 1,350 meters. The park’s lowest point is at Lake Edward, standing at 910 meters.

The park was first established in 1952 as a Kazinga National Park. The national park was renamed two years later, after in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the park.

The national park is indeed a ‘Medley of Wonders’ for any tourist visiting the park. This is precisely because the park is home to over 600 species of birds and 95 species of mammals such as; hippos, buffalos and elephants.

There are plenty of attractions in the park, which has made tourists from all over the world flock the national park. These include; Tree Climbing Lions in Ishasha Sector, Kazinga Channel, Chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, Crater Lakes in Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, Lake Katwe, Bird Species, and Kasenyi Plains among so many more.

How to Get to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Tourists can travel to Queen Elizabeth national park by air or road.

Traveling By Air to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Tourists visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park can access the national park by air. There are charter flights that can be arranged from Entebbe Airport to the existing airstrips in Kasese, Mweya and Ishasha.

Accessing Queen Elizabeth National Park by Road.

The national park can be accessed by travelers easily from Kampala. The park can be accessed by road via Mbarara town through Bushenyi and leading to the center of the park.

The national park can also be accessed from the south via Mbarara which is 420km to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park can also be accessed from the south via Ishasha from Bwindi National Park.

The northern route to the national park goes through Fort Portal town which covers a distance of 410km.

Accommodation in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

There is a wide range of accommodation facilities available for tourists visiting the national park and these include; Mweya Safari Lodge, Ishasha Bandas, Jumbo and Pelican bungalows which are managed by UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) and Pumba Safari Cottages among others.

Activities in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Caves

Tucked away beneath the shady canopy of the Maramagambo Forest is the ‘Bat Cave’. The cave has a viewing room from which visitors can observe the resident bats and pythons.

Other activities carried out within the national park include; cultural tours and wildlife census experiential tourism for wildlife researchers.

Lion Tracking Experience

Tracking lions in Ishasha sector is an experience that is not only exciting, but thrilling and educative as well. Tourists who opt to do the lion tracking experiential activity are most definitely sure to see the tree climbing lions of Ishasha. This activity costs USD 50 dollars per person.

Boat Cruise

The launch trips in the park take place in the early morning at 8am and late afternoon at 2pm. A boat cruise in the park costs USD 30 per person for both foreign non-residents and foreign residents.

Game Drives

Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park take tourists through Kasenyi, the Ishasha sector and the northern park of Kazinga Plains. There are day and night guided game drives offered by the park; with the day game drives offering visitors views of wildlife such as; buffaloes, lions, antelopes, duikers, elephants, warthogs and baboons amongst so many more. The night game drives on the other hand will give tourists the chance to view nocturnal animals such as; lions, leopards and caracals amongst others

Birding

The park’s great variety of habitats mean that it is home to about 619 species. The large concentration of bird’s species found in Queen Elizabeth National Park make it a top destination for birding safaris in Uganda. Bird-watching activities can also be done in Ishasha sector, in the southern part of the national park.

Chimpanzee Tracking

Tourists visiting the park can track some habituated chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge or Kalenju forest. Chimpanzee tracking permits cost 50 USD in Kyambura Gorge and 30 USD in Kalenju Forest. Chimp tracking activities last between 2-4 hours with an hour of direct contact with the chimps. Chimpanzee tracking activities begin at 8am.

Guided Nature Walks

Tourists visiting the park can embark on guided nature walks to explore the park’s landscapes and wildlife. Major locations for nature walks include; Maramagambo forest, Mweya Peninsular and the Ishasha River. Here tourists can spot a variety of forest and savanna species; with an opportunity to get really close to hippos.

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