Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers 2,056 sq km of land; it is located in South of the Rwenzori Mountains, bordering Congo and the park`s two beautiful lakes of Lake Edward and Lake Gorge are connected by the famous Kazinga Channel that is known for the breathtaking and most rewarding boat cruise.
The topography of Queen Elizabeth National Park is made up of open savanna and wetland areas. The park is crossed by the equator in the south west of Uganda on the Rift Valley between Lake Edward and Lake Edward. The western side of the park is boarded by Democratic Republic of Congo.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a famous home for the African Big Four which include Elephants, Lions, Leopards and Buffalos. The park is also a famous birding paradise and recognized by the Important Birding Area (IBA) by the Birding International.
- Best visited in dry season
- Uganda, East Africa
- “Big African five” animals to see
- Can rain any time
- Good fitness level required
Tourist Attractions
Over 90 species of mammals dwell in Queen Elizabeth National park, among these include; Uganda Kobs, leopards, Buffaloes, spotted hyenas, lions, elephants, water-bucks, bush-bucks among others and primates such as the rare chimpanzees, blue monkeys, Vervet monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, olive baboons and red-tailed monkeys among others. The park also represents a list of 606 species of birds that have been recorded in the area and this is one of the best birding paradises in the world.
Activities in QENP
Safari launch trip along the Kazinga Channel offers a breathtaking and memorable experience as you enjoy the views of huge crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and a massive number of species as they gather along the water channel shores to quench their thirst.
Safari Game drives in the Kasenyi plains in the northern part of the park allow you to see a variety of animals.
Tree climbing lions in Ishasha- the southern sector to search for the rarest tree climbing lions in the acacia trees.
Chimpanzee Trekking in the Kyambura gorge where you will be rewarded with the tracking of chimpanzees.
Bird watching safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park and the neighboring Maragambo Forest with the best views of bird species.
Activities in QENP
There are many accommodation facilities in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park and in various categories from luxury to midrange to budge and camping including;
Luxury accommodation facilities; Mweya Safari lodge, Jacana lodge, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Kasenyi Safari Lodge, Elephants Plains Safari lodge, Mazike Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp in Ishasha
Mid-range accommodation facilities include; Enganzi Safari Lodge, Katara lodge, Ihamba Safari Lodge, Kasenyi Wildlife Lodge
Budget accommodation facilities include; Simba safari camp, @The River Ishasha, Bush Lodge Camp, Buffalo Resort.
You can also decide to spend the night in Kasese as it is close to the park with many more recommendable accommodation facilities.
How to get there
By Road
From Kampala tarmac road via Mbarara town-Bushenyi leads to the park center passing a mere 22 km from Mweya Peninsular, 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 410 km.
It is easy to connect to QENP from other Parks like Lake Mburo National Park, Kibale National park renowned for chimpanzee tracking and Bwindi Impenetrable National park-A world famous gorilla tracking area which is located in the south of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
By Air
scheduled daily flights are readily available from Entebbe to Kasese, Mweya and Ishasha main airstrips either with a morning or an afternoon flight schedule.
Please contact your travel agent for assistance.