Queen Elizabeth National park: Wildlife, Things To Do & Best Time To Get There
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a national treasure in Uganda with varied scenery. The park has stunning natural beauty and diverse wildlife which makes it a popular tourist spot. Queen Elizabeth covers about 1,978 square kilometers, it was created in 1952 and called after Queen Elizabeth II after her 1954 visit to Uganda. It is located between the beautiful Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Lake Edward. Its landscape is very different from other places. It has wide savannah fields and rolling hills with crater lakes like Lake Katwe, which is famous for extracting salt. A big part of the park is the Kazinga Channel, which links Lake George and Lake Edward. And it’s famous for having a lot of hippos reportedly the most in any park in East Africa. There is a huge variety of wildlife and birds’ fans in the park. Queen Elizabeth is home to more than 95 species of mammals and more than 600 species of birds. The famous tree-climbing lions that live in the Ishasha area have learned to rest in fig trees, which is a rare sight that draws a lot of tourists. There are also elephants, leopards, Uganda Kobs, warthogs, hyenas, and different kinds of primates, like chimps and black-and-white colobus monkeys
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park
The park is home to four of the Big Five that is the lion, leopards, buffalo, and elephants. The Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park are known for doing something very unusual they like to climb trees. This is especially in the Ishasha area, where you can often see them relaxing on branches.
Leopards are usually seen at night, but they can be seen resting in low-hanging tree branches during the day. They are known for being hard to catch.
The park’s savannahs are perfect for many types of antelopes, such as the Uganda Kob, waterbuck, and Topi. These herbivores are very important to the ecosystem because they keep predator numbers up.
The Hippos hang out in the Kazinga Channel for most of the day. It is thought that the park has more than 1000 Hippos.
The Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best places to see chimpanzees in the wild. It has ten different species
Other Mammals: Spotted hyenas, giant forest hogs, and different kinds of monkeys, like black-and-white colobus and olive baboons, are also interesting mammals.
You can see different monkeys on nature walks with a guide through places with lots of trees, like Maramagambo Forest and Kyambura Gorge.
The Park is one of the best places in Uganda to see birds, with over 600 species such as the African fish hawk, the yellow-billed stork, pelicans, cormorants, herons and different kinds of kingfishers.
Along the banks of the Kazinga Channel, you can often see crocodiles. In the Maramagambo Forest, African rock pythons live and hunt bats in the caves.
Things to do in Queen Elizabeth National park
Game Drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
During the game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you can see everything from heart-stopping lion encounters to gentle giants walking by. These are the kinds of wildlife experiences that make trip stories that people will never forget. In a game drive, you will have a chance to see a group of elephants walk by your car or a curious bushpig trotting through the grass. Each drive puts you in touch with some of Africa’s most interesting animals. Popular routes like Mweya and Kasenyi become wildlife highways when an experienced safari guide leads the way. These routes offer the kind of up-close that make wildlife treks truly unique.
Along the park’s main game tracks, you can find the following:
Kasenyi Game Drive Circuit: The Kasenyi plains are in the northeastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. They are next to the western shores of Lake George, not far from where the Kazinga Channel meets it. This area is famous for having a lot of wildlife, which makes it a great place for safari game drives. Large groups of Uganda Kobs, the national animal, graze on the fields, which often attracts animals like lions, which can be seen hunting or resting during the day. Buffaloes and warthogs and bushbucks are common animals that can be seen grazing in the fields. The best times to go on a game drive are in the morning and evening, when animals are most active.
Ishasha Game Drive Circuit: This area is in the southern part of the park and is famous for the unique tree-climbing lions that live there. You can often see them relaxing in fig trees, which is something that lions don’t usually do. There are also groups of Uganda Kobs and Topis in this area, which are eaten by the animals that live there. Elephants and cows are often seen, especially near bodies of water. In the Ishasha sector, there are two main circles, the Northern and Southern loops. Each is about 20 kilometers long and has many chances to see wildlife.
Kazinga Channel Drive Circuit: This track goes along the Kazinga Channel, a 40-kilometer river that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. The channel is famous for having a lot of hippos that like to sunbathe in the water and crocodiles that like to lay out on the banks. Elephants and waterbucks are often seen drinking near the water. Birds also love the area, and people often see pelicans and storks among other types. The lush plants and beautiful views of the water make the wildlife experience better overall.
Crater Drive Circuit: The Crater Drive circuit goes through the park’s volcanic craters and has some of the most beautiful views and interesting natural features. Giant forest hogs, bushbucks, and waterbucks live in the thick greenery around the craters, but they are hard to find. Many kinds of birds live in these areas, which makes it a great place to go birding in Uganda.
Safaris by boat on Kazinga Channel
Boat tours in Queen Elizabeth National Park are one of the best ways to get close to wildlife in Uganda. The safaris last two to three hours and take place along the Kazinga Channel, a 32-kilometer natural waterway that connects Lakes Edward and George. Visitors can see one of the biggest groups of hippos in Africa wallowing in the water from the comfort of a covered boat that leaves from Mweya Peninsula. Elephant and buffalo herds come to drink, and crocodiles of the Nile relax on the banks. Hundreds of species of water birds, such as pelicans, kingfishers, and African fish eagles, fly above. Along with each boat tour, there are knowledgeable guides who talk about the animals, birds, and the park’s ecosystem. They make the experience more interesting by giving you interesting facts and are good at finding even the most mysterious animals.
Best time To Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park
Most of the time, there are two main boat cruises one in the morning around 9 AM and one in the afternoon around 2 PM. This famous outdoor activity can be done at any time of the year, but the best times to see wildlife are usually from December to February and June to September, when it’s not raining. With the golden light, trips in the afternoon are the best times to take pictures of wildlife.
Nature walks with a guide -Queen Elizabeth National Paark
Nature walks in Queen Elizabeth National Park are a great way to get to know the park’s different scenery and animals better. They’re a great addition to game drives and boat safaris. Visitors can really get into Uganda’s wilderness on these walks, which are led by experienced park guards and give them unique views of the park’s plants, animals, and ecosystems.
Walking trails.
Mweya Peninsula Walks: There is a famous walking trail on the Mweya Peninsula that gives you a wide view of Lake Edward and the Kazinga Channel. As you walk along the shore, you can see different kinds of animals as you enjoy the beautiful views of the nearby landscapes.
Maramagambo Forest Walks: Guided nature walks through Maramagambo Forest put you in touch with a wide range of animals and plants, such as many bird species, different kinds of trees, and primates. The forest is also home to the Bat Cave, a place where you can watch fruit bats and sometimes see the rock python that eats them.
Kyambura Gorge: One of the best things about the park is that you can go on organized nature walks through a steep, lush valley that the Kyambura River carved out. This “Valley of Apes” is famous for the chimpanzees that live there. You might see one while you’re trekking here, but it’s not a sure thing. It’s an exciting and immersive experience in a unique environment.
Crater Lakes Walks: The park’s crater lakes, which were made by volcanoes in the past, have beautiful walking paths that aren’t always used. On these walks, you can see beautiful views, learn about the history and ecology of the area from experienced guides, and see interesting rock formations.
Lion Tracking
Tracking lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best ways to get close to one of Africa’s most famous animals. Visitors can learn about how lions behave and help protect these beautiful animals for future generations through this interactive experience. The thrill of tracking lions usually takes place in the Kasenyi Plains, a great spot in the northern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The lioness have collars on them which track their moves. This makes it more likely to see lions and helps with important protection efforts.
Best time For Lion Tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park
The best times to track lions are early in the morning, around 8 AM, or late in the afternoon, around 4 PM. During these times lions are more busy. The track can last anywhere from one to three hours, and people can learn about how lions behave, how they form groups, and how they eat.
Only a few people are allowed to go lion hunting in Queen Elizabeth National Park at a time so that the animals don’t get too stressed out and so that the experience is better for everyone. This makes sure that the meeting is personal and educational.
Cost of Lion tracking
A lion tracking permit costs USD $100 for foreign non-residents, $80 for foreign residents, and 100,000 UGX for East African citizens.
Where to stay during your visit to Queen Elizabeth National park.
Luxury Accommodations in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Mweya Safari Lodge
- Katara Lodge
- Acacia Wilderness Lodge
Mid‑Range Accommodations in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Marafiki Safari Lodge
- Bush Lodge
- Ihamba Safari Lodge
Budget Accommodations in Queen Elizabeth National Parks
- Pumba Safari Cottages
- Tembo Safari Lodge
- Kazinga Channel View Resort