Activities to Do in Queen Elizabeth National Park
April 18, 2026
Activities to Do in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda's most visited and most varied national park, and the range of safari activities available here is genuinely exceptional, broader and more diverse than virtually any other safari destination in East Africa. Sitting in the western arm of the Great Rift Valley with the Rwenzori Mountains visible on a clear morning and the Democratic Republic of Congo just across Lake Edward to the west, the park covers approximately 1,978 square kilometers of extraordinary ecological variety. Open savannah, dense forest, volcanic crater lakes, the Kazinga Channel waterway, and the Kyambura Gorge all sit within a single compact geography that makes Queen Elizabeth one of the most rewarding and multi-activity safari destinations on the entire continent. This article brings to you different things to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Our Popular Safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park
3 Day Queen Elizabeth wildlife Safari
4 Day Queen Elizabeth wildlife and chimp trekking safari
5 Day Ishasha tree climbing lions and bwindi gorillas
5 Day Ishasha tree climbing lions and Kazinga channel safari
Game Drives the Classic Safari Experience.
The open savannah of the Kasenyi Plains in the northern section of the park is the heart of Queen Elizabeth's game drive circuit and one of the finest wildlife viewing areas in Uganda. Large lion prides are the headline attraction Queen Elizabeth has one of Uganda's most stable and most reliably seen lion populations, and game drives across the Kasenyi Plains produce sightings with a consistency that few other Ugandan parks can match. Elephants move through the area in impressive family groups, large herds of Uganda kobs and buffalo graze across the open grassland, and the predator-prey dynamics on display across a single morning game drive deliver the kind of sustained wildlife drama that makes East African safari driving so endlessly compelling.
The best time for game drives in Queen Elizabeth is during the early morning from 6am to 10am and the late afternoon from 3pm to 6pm when wildlife is most active. A knowledgeable guide with specific knowledge of the Kasenyi lion pride territories dramatically improves the quality of every drive.
Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise Uganda's Finest Water Safari.
The Kazinga Channel connecting Lake George and Lake Edward is a 32-kilometre natural waterway that supports one of the largest concentrations of hippos in Africa alongside enormous crocodiles, water buffalo, and an extraordinary variety of waterbirds. The two-hour boat cruise along the channel is the single most popular safari activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park and for good reason the combination of close-range hippo and crocodile encounters, the spectacle of hundreds of hippos crowded at the water's edge, and the outstanding birdlife of the channel banks makes it one of the most consistently rewarding wildlife experiences in Uganda.
Elephants frequently wade into the shallows along the channel banks, buffalo gather in large herds at the water's edge, and the variety of kingfisher, heron, and wading bird species visible from the boat is outstanding. Afternoon departures at 3pm are particularly recommended as the light is golden and the wildlife activity along the banks is at its most concentrated.
Chimpanzee Tracking Kyambura Gorge.
The Kyambura Gorge on the eastern boundary of the park is a dramatic forested ravine dropping approximately 100 metres below the surrounding savannah, sheltering a habituated community of chimpanzees that can be tracked on guided morning excursions. The contrast between the open grassland above and the ancient forest below is extraordinary, and the experience of descending into the gorge and spending time observing chimpanzees in their forested habitat adds a primate dimension to the Queen Elizabeth safari that makes the park genuinely unique in Uganda's national park portfolio.
Kyambura Gorge chimpanzee tracking permits cost $200 per person through the Uganda Wildlife Authority and depart at 8am. The trek involves moderate fitness as the gorge walls require a degree of climbing on both descent and ascent.
Exploring/Visiting Ishasha Sector Tree Climbing Lions.
The Ishasha sector in the far south of Queen Elizabeth National Park is famous for one of Africa's most extraordinary and most photographed wildlife phenomena lions that habitually climb trees and rest in the branches of fig and acacia trees in a behavior that is extremely rare in the lion world and almost exclusively associated with this specific population and a handful of sites in Tanzania. The sight of a large male lion sprawled across a fig tree branch six metres above the ground with complete and magnificent indifference to the laws of leonine gravity is one of those wildlife moments that makes experienced safari travelers reach for their cameras with genuine excitement.
A half-day game drive from the Ishasha sector lodges specifically targeting the tree-climbing lions is one of the most memorable activities available in the entire park.
Birdwatching Over 600 Species.
Queen Elizabeth National Park has recorded over 600 bird species one of the highest counts of any protected area in Africa making it an outstanding destination for birdwatchers at every level of experience. The Maramagambo Forest in the southeast of the park shelters forest specialists including the African green broadbill, the black-and-white casqued hornbill, and the Verreaux's eagle owl. The Kazinga Channel attracts pink-backed pelicans, African skimmers, and a remarkable concentration of kingfisher species. Open grasslands include the habitat for secretary birds, kori bustards, and martial eagles soaring in the Kasenyi Plains.
Community Tours and Cultural Experiences.
There are several tourism projects being carried out by community members living on the periphery of the park, providing walking tours through their villages, craft demonstrations, and culture presentations giving an authentic glimpse of their way of life. These encounters are best arranged through locally rooted operators and contribute directly to community livelihoods.
Queen Elizabeth National Park delivers more safari activities per square kilometer than almost any other safari destination in East Africa. For more information that you may wish to know more about Queen Elizbeth National Park safaris or with combined safari destinations like Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, or Kibale Forest National Park, and among others. Immediately reach out to us to our website or contact us and we shall plan, organize for you a wonderful safari itinerary of your dream on a Uganda safari that will bring your safari dream into a reality with unforgettable safari memories.
EARLY BIRD SAFARI DISCOUNTS FOR 2026-27
Take a budget gorilla trip into Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to trek mountain gorillas and stay in low-cost camps and gorilla lodges.
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