When in Queen Elizabeth National Park,

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second-largest conservation area and national park In Uganda and the second-largest savanna grassland national park after Murchison Falls National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park seats on the 1978 km2 of land along the equator line of western Uganda. This national park was founded in 1952 from its former name, so after the visits of the Queen Elizabeth of England, this national park was renamed in her names Queen Elizabeth,

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a home of 95 mammal species and over 600 birds species that a guest expects to see in the park though it’s not guaranteed to see all these a one-day trip and also queen Elizabeth currently known as Uganda’s most enjoyable and most visited national park in the country.

This Park hosts diverse ecosystems that include Savannah, shady and humid forests among others also the two crater lakes of Lake Edward and Lake George connected by the Kazinga channel. Savannah grasslands can be encountered in Kasenyi plains where many animals such as Uganda kobs, waterbucks, elephants, buffaloes as well as rare cats such as Lions and leopards can be spotted depending on your luck. Forested areas located in Queen Elizabeth National Park include the riverine forests of the Kyambura Gorge and Maramagabo where birds and chimpanzees can be spotted on a nature walk. Water species such as Crocodiles can others that come to drink water can be spotted on Kazinga channel. All this makes Queen Elizabeth National Park one of the most sought after and visited Park in Uganda.

Queen Elizabeth national park is found in southwestern Uganda and it shares the districts of Kasese, Rubirizi, Kamwenge, and Kanungu on the side of Ishasha game reserve and you will need to travel  400km by road from the city of Kampala towards western Uganda to get to Queen Elizabeth, this park joins with Kyambura game reserve to the eastern part and Kibale national park to the southern part and also it cuts across to the democratic republic of Congo at the west part then at the northern parts it shares with Rwenzori mountains national park.

Activities in the park

Game Driving in Kasenyi and Ishasha,

When you approach the park the most activity you are introduced to is the game drive where in this activity u expect to view the rarest animals like lions and other related mammals, on top of that u also enjoy the scenery of flora and fauna of the park during the game drive. It takes a lot of time in the park while searching for animals like lions and leopards for viewing but on the way, there are many things seen and seem to attract visitors to the park. Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park are done in the savannah plains of Kasenyi in Mweya as well as Ishasha Sector located in the southern part of the park, commonly known for its tree-climbing lions and other wildlife.

Bird watching.

Queen Elizabeth is Uganda’s most top birding spot for guests interested in birds we expect you to see the most beautiful birds and among the 600 bird species in the park. Birds like papyrus canary, sedge warbles, martial eagle among others are expected to be watched or spot when u are in the park. There is also another beautiful sport of flamingoes at Bunyanpaka Salt Lake and Lake Katwe. A boat cruise on Kazinga channel to spot water birds is truly rewarding.

Boat Cruise on Kazinga channel.

The boat cruise is another exciting event at the park where people come and have an opportunity to travel on freshwaters and visit different lakes of Edward and George as well as Kazinga channel that connects both of the lakes. Also, during this boat ride, there is another chance of spotting the water giants, the hippopotamuses, and crocodiles in the river banks and outside waters, especially during warm sun seasons as they experience warmth. Also, some birds are viewed while on the boat cruise and different animals that come along the river banks to get water. Most of the time, the buffalos and antelopes plus hogs. When you book a safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park with Encounter Africa safaris, we ensure that a boat cruise on Kazinga channel is included since it is the highlight of all activities in this large National Park. For more information on this, kindly contact us or check out our Sample Queen Elizabeth National Park safaris.

The climbing lions of Ishasha ,

The climbing lions are found in Ishasha side of Queen Elizabeth National Park and this sometimes takes 10 to 30 minutes for the guests to have a stopover and view as well, taking pictures of the lions up in trees. They are sometimes seen as a rare activity but it’s real and it looks exciting enjoying then talking good feeling up in the trees and as well as others guarding down for security purposes. For one to enjoy game drives in Ishasha and increase chances of spotting lions up in the trees, two to three nights in this region is highly recommended. Ishasha is also easily combined with Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where gorilla trekking takes place. So After your gorilla trekking most especially in the Buhoma area, you may drive 2-4 hours to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park for game drives and community experiences at Deos’ Homestead.

Chimpanzee walk in Kyambura gorge

Other fascinating tourist activities to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park are primate walks in the gorge and chimpanzee trekking. Kyambura gorge is located in Queen Elizabeth National Park and is home to a community of 8 habituated chimpanzees that can be spotted hanging in trees while on a walk in the gorge. Kyambura chimpanzee trekking and primate walk can be booked directly or pre-booked at the Uganda Wildlife Authority head office in Kampala. For one to enjoy a gorge walk in Kyambura, a permit worth $50 per person must be pre-paid at UWA head offices in Kampala. This chimp permit is valid for a specific day/date and the holder must be present on the specified date in order to participate and enjoy the walk. If you are one person who enjoys primate walks, then this is one for you. Contact Encounter Africa safaris for details on how to include this in your Uganda safari.

How to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Road trips and transfers to Queen Elizabeth NP

As we are planning to visit queen Elizabeth this is what we expect, Setting off our trip from Kampala city the main city of Uganda will take at least 8 hours on a tarmac road and there are two different routes u can use to the park one is via Mbarara to the eastern part of the park this will take u a drive of  20 miles and another route is Fort portal road that takes u directly to the northern part of the park and it’s longer than Mbarara route by 260 miles of the drive. If you utilize the route that takes you via Mbarara, or Fort Portal, you will enjoy some sightseeing en route. One of the things to see is the Equator crossing at Kayabwe or Kikorongo. The Hima and their long-horned cows can be spotted along the Masaka-Mbarara section in Nshara. If time allows, you can as well have lunch at Igongo cultural center and visit the cultural museum there. All this depends on the time at your disposal and where you will be spending the night. While there is a lot to see en route, we at Encounter Africa safaris try to avoid many activities in the itinerary so that we leave some space for relaxation.

Further note that all our road trips to Queen Elizabeth National Park are conducted in 4×4 Safari vehicles driven by well-trained and fully vaccinated safari guides. All our guides are experts when it comes to flora and fauna interpretation. They are conversant with natives and their cultures and you will enjoy your safari if you book a road trip with Encounter Africa safaris.

Schedule and charter flights to Queen Elizabeth NP

In case you are to use air transport, it will take you 1 to 2 hours from Entebbe airport, the main airport of Uganda, and the last spots of destination will either be Kasese airstrip, Mweya or Ishasha. If you are visiting the northern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the best Airstrip is Kasese or Mweya, but if you are visiting the southern part of the park known as Ishasha, then the best Airstrip to land in Kihihi.

One of the leading companies operating both scheduled and charter flights to Queen Elizabeth National Park is Aerolink and Fly Uganda. All flights conducted by Aerolink depart from Entebbe to Kasese or Kihihi Airstrips. Flights operated by Fly Uganda can depart from Kajansi Airstrip or Entebbe. Depending on your budget, Encounter Africa safaris will advise you on whether to take a scheduled or charter flight to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Where to stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park

There are many lodges and guest houses in or near Queen Elizabeth where one can stay while in the park. Depending on your interest and budget, Queen Elizabeth National Park has Budget, Mid-Range, and Luxury accommodation properties for you to choose from. Top and well-known lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Mweya Safari Lodge, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge, Park View Lodge, Mazike Lodge, Kasenyi Safari Camp and so many more. Below are some of the Lodges you may be interested in. Encounter Africa safaris work hand in hand with some lodges who, in turn, guarantee unbeatable rates which we extend to our esteemed clients.

The elephant home.

This is found is Katunguru 7.3km from Queen Elizabeth national park with gardens, restaurants, and room service. It has free parking and free Wi-Fi.

Engiri game lodge and campsite.

This is also found in Katunguru u need to travel 10.3km from the park it has gardens, a restaurant, and a 24hours front desk, bar, and terrace with free Wi-Fi.

Mweya safari lodge.

This is one of the biggest Lodge found in the heart of the park its equipped with a lot of services including swimming on a well-designed swimming pool, it has a restaurant, Gardens, free parking and Wi-Fi among others its one of the most convenient places while in the park that enables one not to travel long distances looking the stay among others.  Mweya Safari Lodge is strategically located on Mweya peninsular which is the epitome of tourist activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Kazinga channel pier is easily accessed from Mweya safari lodge as well as game drives on this peninsular. While at Mweya safari lodge, you can as well visit the Uganda Wildlife Museum.

Why Book safaris to Queen Elizabeth NP with Encounter Africa safaris

Encounter Africa safaris is one of the leading DMC for East African countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania. With over 13 years of existence, Encounter Africa has managed to assemble an able team of office and field staff who are very passionate about organizing amazing experiences. When contacted, our safari designers will handle all your inquiries, answer questions in a professional and timely manner until you are satisfied and ready to make your final decision. Once a safari is confirmed, our office staff will advise you on the best and most convenient way of making payments, and when in Uganda, you will be assigned one of our well-trained and professional guides who will be with you for the entire trip. When you book any safari with Encounter Africa safaris, you will not only take back memories, but you will be our true ambassador. Word cannot fully explain how professional and passionate about what we do. If you want to see and confirm who we are, kindly visit our TRIP ADVISOR AND SAFARI BOOKINGS PAGES to read what our past clients wrote about our service.