Flying safari to Queen Elizabeth national park 2024

Flying safari to Queen Elizabeth national park 2024; Queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest national park and also one of the most visited protected areas in Uganda located in western region in Kasese, Kamwenge, Rukungiri and Rubirizi districts. Queen Elizabeth national park is a home of over 95 mammal species including the famous tree climbing lions which are found in ishasha sector, buffaloes, elephants, leopards, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks, topi, warthogs, hyenas, giant forest hogs, hippos, Nile crocodiles and over 600 recorded bird species.

Aero link Uganda has daily scheduled and charter flights from Entebbe international airport to Kasese or Mweya airstrips where after you will drive to the park headquarters by road. Scheduled flights depart from Entebbe international airport at 7:00, 10:15, 12:00 and arrive at Kasese or Mweya airstrips at 10:05, 12:05 and 14:15pm respectively.

Apart from air transport, Queen Elizabeth national park can also be accessed by road transport means where you will drive from Kampala/Entebbe via masaka, Mbarara or Mubende Fort Portal and then to the park headquarters which takes about 7 to 8 hours’ drive.

Safari activities in Queen Elizabeth national park

Game drives

Game drive is one of the top activities in Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to explore the savannah plains in a comfortable pop up safari vehicle with a professional driver guide. Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park can either be done very early in the morning when animals are more active, in the afternoon or at night where you will be able to view nocturnal animals. During the game drives, you will be able to spot different animals like elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, hyenas, bushbucks, warthogs among others.

Boat cruise

Boat cruise in queen Elizabeth national park is done on Kazinga channel a water channel that connects lake Edward and lake George. Boat cruise on Kazinga channel is done in sessions for example the morning session which starts at around 9:00am and the afternoon session which starts at around 2:00pm and each session takes about 2 to 3 hours. During the boat ride, you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view animals like buffaloes, elephants, antelopes along the shores drinking water, view aquatic bird species like saddle bill storks, mourning dove, African shoebill, papyrus gonolek, kingfishers, cormorants, hornbills, bee-eaters, fish eagles, pelicans among others.

Chimpanzee trekking

Chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth national park is done in Kyambura gorge also known as the valley of apes in the eastern part of the park. chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the jungle in search of the habituated chimpanzees which takes about 2 to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primates, birds, colourful butterflies, plant and tree species among others and once the chimpanzees are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat.

Bird watching

Queen Elizabeth national park is a home of over 600 recorded bird species including savannah birds, forest birds, water birds and migratory birds which makes it one of the best birding destinations in Uganda. During bird watching, you will be accompanied by an experienced bird guide who will help you to spot different bird species like the Pink-backed Pelican, Cattle Egret, Lesser and Greater Flamingos, Goliath Heron, Red-shouldered Cuckoo, Great White Pelican, Shoebill, Long-tailed Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Papyrus Gonolek, African Jacana, Squacco Heron, African Spoonbill, African Darter, Ross;s Turaco, Malachite Kingfisher, Marabou Stork, African Finfoot, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Palm-nut Vulture, Bronze Sunbird, Martial Eagle, Hooded Vulture, Black bee-eater, Crowned Hornbill, Piping Hornbill, Pin-tailed Whydah, Helmeted Guinea fowl, Grey Crowned Crane, Nubian Woodpecker, Broad-billed Roller, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Black Cuckoo, Red-collared Widowbird among others.

Nature walks

Nature walk is an adventurous activity in Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to explore the park on foot with the company of an experienced park guide and armed ranger guides who will protect you from any danger. Nature walk in queen Elizabeth national park is done in different areas like mweya peninsular, Maramagambo forest, Kyambura gorge, ishasha sector among others. During the guided nature walk, you will be able to get up-close and personal with different animals, listen to sweat sounds of bird species, view colourful butterflies, enjoy the cool breeze among others.

Best time to visit Queen Elizabeth national park

Queen Elizabeth national park can be visited all year round though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period there is less or little rainfall in the park therefore vegetation will be short which gives you an opportunity to view different animals clearly. During the dry season game drive tracks will be dry and passable and various animals gather around the water bodies to drink water which gives you a chance to spot abundant animals.

Where to stay during your safari in Queen Elizabeth national park

Queen Elizabeth national park has a wide range of accommodation facilities ranging from budget, midrange and luxury where you can stay during your safari including Elephant Plains Lodge, Katara Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Aardvark Safari Lodge, Engiri Game Lode and Campsite, Enganzi Game Lodge, Queen Elizabeth Safari Lodge, Tembo Safari Lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages, Queen Elizabeth Bush Camp, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Twin Lakes Safari Lodge, Kingfisher Lodge, Songbird Safari Lodge, Irungu Forest Safari Lodge, Parkview Safari Lodge, Kazinga Wilderness Safari Camp, Enshama Game Lodge and Campsite, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Kasenyi Lake Retreat Lodge, Ishasha Jungle Lodge, Ihamba Lakeside Safari Lodge, Lake Munyanyange Caves Lodge, Wild Tracks Overland Camp, Topi Lodge, Marafiki Safari Lodge, Kasenyi Safari Camp, Simba Safari Camp, Mweya Hostels and Cottages among others.

You can reach out to us at Achieve Global Safaris for more information about the flying safari to Queen Elizabeth national park or visit our website for various Uganda safari packages.