Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in the western part of Uganda, surrounded by a number of districts’ including Rubirizi, Kamwenge, Kasese, and Rukungiri. The park is approximately 500 Kilometers by road south-west of Kampala the capital city of Uganda. It is found in the town of Kasese at the northwest edge of the town while the town of Rubirizi is located on the southeastern border.

Queen Elizabeth National park includes Kyambura Game Reserve, bordering Kigezi Game Reserve, Maramagambo Forest and other two nearest parks including Kibale National park and Virunga National park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

The park was found in 1952 as Kazinga National park and after two years the park was named Queen Elizabeth National park.

The park protects a number of wildlife including the big five such as the Hippopotamuses which live in Kazinga Channel and the amazing tree-climbing lions of Ishasha sector.

Queen Elizabeth National park covers an area of 1,980 square kilometers, extending from Lake George in the north-East to Lake Edward in the south-west where the Kazinga Channel is located and connects the other two lakes.

The park is a hub for wildlife such as Uganda Kob, African Buffalo, African leopard, lion, Nile crocodile, Chimpanzees and over 100 mammal species which include 500 bird species.

The National park connects to the Ishasha sector which is home to tree-climbing lions in the side of Rukungiri district. The tree climbing lions in this area have spotted black manes. In 2015 over seven elephants were killed in this Park, this caused a lot of anger and frustration with the Uganda conservation community.

The Ishasha sector is considered a lion stronghold on central Africa however poaching should be stopped as well as the prey species to be recovered.

Queen Elizabeth National park has different volcanic features such as the deep craters, Volcanic cones, with crater lakes including the Katwe craters where the salt is extracted.

Attractions in the Park

Ishasha Sector: The Ishasha sector is an area where tree climbing lions can be spotted in the fascination design to offer an amazing experience.

Mweya Peninsular: The Mweya Peninsula is located at Queen Elizabeth National park which is situated on the northern bank of the Kazinga Channel at the channel with Lake Edward.

Kazinga Channel: Kazinga Channel is located in the park its 40 meters in length. The channel protects a number of Hippopotamuses.

Kyambura Gorge: The Kyambura Gorge is one of the biggest in East Africa that inhabits food for the wildlife, chimpanzees and many more. Kyambura Gorge is a valley for the apes that are found in the Northern part of the park. The chimpanzees are already habituated, trained to live to close to human beings, as they continue with their day to day activities such as feeding, grooming each other and many more and this makes Chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth National Park possible.

Enjoy the excellent sunshine with the beauty of nature, with great savannah grasslands to the gorge that flows with rivers. Other primate species include baboons, Red tailed monkeys, bird species, butterflies, reptiles, geckoes and many more.

Tree Climbing lion in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Bird watching: The park inhabits a number of bird species making Birding Safaris easy. It has 700 bird species, and bird watchers will have an incredible encounter including Sedge warbles, Papyrus canary, the martial eagle, Pink-backed Pelican, and Yellow-throated Cuckoo, and the Verreaux’s Eagle Owl and many more.

Game drive: Enjoy the game drive where you have a chance to view the flora and fauna of the park, comfortable in the vehicle. You will see the elephants, lions, African buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, Leopard’s among others on this drive.

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge.

Boat launch Cruise: Boat Launch Cruise at Kazinga Channel, which is a natural water channel that links to Lake George and Lake Edward. During the boat cruise, you will see a number of things such as crocodiles, hippopotamus and many more. You won’t miss the Pied Kingfishers.