Wildlife in Ishasha sector

Wildlife in Ishasha sector : The Ishasha sector is among the places to visit in Queen Elizabeth national park which is located in the south western part of Uganda. The sector is famous for tree climbing lions but there are many other wildlife species which can be seen during safaris in the Ishasha sector. The sector is located in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park and consists of woodland, savannah plains and also acacia trees.

Tree climbing lions of Ishasha are known to come down and hunt their prey in the savannah plains and many reasons have also been stated for their nature and these include looking out for their prey using the trees as their viewing point.

Another reason for the tree climbing nature of the Ishasha lions is that they climb to avoid insects on the ground. The trees are also used by the lions as a form of shade from the sun in Queen Elizabeth national park.

The lions in the Ishasha sector are known for climbing the fig trees and the acacia trees and there are many other wildlife species including Uganda kobs, leopards, elephants, buffalos, topi, bushbucks, colobus monkeys, waterbucks and also hyenas.

Different parts of Ishasha are explored during the search for the wildlife species including the southern part of Ishasha which is made up of fig trees making it the best place to see the lions resting.

Another part of the sector to explore when searching for wildlife species is the northern part of Ishasha sector which also consists of the Edward flats where wildlife species like buffalos can be seen during a safari. Different bird species can also be seen around this part of Ishasha including egrets, Wattled Starlings and also Yellow Billed Oxpeckers among other birds.

The Ishasha sector is used during drives between Queen Elizabeth national park and Bwindi national park which is the home to mountain gorillas in Uganda.

Activities to do around Ishasha sector

There are also different activities which can be carried out during safaris around the Ishasha sector and they include the following;

• Game drives

Game drives around Ishasha sector are a major activity which is carried out in the area involving the search of different wildlife species.

During game drives in Ishasha, tourists look out for the tree climbing lions among the acacia trees and the activity can be done in the morning or in the afternoon. The lions can sometimes be spotted on the ground in the shade of the trees when exploring the savannah plains.

The Ishasha sector provides an opportunity to watch predators like the lions in action as they hunt their prey in the savannah plains. Catching the predator action in Ishasha is exciting due to the presence of many antelopes which attracts the predators in the national park.

Due to the remote nature of the Ishasha sector, tourists get to enjoy a more private wildlife viewing experience since fewer tourists engage in game drives in this part of Queen Elizabeth national park and mostly take part in game drives around the Kasenyi plains.

The best vehicle type to use during game drives in Ishasha sector is the 4×4 safari vehicles and UWA vehicles can also be used during the activity at a cost of 30 USD per person for a minimum of 3 people per vehicle.

Private vehicles booked through tour operators can also be used when exploring the Ishasha sector in search of the different wildlife species. When driving in areas around the Ishasha river, tourists can spot hippos and also enjoy views of the forests in the surrounding areas.

Another destination where the tree climbing lions can be seen during wildlife safaris is Lake Manyara national park in the northern part of Tanzania.

• Bird watching

Apart from seeing the different wildlife species in the Ishasha sector, many bird species can also be spotted in the area.

Some of the bird species which can be seen around the Ishasha sector during safaris include Grey Woodpecker, Broad Billed Roller, Martial Eagle, Great Blue Turaco and many others.

Other activities to take part in when visiting the Ishasha sector include guided nature walks by Ishasha river where visitors can encounter buffalos, see hippos and also spot buffalos in the surrounding area.

Community tours can also be done around the Ishasha sector for a chance to experience the way of life of the locals.

Other parts of Queen Elizabeth national park

Apart from visiting the Ishasha sector for wildlife viewing include the Kasenyi plains, Kazinga channel, the Kyambura gorge, Kalinzu forest, Mweya peninsular among others.

Queen Elizabeth national park is home to four of the big five including lions, leopards, buffalos and elephants and is also the second largest national park in Uganda making it an ideal place to look out for various wildlife species.

Wildlife species in Queen Elizabeth national park include elephants, buffalos, bushbucks, hyenas, warthogs, oribi, sitatunga, topi, hippos, lions, leopards among others which can be seen in different parts of the park.

Safaris in Queen Elizabeth national park also involve engaging in game drives in the morning or afternoon around the Kasenyi plains, lion tracking experiences, chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge, boat tours on Kazinga channel, hiking, bird watching and also community tours.

Best time for wildlife viewing in Ishasha sector

Wildlife safaris in Ishasha sector are best done during the dry season in June, July, August and September and also in December to February when the road conditions are favorable and the lions can be spotted easily due t the thin vegetation as compared to the rain season when vegetation is lush and the roads get messy making the search for the different wildlife species difficult.

Around the water points like the Ishasha river, wildlife species can also be easily seen during safaris in the dry season around Ishasha sector as the animals like antelopes, buffalos, elephants among others gather to drink.

How to get to Ishasha sector

The Ishasha sector can be accessed by flights to Kasese airstrip or driving for about 5 to 6 hours from Kampala to Kasese.