Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda`s most visited National Parks. It was declared as a bios-sphere reserve purposely to harmonizing human activities with the conservation and protection of wildlife, wet lands and natural resources in 1979.
The park is primarily known for open savanna and in some areas it is studded with a dense cover of acacia and euphoria trees and embraces large area of thick swamps around Lake George, the extensive Maramagambo Forest in the southeast, and the forested Kyambura Gorge along the border with the Kyambura Game Reserve.
With the highest number of mammal species recorded here and the highest for any Ugandan National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park is a remarkable Africa wildlife safari spot.
Bird watching safaris are common here due to the availability of a variety of bird species including; Open-billed Stork, African Jacana, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, African Skimmer, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Grey-capped Warbler, African beautiful Black-headed Gonolek, Swamp Fly-catcher, Pin-tailed Whyda Martial Eagle, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Common Squaco Heron, Shoebill Stork, African Fish Eagle, African White-tailed Lark, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Collard Pranticles, Gabon and Slender-tailed Mourning Dove, The Nightjars, Great and Long-tailed Cormorants, Black Bee-eater, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Great white and Pink-backed Pelicans, Papyrus Canary, White-winged Terns.
Things to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Safari Game Drives
Wildlife safari game drives to Queen Elizabeth National Park are always exciting and present the opportunity to encounter so many species of animals and birds. It is best done in the early morning and late afternoon hours when the weather is calm. Queen Elizabeth National Park has well maintained tracks, giving visitors quick access to the park’s wildlife and other attractions. These tracks cut through the mating grounds of the great Uganda Kob as the outstanding gigantic forest hog is seen moving around the park bush. You will enjoy a memorable sight of Elephants as they make their way down to the waters during hot days, hungry lions looking for their prey while bush backs and buffaloes can be found on the channel track and juxtaposed circumference.
Launch Cruise a long the Kazinga Channel
This is a boat trip along the hippopotamus crowded banks of Kazinga channel and it gives you a unique unbeaten wildlife experience. Crocodiles are a common sight and occasionally leopards may be seen. Many buffaloes rest in the waters while big herds of elephants enjoy themselves drinking and playing along the channel banks. You will See Hippos as surrounded by vast numbers of migrants and resident birds, this boat cruise puts one, right in the heart of amazing nature.
Nature Walks
Short to long guided nature walks offered in Queen Elizabeth National Park. This will expose you diversity the wild; the pythons in the ostracism of the bat caves floor with their prey-the bats. This bat’s cave is near the attractive blue lake and hunter’ cave. Other trails lead you to the heart of the surrounding craters and habitats to many forest birds as well as some primates like the Chimpanzee.
Ishasha Tree Climbing Lions
Queen Elizabeth National Park has unbelievable attractions and Ishasha never fails to come up with more surprises. The true of southern part of the park. The famous Ishasha tree climbing lions are extremely special, very healthy and numerous. One of the prides you are likely to see is the Kyemale pride on the large fig tree. See the Topi, Uganda Kob and Buffaloes graze in the acacia studded savannah among other wildlife together with very unique countless birds.
A visit to Katwe Salt Mines
You will see how the salt ore looks like since the 14th century, here, salt has been mined by traditional methods to date. You will also understand how the salt mines have been sub divided and distributed to the various tribes in Uganda. As explained by your guide, you will lean the interesting cultural strings attached to the salt mines.
Where to stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park
An up market Mweya Safari lodge, Mazike Lodge, Katara Lodge are readily available, of recent Kasenyi Safari Camp, is in operational with very unique quality services to the visitors, Jacana Safari Lodge – luxury accommodation is an ideal place for relaxation and refreshment built over the banks of a crater lake. Ishasha Wilderness Camp also offer up market accommodation facility in Ishasha sections, Ihamba Safari Lodge, Buffalo Safari Resort, Bush Lodge and Simba Safari camp, Wild Track Safari Lodge are available to visitors that wish to spend less on accommodation.
Getting to Queen Elizabeth National park
The park lies 5-6 hours from Kampala on a surfaced road via Mbarara-Kasese on a direct road, Via Fort portal the high way runs through the main tourism hub at Mweya. These routes combined make an attractive circuit with short detour to visit Lake Mburo, Semuliki and Kibale National parks. The park can also be accessed from the south from Rwanda/Bwindi Impenetrable national Park.
By Air: Daily scheduled flights operated by AeroLink Uganda to Kasese or Mweya airstrip thus providing easy access to the park compared by road transfer that nearly takes you 7 hours. 2X daily flights are on in to Queen Elizabeth National Park departing in the morning and in the afternoon.