Queen Elizabeth National Park
The park covers and area of almost 2,000 sq kms and lies between the Rwenzori Mountains to the East and Lake Edward to the West. It’s approximately 470kms from Kampala.
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers the districts of Bushenyi, Bunyaruguru, Rukungiri, Kasese and Kabarole. It was gazated in 1952 and consists of areas of Queen Elizabeth national park Kyambura Wildlife Reserve and Kigezi Wildlife Reserve.
The vegetation ranges from savannah to rain forests together with papyrus swamps, forests, Lake Edwardand George, Kazinga channel, Ishasha river and several crater lakes which provide continuance stretch of savannah habitants and eco-system of 250km sq.
The park is one of the best places in Africa to see high concentrations of hippo. Other animals found are elephant, buffalo, Uganda kob, variety of antelope, baboons and chimpanzees and the famous tree-climbing lion. There are also over 500 different specifies of bird making it an excellent destination for ornithologists.
A boat trip along the Kazinga channel between Lake George and Edward is a rewarding methods of game viewing.
Accommodation
Camping at Mweya Safari Lodge
Camping along Kazinga Channel
Ishasha Safari Lodge
Lake George Lodge
Jacana Lodge
Attractions and Activities
The park has over 611 species of birds. The species of birds include African fish eagle, wood land guinea fowl, great cormorant, grey parrot, Egyptian goose, black and white casqued horn bill.
Animal species include fruit bats, Buffalos, Hippos, Elephants, Warthogs, Mongoose, Enormous python, primates like white and black Columbus monkeys, Olive baboons, Red Tailed verve monkeys, Predators species like lions, leopards, hyenas, antelopes and other Uganda cobs, bush buck, water bucks and duiker species.
Other attractions include Lake Kyamusingira and cliffs in the Northern part of the forest.
Bakonjo, Banyankore and Bakiga ethnic communities reside within the park and they are involved in various cultural activities which attract tourists. They engage in traditional dances, dressing style as well making crafts for selling to tourists
Activities
You can engage in long to short guided walks inside Imaramaganbo Forest. You’ll see huge python which have lived in the caves for many years feeding on bats. While on the nature walks you will see the blue lake as well as the trails that connect to the Habitants of some primate and crater lakes. Kyambura wildlife Reserve has three crater lakes with Flamingos which are not found any where else in Uganda. Attractions here are the luxurious river line forests which are habitants for chimps, lions, forest bird s, monkeys and many more.
There are many species of fish in Kazinga Channel and fishing will be one of your activities in the park.
Game drives through the various parts of the park to see the dry and water filled crater lakes and in search of the tree-climbing lions and the Chimps.
Launch cruise Kazinga channel that connects Lake Edward and George. You can see Hippos, Bufffalos, Uganda cobs, Nile crocodiles and different bird species like the King Fisher, cormorants and weaver birds.
How to get to the park
The park lies 5-6 hours from Kampala on a surfaced road via Mbarara, and can be reached on a dirt road from Bwindi. Accessible by public transport.
The best time of the year to visit the park is just after the rains, between October and November and March and April when high concentrations of animals roam the whole area.
