Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds.
Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains, whose fig trees hide lions ready to pounce on herds of unsuspecting Uganda kob.
As well as its outstanding wildlife attractions, Queen Elizabeth National Park has a fascinating cultural history. There are many opportunities for visitors to meet the local communities and enjoy storytelling, dance, music and more. The gazetting of the park has ensured the conservation of its ecosystems, which in turn benefits the surrounding communities.
Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly a Medley of Wonders!
Size: 1,978km².
Queen Elizabeth spans the equator line; monuments on either side of the road mark the exact spot where it crosses latitude 00.
The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park, and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II.
The park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.
The Katwe explosion craters mark the park’s highest point at 1,350m above sea level, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward.
Game Drives:
Wildlife Game Drives in Queen Elizabeth prove to be a delight. There are 3,00 Elephants, over 10,000 buffaloes and you can find elephants even in the crater Valleys along the explosion crater drive.
Not only are there buffaloes and elephants but warthogs, waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Topi Antelopes and even the rare semi-aquatic Sitatunga Antelopes that have webbed toes.
Queen Elizabeth Park is also home to a number of feline cats that you can often spot on game drives, in some cases on Night Game Drives such as lions, leopards, civet cats, genal, and serval cats.
Nocturnal Game Drives:
Nocturnal Game drives with spotlights is a most exciting adventure. It is the time that the predators are out on the prowl such as lions, leopards, civet cats, genal cats and serval cats.
A night game drive is taken after dinner. Darkness sets in Uganda soon after 7 pm and the night time action begins. Creatures that you would not see on a daytime Game Drive you will see at night and those that partake in the nocturnal game drive are simply amazed by what awaits them.
During nocturnal game drives, spotlights illuminate the night that you can see the animals on the prowl and those that are being prowled.
Kazinga Channel boat cruise
Queen Elizabeth Park is home to 5000 hippos which is one of the largest concentration of hippos in Africa and in Queen Elizabeth National Park they are found along Kazinga Channel.
Kazinga Channel is a 2 hour plus Boat Safari where you can see hippos, crocodiles, monitor lizards, elephant herds, buffaloes, antelopes and many different kinds of water birds.
The Kazinga Boat Safari is one of the highlights of a safari to Queen Elizabeth Park.
Mongoose Tracking:
One of the little known about activities in Queen Elizabeth Park is Mongoose Research Tracking on the Mweya Peninsula.
This is a 3-hour activity that can be done with a guide who accompanies you as you set off to the Mongoose Research Area where you can observe the Banded Mongoose and learn about their habits and ways.
This is a fascinating activity and you will see other wildlife, birds along the hike as you venture along Kazinga Channel on the Mweya Peninsula.
Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park today by renting a car from hire a car Rwanda.