Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) is the most popular safari destination in Uganda offering a wide range of activities and attractions to spice up your dream adventure. The park lies along the rift valley floor in western region of Uganda, close to 400 km from the capital Kampala and protects a plethora of habitats including tropical forests, extensive wetlands and lakes, savanna grasslands and woodlands. These abundant habitats support a total of 95 mammal species and 660 bird species; the highest number of bird species recorded for any protected area of such a size on the continent.
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers over a 1978 km 2 area and was gazetted as the park in 1952 as Kazinga National Park to protect prolific wildlife and varied landscapes between Lake Edward and the Rwenzori Mountains. It was later renamed in 1954 to commemorate the visit of the British Royal Monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Biodiversity
Queen Elizabeth National Park with its varied habitats and geographic location within the Albertine Rift Area makes it biodiversity hotspot supporting a wide range of wildlife and excellent birdlife. The park boasts an incredible 95 species of mammals from to Lions, Leopards, Elephants, buffalo and more that roam the savanna d wooded habitats. Kazinga Channel which connects the lakes of Edward and George host the largest concentration of semi-aquatic hippo and crocodile plus other game.
The park is a popular birding hotspot where across its varied habitats of extensive wetlands, woodlands and crater lakes over 660 species of birds occur – a unique checklist for an area this size. These habitats qualified Queen Elizabeth to be recognised as a crucial Important Bird Area (IBA) and protected as a Ramsar site due to its ecological importance to birdlife.
Quick facts include;
- Altitude: 912m–1360m.
- Size: 1978 km 2
- Birds checklist: 660 species, a true bird-hot spot.
- Mammal checklist: 95 species
Queen Elizabeth National Park attractions and Activities
Visitors to Queen Elizabeth National Park will be drawn to the park’s numerous offers including birding across its varied habitats, boat cruise safaris, game drives, walking safaris, and experiential tours. Queen Elizabeth NP being a biosphere reserve offers captivating guided experiences to see unique coexistence and relationship between and wild. Here are several activities to do;
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Take Prolific Wildlife Safari Game Drives
Queen Elizabeth National Park offers an incredible wildlife safari experience on game drive and boat safaris across the park’s diverse habitats of savanna plains, woodlands, forests and open water. This diversity of wildlife includes; Uganda Kob (Kobus kob), Defassa Waterbuck, Cape Buffalo, Savanna Elephant, Forest Hog, Bushbuck and more.
Predators include; Lions, Spotted Hyena, Spotted Genet, Side-striped Jackal and the elusive Leopard. Warthogs and Banded mongoose are the other not-minded species!! Giant forest Hog is encountered in woodlands adjacent to kazinga Channel.
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Climbing Lions Prides of Ishasha
One popular highlight while on safari in Queen Elizabeth NP is to encounter the famous tree climbing lions on a game drive through the grassland plains at Ishasha in the southern sector of the park. These unique lion prides are notoriously known to lounge up in several fig and albizia tree branches during the heat of the day. This rare and unique behavior adapted by the lion prides of Ishasha is thought to either escape the nasty stinging insects or just to have a good look across their vast game-rich territory is subject to discussion!!
Other wildlife here include; Topi, Uganda Kob, Cape Buffalo, Common Warthog, Defassa Waterbuck among others. Spotted Hyenas and Leopards are often seen. Woodlands are tamed by Elephants, while the Ishasha River is teamed by schools of Hippos and the Nile Crocodile.
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Boat Cruise Safari experience on the Kazinga Channel
Kazinga channel offers one of the most exciting boat safaris on any Uganda safari. Stretching up to 40 km long and connecting lakes Edward (912m) and George (913m), Kazinga Channel is a wildlife hotspot noted for the densest concentration of hippos among a plethora of wildlife. A boat cruise safari launches from Mweya Peninsula to explore the channel banks towards the mouth of Lake Edward bringing you up close to the Elephants, Hippos, Kob and herds of Buffalos as they quench their thirsty.
The channel is a birding hotspot and a recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) hosting tens of thousands of migrating birds on their winter visit but local resident waders and other water associated species occur.
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Bird Watching in Queen Elizabeth NP
With a checklist of over 660 bird species from its varied habitats, Queen Elizabeth National Park ranks as a top birding hotspot in the region. This amazing bird diversity represent the parks varied habitats that include; vast tropical forests, open water, extensive wetlands, savanna grasslands and woodlands, hosting various biome restricted species.
Exciting bird highlights include; Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, Martial Eagle, Black-snake Eagle, Giant Kingfisher, African Fish Eagle, White-headed, Lappet-faced Vultures among the raptors. On grasslands Wattled Lapwing, Flappert, Red-capped Larks, Temminck’s Courser, Rufous-naped Lark occur.
Birding the vast Imaramagambo forest specialists include; Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Yellowbill, Toro Olive Greenbul, Forest Robin, Narina Trogon, Western Black-headed Oriole, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Brown Illadopsis, Afep Pigeon, African Pied Hornbill among others.
Wetland specialists along the Kazinga channel include; Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Malachite Kingfisher while further north the Ramsar recognized marshes of Lake George are famous and breeding ground for the prehistoric Shoebill. Several crater lakes like Munyanyange hosts seasonal long-distance migrants like Lesser Flamingos, Whiskered Terns, Little Stints, and more.
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Chimpanzee Tracking at Kyambura Gorge
The underground forest of Kyambura Gorge offers one of unrivaled chimpanzee tracking experience in the country owing to the uniqueness of this habitat. This riverine rainforest within the Kyambura Gorge lies about 100m below the golden savannas to stretch 16 km long and over 1 km wide. The gorge protects a 45-strong community of chimpanzee that call this underground forest home and available for daily treks. Chimpanzee trekking experience begins early in the morning led by ranger guides to follow trails that crosses various feeding ranges of this local chimp group. On locating them, you are accorded one-hour with the chimps. Other primates seen on trek include Black and White Colobus, Red-tailed Monkey, Vervet and Olive Baboon. The trek experience duration varies daily but 4-6 hrs is normal.
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Chimpanzee trekking at Kalinzu Forest
Kalinzu Forest set on the eastern flanks of Queen Elizabeth NP offers an affordable option of chimpanzee trekking experience to Kibale National Park. Often underlooked in favor of the well established Kibale Forest for chimpanzee treks, Kalinzu offers an equally and even better experience. This is because Kalinzu Forest attracts low numbers of visitors and lower fees making the experience personal and exclusive. The forest spreads along the ridges and valleys of the rift valley escarpment wall, protecting hosting an exciting, habituated community of chimps that offers incredible up-close experience.
Other primates here include the Blue and L’hoest Monkeys, Black and White (Guereza) and Red-tailed Monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabey and a rich bird, butterfly and tree-specie list. Here at Kalinzu chimpanzee experience stretches between 4-6 hrs.
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Explore the Dazzling and Explosion Crater Lakes
Queen Elizabeth NP stunning landscape was shaped by volcanic activity that shaped the rift valley where uplift forces raised the distant towering Rwenzori mountain ranges and Bunyaruguru escapement whereas violent volcanic eruptions left dozens of explosion craters. The most scenic of these craters lie along the 27 km crater drive track that crisscross along their rims. These crater lakes are filled with various vegetation types from forest, woodlands and savanna grasslands to saline muddy waters that attracts buffalos. The drive across this crater field offers one panoramic views of the rift valley floor including the Rwenzori mountain ranges, Kazinga Channel and Lake George.
Of these craters, the most scenic are Katwe and Bunyampaka salt lakes where for centuries salt mining activity is done using age-old traditional methods. Other nearby craters are Important birding Area attracting migrating birds among them thousands of Lesser Flamingos (and to a less extent, Greater Flamingos) to feed on their algae-filled shallow waters. Several other lakes are scattered along the Bunyaruguru escarpment and can be explored on foot through villages exposing one to diverse agricultural practices on the steep slopes and rims of these craters.
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Take Guided Nature Walks in the vast Imaramagambo Forest
Usually overlooked by most travelers, is this vast medium altitude 750 km 2 Imaramagambo forest that flank most of the eastern wall ridges of the rift valley. This medium altitude forest have excellent trails that explores forest interior where up to 10 primates including the chimpanzee, L’hoest Monkey, Blue and Red-tailed Monkey occur. Birdlife is excellent notable the afro-tropical specialists and generalists. Trails continue on to scenic crater lakes and bat caves where millions roost. Guided nature walks here from short-to-full walks.