Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most popular and scenic national park . Located in western Uganda shared by the districts of Kasese, Bundibugyo and Bushenyi, the park covers a total area of 1978sq km. The park was gazzetted in 1952 as Kazinga national park and later renamed to Queen Elizabeth after her visit to Uganda.
It stretches from the crater dotted foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains in the north, along the shores of Lake Edward to the remote Ishasha river in the south. The park incorporates a wide variety of habitats that range from wetands, crater lakes, beautiful savannah to lowland forest and continuous with the Par national des virunga in DR congo forming one of the largest conservation area.
Queen Elizabeth is the only park in Uganda crossed by the Equator. The famous Kazinga channel in the park joins two adajent lakes of Edward and George and is an excellent place for game viewing with its permanent residents being hippos and crocodiles.
The savannah grasslands of queen Elizabeth national park offers prime habitat to over 95 mammal species including buffaloes, elephants, various antelopes, leopards, warthogs, the famous tree climbing lions, primate species such as the chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys etc. It also boosts a avariety of over 600 birds recorded in such a small area which include bird papyrus gonolek, papyrus canary, pelicans, martial eagles, migratory flamingoes and so much more.
What Activities to do?
- Boat trips on the Kazinga channel.
- Game viewing along the kasenyi plains and Ishasha sector of the park.
- Bird watching due its diverse bird species.
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura forest
- Caving and guided walks through Maragambo forest.
- Cultural encounters and community visits around the area
How to get there?
Only 5-6 hrs drive away from Kampala city center via Mbarara via Kampala Mbarara highway
