Attractions In Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda: Located in western Uganda on the equator, Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular Uganda safari destination famed for its stunning scenery and diverse wildlife including many big game species. The park stretches 764 square kilometers of land nestled between Africa’s two Great Lakes, Lake Edward and Lake George.
These two water bodies are connected by the Kazinga Channel and provide a year round source of water for the park’s incredible variety of flora and fauna.
Queen Elizabeth National Park has many different ecosystems ranging from wetlands and equatorial forests to caves, open savannah and volcanic hills. Above it all rises the jagged peaks of the distant Rwenzori Mountains, adding a touch of drama to the already beautiful scenery of the park.
The par k has a variety of flora and fauna and it is acknowledged to be a habitat for over 95 mammal species with about 612 species of birds, these various species hosted in the park has made it a unique park most liked by Uganda safari tourists.
According to geographers, Queen Elizabeth National Park has around 57 vegetation but in actual sense, it has five levels of vegetation namely bush grassland, acacia woodland, lakeshore or swamp vegetation along with forest grassland.
The grasslands of the park is home to wildlife such as cape buffalo, Uganda Kob, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, leopards, giant forest hog, hyena, elephants and topis. Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha southern sector is home to the rare tree climbing lions.
The park is also home to primates found in Kyambura Gorge and Maramagambo forest.
Queen Elizabeth National Park has a remarkable bird list which exceeds other parks in Africa, the park has over 550 bird species including White-faced Whistling, Spur-winged Plovers, Squacco Heron, Fish Eagle, Pink and white backed Pelicans, Long tailed Cormorants, African Jacana, Yellow backed Weavers, open-billed Stork, Water-Thick knee, Pied kingfishers, Wattled Plovers, the Black Crake and the Knob-billed Ducks among others.
Around the Park
Mweya Peninsula
Mweya Peninsula is the heart of sightseeing activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park as well as excellent accommodation, the only way to enjoy your Uganda safari tour in the park is by touring with a ranger guide who helps you explore Queen Elizabeth National Park as well as the distant parts of the peninsula.
Mweya Information Center organizes all the activities that tourists may want to get involved in , the most exciting aspect about this peninsular is the fact that it overlooks Katwe Bay of Lake Edward.
More still, it has a souvenir shop full of Uganda Tours items that will always remind you of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Kazinga Channel
The spectacular Kazinga Channel is about 40m long adjoining Lake George to Lake Edward, the channel is the most spectacular attraction in Queen Elizabeth National Park and has the perfect view of the park’s major wildlife ventures.
The shores of the channel attracts a large concentration of mammals, birds as well as reptiles all year round which can be viewed well on the Nile Cruise. The Nile Cruise runs fro 15.00 and 17.00, furthermore voyages run 11.00 and 13.00 depending on the preference and demand of the tourists.
Kazinga Channel has parts that is Kazinga Channel as well as Kasenyi, its acknowledged that the plains of channel are focal points for game viewing. Guided nature walk is the only way that will enable you see all the wildlife in its nature setting for example buffaloes, elephants and other animals dwelling in the grassland thickets of the Northern Kazinga close to Mweya. The eastern part of Kasenyi plains and the Kasese road where they quarry on the big inhabitants of Uganda Kobs.
The most favorable time for Uganda safaris game drives in this area as well as Queen Elizabeth National Park is during morning and late afternoon hours, your guides will help you get enough information about the park and still get the most memorable experience in Africa.
The Equator And The Queen’s Pavilion
The Uganda’s Equator landmark in Queen Elizabeth National Park provides a beautiful place for photo shooting along with craft shops where you can buy a souvenir.
The Queen’s Pavilion is easily spotted by the northern entrance to the Crater Driver, in 1954 Queen Elizabeth II of United Kingdom gave a provision shelter for this site until in 1959 when a permanent pavilion was constructed for the visit of Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family.
Renovations were made by second visit of Duke of Edinburgh in 2007 with better facilities such as coffee shop and internet facilities.
Ishasha Sector and The Tree Climbing Lions
The Ishasha Sector covering area of about 100km south of Mweya, the park’s distant southern segment gives a genuine Africa wilderness Experience. The sector is dominated by savannah woodland, Ishasha River along with Lake Edward that hosts a diversity of wildlife such as the rare tree climbing lions, rare shoebill stork among others.
Where to Stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park
On your Uganda Safari exploration to Queen Elizabeth National Park, it is unavoidable to spend a night. There are a wide variety of accommodations in and near the park, from self – catering bandas for visitors on a budget, to luxury safari lodges.
- Kyambura Gorge Lodge
- Kitara Lodge
- Simba Safari Camp
- Park View Safari Lodge among others
How to Get There
Entebbe International Airport in Entebbe is the main country’s entry point for international visitors, from Kampala – the capital, it takes approximately 6 hours to drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The park is also accessible by road from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, located three to four hours to the south. For tourists that would like to avoid lengthy car journeys and have some cash to spare, can arrange a charter flight to one of the three airstrips in or near Queen Elizabeth National Park: Kasese, Mweya or Ishasha.