Queen Elizabeth National Park

From open savannah to rainforest, from dense papyrus swamps and brooding crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward, it is little wonder that QENP boasts one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game park or reserve in the world. Almost 100 mammal species and a remarkable 606 bird species makes this superb safari territory, with elephant, a profusion of hippos, the elusive giant forest hog, and handsome Uganda kob all regularly sighted around the tourist village on the Mweya peninsular which also boasts a marvelous waterfront setting in the shadow of the Rwenzori mountains.Elsewhere the remote Ishasha Sector is famed for its tree-climbing lions, the Kyambura gorge harbors habituated chimpanzees, the Maramagambo Forest is home to an alluring selection of monkeys and birds, and flocks of flamingo are resident on the crater lakes.

Size of Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park formerly Kazinga National Park, a national park located in southwestern Uganda. It occupies an area of 764 square miles (1,978 square km) in a region of rolling plains east of Lake Edward and foothills south of the Ruwenzori Mountains

Location of Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is in the Western Region of Uganda, spanning the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri. The park is approximately 400 kilometers (250 mi) by road south-west of Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city

How to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth national park is located 392/ 399 km west of Kampala. It is the most accessible by public transport, of all national parks in Uganda. The park is crossed by many public roads that create easy access by any means of transport including motorcycles or even bicycles. From Kampala, the park can be accessed through two routes, Kampala-Mubende-Fort portal road or Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara road.  From Rwanda, it can be accessed through Ntungamo-Kasese road, and from Congo, it can be accessed through Fort portal-Mpondwe road.

The Fort portal-Kasese-Mbarara road provides opportunities to reach locations such as Kikorongo junction, Katunguru, and Kyambura, the famous accommodation centers, and starting points for the wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth national park and chimp tracking in Kyambura game reserve. Other roads that cross through the park and ease the transportation are; the road to Lake Katwe that passes by Mweya gate, the road to Mukungu fishing village on Lake George, the road to Kahendero fishing village on Lake George, and the road that goes to Congo and the road that goes to Kanungu through Ishasha sector. All these roads are open to the public without paying the park entrance fee.

Things to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park

QENP offers a variety of activities to do ranging from safari game drives to walking safaris, boat safaris, and chimpanzee trekking in the spectacular Kyambura gorge forest.

Boat cruises on the Kazinga channel

One of the most activities to do in the park is the boat cruise on the Kazinga channel which connects Lake Edward and Lake Gorge and during the dry season large herds of wildlife are attracted like elephants, buffalos, and hippos and crocodiles are permanent residents in the area.

Game drives

Queen Elizabeth is one of the popular safari destinations attracting a lot of travelers, the Kasenyi plains offer spectacular game viewing in the park that borders about 11 fishing villages, Lions, elephants, and leopards can be sighted in the vast savannah plains.

Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura gorge

The Kyambura gorge is a magnificent strip that sits in the heart of the park that has become a home to several primate species like black and white colobus monkey, red-tailed monkeys, and the chimpanzees that free moving between the gorge and the Maramagambo forest

Guided walks in the Maramagambo forest

Housing one of the biggest bat caves and spectacular savannah- forest bird species, the Maramagambo forest walk is one of the superb activities to do in the park during your visit

Lion tracking experience

In an act to save Uganda’s lion population, the Uganda carnivore program allows clients to participate in the activities like tracking the collared lions and the funds are directed towards the communities to help protect the predators

Mongoose tracking experience

The Banded Mongoose is native to Africa and is mainly distributed south of the Sahara. This range extends across Africa, from the Gambia to north-eastern Ethiopia, and down to South Africa. Well, you might need a closer look and details of the Banded Mongoose.

If you desire to have an up-close encounter with the Banded Mongoose in Uganda, then a research trip also known as experiential tourism is something we greatly recommend as it will be worth the experience and a very rewarding adventure. This an exceptional experience that offers visitors an opportunity to actively directly participate in keeping an eye on the Banded Mongoose

When to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park

QENP Park is open all-year-long, but wildlife viewing is at its best from January to February and June to July (the Dry seasons). However, this scenic park is at its most beautiful in the Wet seasons from March to May and August to December. April May, August, and September are very wet months and during that time, the rain might interfere with your safari.

Where to stay at Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth national park is a developed tourist national park offering quite a lot of lodging options ranging from Luxury, mid-range, and budget.

Luxury option

• Elephant plains Lodge
• Kyambura gorge lodge
• Katara lodge
• Mweya safari lodge

Mid-range option

• Marafiki safari lodge
• Kingfisher lodge
• Enganzi lodge

Budget option

• Simba safari lodge
• Bush lodge