Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s second-largest, and most diverse national park, set in the low-lying Rift Valley where it crosses the equator south of the lofty Rwenzori Mountains and north of the Kigezi Highlands. Queen Elizabeth comprises open grassland and savannah, which tends to be moister in the west than in the east. A variety of thorny acacias predominate in the savannah habitats, Queen Elizabeth is home to about 95 mammal species, 10 primate species namely chimpanzees, vervet monkey, black and white Colobus, L’Hoest’s monkey, red-tailed monkey, baboon, and blue monkey are usually seen roaming in the park.
Things to do and see in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Uganda’s busiest safari destination, Queen Elizabeth National Park makes for a convenient stopover en route between Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale Forest National Park. The park’s most popular attraction is a scenic boat trip that runs out of the Meya Peninsula along the Kazinga channel past large herds of buffalo, elephants, and hippo. Game drives on the Kasenyi plains; chimpanzee tracking at Kyambura Gorge and birding along the lakeshore, swamp, grassland to lowland forest.
Game Viewing
Your wildlife safari will be enhanced by early morning game drives to visit some of the top wildlife destinations. Wildlife safari experience through Kasenyi Plains or the Ishasha sector offers a good chance of seeing sitatunga antelopes, warthog, savannah elephants, lions, leopards, civet, waterbucks, topis among others. Taking an experienced guided game drive in the morning or evening is the most effective approach to track a vast array of mammals in their natural habitat.
Chimpanzee Trekking
Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge commonly known as the valley of Apes is another place you should visit on your safari, the 16km dramatic gorge on the eastern side of the park is home to habituated chimps. The experience is more than trekking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, when you take a nature walk in the valley you will be amazed by the landscape of the gorge due to its depth of about 120 meters deep, rich in more than 8 primate species namely habituated chimpanzee, baboon, red-tailed monkey, black and white colobus and abundant bird watching, giant forest hogs, elephants and some lions. Chimpanzee tracking permits for Kyambura Gorge cost US$ 50 per person, a few years ago, Kyambura was one of the most reliable tracking sites in Uganda with a success rate of 85%, and this is still the case when the chimps have easy access to fruiting trees.
Birding
The great variety of habitats in Queen Elizabeth National Park supports a remarkable 610 species of birds namely egret, flamingo, kingfisher, falcons, eagles, Black bee-eater, white-winged warbler, African broadbill, African skimmer, shoebill stork among others. Birding at the park is an incredible excursion as it has a variety of habitats that range from the lakeshore, swamp, grassland to lowland forest.
Boat Cruise
The 2 hours boat cruise on Kazinga Channel will give a great opportunity to see a variety of wildlife; you will be able to see Elephants, hippos, waterbuck, Uganda kob, buffalo. Waterbirds are plentiful, in particular white pink-backed pelicans, white-bellied cormorants, water thick-knee, yellow-billed stork, and bush-shrike.
