Queen Elizabeth national park is popularly known for tree-climbing lions, Kazinga channel boat cruise and beautiful scenery including over 52 volcanic crater lakes. The protected area is part of the greater Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, which contains Kyambura and Kigezi game reserves. The park is located in western Uganda encompassing 4 districts of Kasese, Rubirizi, Bushenyi and Kamwenge. The main entrance gate is at Katunguru, which is 115 sq.km (2-hour drive) from Fort Portal city and 101.2 km (2-hour drive) south of Kibale forest national park.
Vegetation
The protected area covers 1,978 sq.km (764 sq.miles) and is 5 times larger than Lake Mburo national park. As part of the western arm of the Great East African rift valley, Queen Elizabeth national park has a wide range of ecosystems, including tropical forests, lake George and lake Edward, swamps, volcanic crater lakes, long and short savanna grassland plains.
The park is divided into two sectors including the Kasenyi plains in the north containing several volcanic crater lakes, Kazinga channel, a 48km tropical water way linking Lake George and Lake Edward and Kyambura gorge. The southern sector called Ishasha wilderness lies in the rift valley and adjoins Virunga national park in the DR Congo. The flat landscape interspersed by savanna and woodlands. Both sectors are linked by the Maramagambo forest reserve, creating a corridor for movement of large mammals including elephants and lions. Elephants in particular are known to migrate between Uganda and Virunga national park.
Wildlife
Due to its variety of habitats, the park has remarkable biodiversity including 612 bird species, 95 mammal species, and 10 primate species including chimpanzees. The Ishasha wilderness area is famous for harbouring tree-climbing lions, the Congo buffalo and topi which are difficult to find in the northern sector of Kasenyi. Leopards and spotted hyenas are also present in the park’s Acacia trees in the Kasenyi plains around Mweya peninsula. The population of lions in Queen Elizabeth national park is estimated at 200 individuals, the park was designated a Lion Conservation Unit (LCU). The experiential lion tracking research experience is available as a conservation activity dedicated to saving lions in the park. There are over 2000 African elephants, making Queen Elizabeth one of the best parks to visit for elephant watching on game drive safari in Uganda. The Kazinga channel attracts most of the elephants along with hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffaloes, and water bird species such as African fish eagle, kingfishers and pelicans. Giraffes, zebras, and impalas are absent from the park.
The park is home to around 612 species of birds including the Shoebill stork and several birds of prey such as the martial eagles, African fish eagle, white-headed vultures and snake-banded eagle. Lesser flamingos and other water birds frequently reside in Lake Munyanyange, a salt lake found next to the lake Katwe.
Activities in Queen Elizabeth national park
Kazinga channel boat cruise
Boat cruise safaris in Queen ELizabeth national park are conducted on the Kazinga channel. The 48 sq.km water body linking Lake George and Lake Edward attracts African elephants, buffaloes, hippos, Nile crocodiles, waterbucks, and water birds. The activity is done in the afternoon when it is most likely that the mammals will come to the water to drink. There are two large double-decked vessels including the MV Kazinga and UWA boat which can take up to 35 visitors. Alternatively, visitors may go for the small motorized canoes that depart at any time of day. The smaller boats navigate the waterways from one end to the other based on wildlife observations.
Experiential lion research
Lion population in Queen Elizabeth national park is estimated at 200 individuals and it has been declining due increasing human wildlife conflict. Over 10 lions have died between 2018 and 2022 due to suspected poisoning, according to Uganda Wildlife Authority, the incidents happen when lions escape from the park and attack domestic animals. So the local people reiterate by poisoning the carcasses. The Uganda Carnivore Program (UCP) in partnership with UWA are conducting research on the lions in the entire park to ascertain the threats and carry out measures to intervene and save lions. The lion tracking experience was therefore created through which the lion population in Kasenyi plains are being monitored on a daily basis. Visitors have the opportunity to participate in lion monitoring activity which lasts for 3 hours. Rangers are able to determine the locations where lions move by crossing park borders to the community lands.
Bird watching
Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to 612 species of birds and was designated an Important Bird Area. The protected area is a must-visit site for any bird watching safaris in Uganda. Birding in the park can be done in several ways including game drives, boat safaris on Kazinga channel and nature walks. Keen birders should select a particular activity depending on the kind of birds. For instance, the Kazinga channel boat is better for spotting water species including pelicans, African fish eagle, hamerkop, kingfishers and storks. Evening game drives tend to be ideal time to encounter herons hunting. Birds of prey in the park include martial eagle, white-headed vultures, Verreaux’s eagle owl and Wahlberg’s eagle (Hieraaetus wahlbergi).
Game drives
Queen Elizabeth national park offers both day and night game drives, which offer opportunity to spot mammal species including the big four which are lions, leopards, elephants and buffaloes. These animals can be dangerous, so visitors must be accompanied by a guide or ranger in a 4×4 vehicle. Night game drives in particular are available only in the Kasenyi plains along the Mweya peninsular, the leopard loop is a great trail to spot leopards. Some lodges, depending on the area, do provide night wildlife drives and will take guests on them anytime a sighting is reported closer. In the Ishasha area, lodges such as Ishasha river camp and Enjonjo lodge offer nature walks and bush dining experiences along the Ishasha and Ntungwe rivers.
Attractions around Queen Elizabeth national park
Explosion crater lakes
Uganda’s Albertine rift valley has over 20 times been profiled among the 10 places on earth by National Geographic with the most beautiful crater lakes. There are three volcanic crater lake fields in the vicinity of Queen Elizabeth national Park, which are a must-visit gem in East Africa. These include the 52 Bunyaruguru crater lakes, 32 in Rubirizi district and the Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes found along the route between Fort Portal and Kibale forest. These crater lakes were formed as result of a violent volcanic eruption 8000 – 10,000 years ago that caused the core of the earth crust to collapse forming over 100 crater filled lakes.
Bunyaruguru county alone in Rubirizi district, south of Lake George has 52 crater lakes including Lake Nkugute created in a shape of the map of the African continent. Next to it, there are twin lakes of Murambi and Katinda that are described by the local people as a place where God started the process of creation. Others say it depicts them as a living room of the creator. Among the 32 lakes, there’s a transparent lake known as lake Kamunzuku where you can see living things beneath at the bottom of the lake, making a natural wonder of the world. Rubirizi district is 48 km (1-hour drive) south east of Mweya visitor center, making these lakes easy to access whilst on safari in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Lake Katwe
Well known for salt mining, Lake Katwe is situated in Kabatoro village Kasese on the northern arm of Lake George. The lake is 15.9 km from Mweya visitor information center, you can spare some time and visit it for a salt mining experience or simply follow the track around the lake. Lake Katwe contains rich deposits of saline water with higher concentration of sodium chloride than other lakes in the area and its waters don’t support wildlife. This is due to the fact that the lake is fed by streams but with no outlets, resulting in too much mineral salt concentration. According to the Global Nature Fund (GNF), Lake Katwe contains 12 million tonnes of salt and has since the 14th century supported the salt mining industry. The local people have created several ponds, where the water crystallises into different types of salt including black mud salt, white/transparent crystals (table salt) and hard salt rocks. Women mostly do the extraction by hand and rudimentary tools and men carry the heavy loads after drying. Witnessing the process of salt mining is interesting, though you will have to bear with an egg-like stench that fills the air. Visitors can also get more information at the Katwe tourism information centre and also visit the nearby Lake Munyanyange which attracts flamingos between April and October.
Kyambura gorge
Known as the ‘Valley of Apes’, Kyambura gorge extends in a zigzag way for 11 km from Kichwamba escarpments to the Kazinga channel. The gorge lies 100 feet beneath the earth crust and contains tropical forests, creating a spectacular scenery over the savanna plains. Kyambura gorge is home to 6 primate species including chimpanzees, blue monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys. The gorge’s main attractions for primate lovers are the chimpanzees. Additionally, the river that meanders through the gorge attracts hippos and elephants, which can be seen during a guided nature walk with a ranger.
Maramagambo forest
Situated in Bushenyi district 22 km south east of Mweya visitor center, Maramagambo forest is an ideal eco-tourism destination for nature walks. Visitors can reach the site with the UWA outpost, Jacana lodge and campsite through the Nyamusingiri Road from QENP. The tropical forest connects the northern Kasenyi plains to the southern Ishasha wilderness, therefore serves as a migrating corridor for large mammals including elephants and lions. However, the attractions to see in Maramagambo include bat caves, Kiryantama waterfalls, Bates’s pygmy antelope and over 100 species. The forest is also home to chimpanzees but they’re not easy to see. There are 5 nature trails to choose from including the Kajojo river which offer an opportunity to walk through different vegetation types of the forest such as raffia palm trees. Hiking is easy due to the medium altitude range of 1,231 – 1,380 meters above sea level. Two blue crater lakes of Lake Kyasanduka and Lake Nyamasingiri encircle the forest and offer spectacular views for keen photographers.
Kalinzu central forest reserve
Kalinzu forest is 73 km (1 hour 45 min drive) south of Mweya visitor center and can be accessed through the Mbarara-kasese/ Ntungamo -Katunguru road. The main reason for visiting Kalinzu is chimpanzee tracking and the permit cost is $60 per person available for booking through UWA and tour operator. Additionally, Kalinzu forest offers opportunities for forest walks, research and conservation. The forest covers 147 square kilometers providing home to 6 primates species including chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys and vervet monkeys, 378 bird species and 414 tree species. Situated at 1,400 meters above sea level, hiking in Kalinzu can be easier but it requires physical fitness due to the nature of terrain.
Accommodation
Queen Elizabeth has the highest number of lodges of the 10 national parks in Uganda. There’s a wide range of accommodations in the park from luxury to budget, campsites and hostels at Mweya visitor center. Most of the lodges are located inside or on the edge of the protected area crater lakes with spectacular views of the rolling savanna, lakes and the distant snow capped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountain Range.
How to get there
Mweya, the UWA visitor information center of Queen Elizabeth national park is 411 km (6-hour drive) west of Kampala capital city. It is a relatively shorter route via Kampala-Mubende-Fort Portal-Kasese Road. An alternative route is 422 km (7-hour drive) via Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Rubirizi road. Those coming from Bwindi Rushaga and Ruhija gorilla sectors can also reach the park via Ishasha-Katunguru route (229 (4-hour drive) or Kabale-Mbarara-Bushenyi road 278 km (5-hour drive).
The park can also be reached by air through Mweya airstrip within the protected area next to the visitor centre.