Queen Elizabeth National park is situated in south western region of Uganda and is Uganda’s most popular tourist destination which started in 1952 as Kazinga National park and later on it was named queen Elizabeth national park after the visit of Queen Elizabeth the 2nd of Uganda. It is a distance of 420 kilometer by road and it takes 5.6hours from Kampala the capital city of Uganda.
The park is home to various species of over 220 mammal species such as climbing lions, baboons, lions, Elephants, Antelopes, buffalos, warthogs and Uganda kob. It also has 12 primates species like Chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, bats and over 600 birds species like sun bird, shoebill stork among others. It is also known of cultural safaris where tourists can get a chance to meet local communities and enjoy dance, music, storytelling and many others.
The park is the oldest and the largest in East Africa located in south west region of Uganda offering variety of species where one per person can be able to spot different types of animals like climbing lions, Uganda kob, Elephants, antelopes, buffalos and many more. The vegetation is of savanna grassland, fertile wetlands, sparkling lakes, forests e.t.c Different primate species including chimpanzees, baboons and over 600 species of bird’s like sunbird, shoebill stork, white egrets and many others.
The park is laid against the backdrop of Rwenzori mountain with its magnificent features which include dozens of enormous craters carved which rolls into green hills, panoramic view of kazinga channel where one can spot hippos, crocodiles, and also tourist can enjoy boat cruise on kazinga channel that make the endless plains of ishasha. It is also surrounded by fig trees where lions do hide ready to pounce on herd of suspecting Uganda kob, storytelling and more.
Game Drive is the commonest of all activities done throughout the year which started in 1990 and it has become the best activity done by the tourists. The park is of the oldest park that was renamed in 1952 by Queen Elizabeth the second and it became the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Chimpanzee trekking and birding is also more liked by the tourist and is the best activities done in the park. It involves chimpanzee habituation which lasts for four hours and this are best attraction which make Queen Elizabeth national Park popular in Kyambura Gorge.
Game drives: Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the famous park in the world for wild animals where tourist can be able to spot such as climbing lions, leopards, antelopes, Elephants, Uganda kobs and more.
Chimpanzees trekking: Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the parks where chimp trekking is done, which lasts for two hours and it is being led by the guide, who guides the tourist to their chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge and maramangabo forest.
Boat Launch / Boat Cruise: Boat launch is done at kazinga channel where tourists take a tour along the channel and be able to spot hundreds of hippos, buffalos, while Elephants linger on the shoreline.
Nature walk and Birding: Queen Elizabeth National Park is also home for forest reserve known as maramagambo forest and savannah species where one or visitors can be guided on Nature walks to get close to hippos on foot and the tourist might be able to view different species of trees and birds.
Queen Elizabeth National Park can be accessed from Kampala in a 5 hours & 30 minutes drive. Alternatively tourists may use Air travel from Rwanda to the park for only 1 hour. By road you can have a stopover at the equator to look at where sun sets from and tea plantations which makes Uganda a green Country.
The park has beautiful accommodation facilities hotels and lodges where tourists can sleep such as Mweya safari lodge, kyambura gorge lodge, kazinga channel safari lodge, the bush lodge, Nayijojo safari lodge, wild tracks overland lodge among others. Queen Elizabeth national park can be visited in dry season months of January, march, June, August, September and December.
