Safari activities in Queen Elizabeth national park
Safari activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park: Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second biggest national park and one of the most visited protected areas, located in the western part of Uganda in Kasese, Kamwenge, Rukungiri and Rubirizi districts.
The national park is a home of 95 mammal species, including the big four mammals which include elephants, buffaloes, lions and leopards; other animals like Uganda kobs, bushbucks, waterbucks, and warthogs; primates like chimpanzees, L’hoest monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys; and over 600 bird species.
Queen Elizabeth National Park offers several safari activities that visitors can engage in during the safari, including the following.
Safari activities in Queen Elizabeth national park
Game drives
A game drive is one of the major activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will be able to explore the savannah plains in a comfortable pop-up safari van with a professional driver guide.
Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be done early in the morning when animals are still active, in the afternoon and at night, when you will be able to view nocturnal animals, which become lively at night.
During the game drive, you will follow different trails in the Kasenyi plains, Mweya peninsula and Ishasha sector, where you will be able to view different animals like the tree-climbing lions, buffaloes, waterbucks, leopards, elephants, bushbucks, topis, spotted hyenas, warthogs, giant forest hogs, Uganda kobs, and hippos, among others.
Boat cruise
A boat cruise is an exciting activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is done on Kazinga Channel, a 40-kilometer water body that connects Lake Edward and Lake George.
Boat cruises on Kazinga Channel are done on schedules: the morning schedule, which starts at 9:00am and the afternoon schedule, which starts at around 2:00pm.
During the boat ride, which takes about 2 to 3 hours, you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water and other animals like buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, and warthogs, among others, drinking water along the shores; view aquatic bird species like hornbills, cormorants, bee-eaters, kingfishers, and fish eagles; and view fishermen along the shores preparing their fishing gear, among others.
Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is an adventurous activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which involves visitors moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated chimpanzees and, once found, spending one hour with them in their natural habitat.
Chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth National Park is carried out in Kyambura Gorge, also known as the Valley of apes and it starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking.
After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest. Trekking for chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge takes about 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located and during trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, plant and tree species, among others.
Once the chimpanzees are located you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, which gives you a chance to learn about their habits and behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, hunt, play, groom young ones, rest, take photos and record videos.
Nature walk/hiking
A nature walk is an interesting activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will be able to explore the national park on foot, accompanied by an experienced park guide and an armed park ranger to protect you from any danger.
During the guided nature walk, you will follow different trails in Maramagambo Forest, Mweya Peninsula, along Ishasha River, Lake Nyamasingiri, and others.
During the guided nature walk, you will get up close and personal with several wildlife species, including animals like waterbucks, warthogs, hippos, primates like black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, and chimpanzees; view different bird species like scaly-breasted illadopsis and snowy-headed robin chats; enjoy the cool breeze and fresh air; listen to the sweet sounds of bird species singing in trees; and view colorful butterflies, taking beautiful pictures, among other things.
Cultural experience
Cultural experience is an interesting activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will be able to interact with the local people in the neighboring communities; learn about their culture, history, and way of living; visit their farmlands, community centers, and craft shops where they sell handmade items like necklaces, bags, baskets, and art pieces; learn how the women prepare local foods; listen to ancient stories; and enjoy traditional dances, songs and drama, among others.
Birdwatching
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a home of more than 600 recorded bird species, including migratory, savannah, forest and water birds, which makes it one of the best birding areas in Uganda. During bird watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will be accompanied by an experienced bird guide and follow different birding trails like Kasenyi Plains, Mweya Peninsula, Maramagambo Forest, Ishasha Sector Katwe Area, Kyambura gorge and Katunguru Bridge, where you will be able to spot different bird species like yellow-billed oxpecker, Ross’s turaco, hooded vulture, brown snake eagle, martial eagle, Ruppell’s griffon vulture, helmeted guinea fowl, long-crested eagle, black-crowned tchagra, white-tailed lark, Senegal plover, palm-nut vulture, black-headed gonolek, African wattled plover, grey kestrel, lappet-faced vulture, bateleur, Nubian woodpecker, pygmy kingfisher, square-tailed nightjar, blue-napped mousebird, red-chested sunbird, swamp nightjar, Diederik cuckoo, pin-tailed whydah, slender-billed weaver, African jacana, white-backed pelicans, Egyptian geese, pied kingfisher, African fish eagle, malachite kingfisher, great egrets, and spoon-billed stork, among others, in 2022 safari activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Best time to visit Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth National Park can be visited anytime throughout the year, though the best period is during the dry season, which is also known as the peak season, in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February.
During the dry season there is less rainfall in the national park; therefore, vegetation will be thin, which helps you to view different wildlife species clearly. You will also be able to view abundant animals, which gather around the water bodies to drink water. Access roads to the park and hiking trails will be dry and passable, which makes chimpanzee trekking and nature walks easy.
Queen Elizabeth National Park can also be visited during the wet/rainy season in the months of March, April, May, October and November because that’s the best period for bird watching in that it’s the birding plumage and bird lovers will be able to view colorful and migratory bird species.
Where to stay in Queen Elizabeth national park
There are several accommodation facilities in Queen Elizabeth National Park where you can stay during your safari. The accommodations range from budget, midrange and luxury, including Elephant Hab Lodge, Kazinga Channel View Resort, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, Elephant Plains Lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages, Twin Lakes Lodge, Parkview Safari Lodge, Irungu Forest Safari Lodge, Savannah Resort Hotel, Marafiki Safari Lodge, Ishasha Jungle Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Kasenyi Safari Camp, Enganzi Lodge, and Simba Safari Camp, among others.
How to get to Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in the western part of Uganda and can be accessed by both road and air transport means.
Road transport
When using road transport means, you will drive from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Mubende, or Fort Portal and then to the park headquarters, which takes about a 6- to 7-hour drive in a 4WD safari vehicle.
Queen Elizabeth National Park can also be accessed from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which takes about 3 to 4 hours to drive.
Air transport
When using air transport means, you will book scheduled or charter flights with Bar Aviation or Aero Link Uganda from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Kasese or Mweya Airstrip and then connect to the lodge or park headquarters.
Domestic flights to Queen Elizabeth National Park can be booked by your tour operator, like Achieve Global Safaris.
