How to plan a trip to Queen Elizabeth national park; Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited national park because of the rare tree climbing lions and above all a home to biodiversity of wildlife species and various bird species thus making it a bucket list of most tourists visiting Uganda. Moreso, home to five different ecosystems, savannah, grassland, forest, wetland and volcanic lakes and a game that attracts range of wildlife.
Location; The park lies around 400 Kilometer from Uganda’s capital ‘’Kampala’’ to 5 to 6 hours drive. However, visitors are recommended to use skilled tour operator – travel with their own vehicle or you can hire a car. Travelers planning to visit the park can combine it with visit to Kibale National Park ,Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Lake Mburo National Park.
Due to diverse landscapes and options to observe wildlife species, it is not easy to plan a short itinerary in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Note, the Kazinga channel between Lake Edward and Lake George in the northwest of the park is rewarding for tourists looking forward to do boat cruises that allows you watch buffalos, elephants on the water banks, hippos and crocodiles among others. More then, the Kyambura Gorge in the northeast, is considered as a perfect place for chimpanzee trekking and hiking. The savanna and swamp areas in the park’s central areas are excellent for game drives and animal adventuring.
More so, visit the crater lakes in the northeast part of Queen Elizabeth which are perfect for an off-road drive and to view the thrilling panoramas of the area, which is also a great chance to spot leopards. Interestingly, the Ishasha sector in the south offers the perfect opportunity to spot tree -climbing lions and in entire Africa there are few destinations to see the unique tree climbing lions.
Below are the prices considered to pay before you access Queen Elizabeth National Park;
Entry fees to Queen Elizabeth National Park – USD40 person in 24hours.
Note; Prices change it you are a foreigner living in Uganda, an East African passport holder or a Ugandan citizen. Entry permits can only be purchased at the Kabatoro Gate of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Where to stay on safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park;
Despite the fact, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers perfect options for travelers who visit the park. They range from luxurious lodges to small family run camps on the outskirts of the national park.
Before you visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, first consider the activities to do and where to stay in, because most of lodges are located in the north central part of the park ‘’Katunguru’’. For that reason, if you are planning to visit the tree-climbing lions – full game drive, we recommend you to book a lodge in Ishasha or Kasenyi regions. Other activities to do in the park includes; boat cruises, chimpanzees trekking, crater lakes, nature walk, visit salt link among others. Visitors wishing to see the most of Queen Elizabeth National Park can spend 2 -3 nights in the northern side of the park and may be 2 nights in the south. Tourists never get worried what to do and where to stay while on visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park
Overall, Queen Elizabeth National Park is open all year around but the best time to visit the park is drying season starts from January to February and June to July considered as perfect season for game viewing. During this time of the year, grass grows lower, animals gather at waterholes and days are sunny with clear skies thus making the best season to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Note; Considering a high season in Uganda, prices for accommodations and tours can increase significantly.
Still on the other side, you can visit the park in wet season which starts – March to May and August to December. This can be a perfect time for travelers on a budget and prices lowers due to low season and wildlife viewing is still acceptable. Furthermore, it is best time for birdwatchers and sightseeing of beautiful nature. Though, rainy days can affect your game experience and leads to inaccessible of the roads due to the poor weather conditions.
Activities to do inside Queen Elizabeth National Park; Night game drives, Guided Nature walk, Chimpanzee tracking, Kazinga Channel boat ride, Visit the crater lakes
Get started now! Planning a trip to Uganda individually is fun, however, if you want to arrange everything with a trustworthy tour operator beforehand from the comfort of your home.
