SAFARI GUIDE TO UGANDA

Queen Elizabeth National Park offers a wide array of activities that showcase its diverse landscapes, abundant wildlife, and unique ecosystems. Here are some of the top activities to enjoy during a visit:

Game Drives: Explore the park’s open savannahs and scenic plains with guided game drives, offering the chance to see elephants, lions, buffalo, leopards, and more. The Ishasha sector is especially famous for its rare tree-climbing lions.

Kazinga Channel Boat Safari: A boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel is a must-do experience, providing a front-row view of hippos, crocodiles, and a rich array of bird species. It’s an excellent way to see wildlife from a new perspective and to capture stunning photos of animals gathering along the water’s edge.

Chimpanzee Tracking in Kyambura Gorge: Venture into the lush Kyambura Gorge, a verdant “underground” forest, for the unforgettable experience of tracking wild chimpanzees. Along the way, you’ll also encounter a variety of other primates and unique plant species.

Bird Watching: With over 600 bird species recorded, Queen Elizabeth National Park is a paradise for birders. The Mweya Peninsula, Maramagambo Forest, and Kazinga Channel offer some of the best birding spots, where you might spot the African fish eagle, saddle-billed stork, and the elusive shoebill.

Lion Tracking Experience: Participate in a unique lion tracking experience with researchers, where you can learn about conservation efforts and track these majestic predators using radio telemetry. It’s a rare opportunity to observe lions up close in their natural habitat.

Exploring the Crater Lakes: Discover the stunning crater lakes scattered throughout the park, including the Katwe Salt Lake, where you can learn about traditional salt mining practices, and Lake Nyamunuka, often visited by wildlife.

Nature Walks: Enjoy guided nature walks through the park’s diverse landscapes, from the Maramagambo Forest, known for its ancient trees and bat caves, to the open plains where you can spot smaller wildlife and appreciate the unique flora of the region.

The best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park is during the dry seasons, from June to September and December to February. During these months, the weather is typically warm and dry, making it easier to spot wildlife as animals gather around water sources like the Kazinga Channel and crater lakes. The reduced vegetation also improves visibility for game drives and walking safaris, enhancing the overall safari experience.

The rainy seasons, from March to May and October to November, bring lush greenery to the park, creating stunning landscapes and an abundance of birdlife as migratory species arrive. However, the rains can make some roads and trails more challenging to navigate. Despite this, the park remains accessible year-round, and the rainy season often means fewer tourists, making it a great time for those seeking a quieter safari experience and beautiful, vibrant scenery.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s most biodiverse protected areas, home to an incredible array of wildlife across its varied landscapes. The park is renowned for its large populations of classic African mammals, including elephants, buffalo, leopards, and hippos. Lions are frequently spotted on game drives, particularly in the Ishasha sector, where you can find the park’s famous tree-climbing lions—a rare sighting unique to this region.

The park’s waterways, like the Kazinga Channel, attract a multitude of hippos and crocodiles, providing a lively spectacle on boat cruises. Along the shores, antelopes, such as Uganda kob and waterbuck, come to drink, while elephants often roam the banks. In the open savannahs, visitors can encounter a variety of herbivores, including warthogs, topi, and herds of buffalo.

Primates also thrive in Queen Elizabeth National Park, with Kyambura Gorge serving as a habitat for chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys. A trek through the lush gorge offers a chance to see these primates up close, adding an exciting dimension to any safari experience.

The diverse habitats, from wetlands and grasslands to forests, make it an ideal destination for bird enthusiasts. With its rich variety of wildlife, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers visitors an unforgettable safari experience that showcases the best of Uganda’s natural beauty.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a premier destination for birdwatching, home to over 600 bird species across its diverse ecosystems. From savannahs and wetlands to forests and crater lakes, the park offers ideal habitats for a wide range of avian species.

Birders can spot majestic African fish eagles and the rare shoebill in the swampy areas, along with other fascinating species like the saddle-billed stork and various herons and kingfishers. The wet season, from March to May and October to November, attracts migratory birds, enriching the park’s avian diversity.

Notable birding spots include the Mweya Peninsula and Kazinga Channel, where guests can enjoy boat cruises while observing birds along the water’s edge.