Welcome to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is one of the most popular parks in Uganda evidenced by the number of tourists visiting it each year. It is famous for its tree-climbing lions and is blessed with an assortment of crater lakes, forested gorges, savannah plains, swamps, Rivers and the beautiful Kazinga channel which is a home to abundance of wildlife.
The park also has the highest number of bird species that you can experience on your tours in Uganda and you can combine it with chimpanzee tracking in the forest in Kyambura gorge thus making it one of the Parks in Uganda with many activities and these include birding, cave, chimpanzee tracking, game drives, hiking/nature walks, launch trip, cultural heritage and nature trail plus wildlife research tour.
Birding: It is classified as an important birding area by birding international Queen’s great variety of habitats because it is home to over 600 bird species. This is the greatest of any East African national parks and a phenomenal number for such a small area. The Park’s confluence of savanna and forest linking to the expansive forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo allow visitors to spot East as well as central African species.
Chimpanzee tracking: The Kyambura gorge experience is more than discovering chimpanzees in their natural environment: it teaches tourists about the ecosystems of Kyambura gorge’s atmospheric ‘’underground’’ rain forest, including vegetation types.
Chimpanzees in Queen Elizabeth National Park are tracked from the Kyambura gorge and you will be able to enjoy this activity because these primates are too friendly to humans though it is not advisable to be close to them as a way of preventing the spread of diseases to the primates.
The Chimpanzee tracking here starts in the morning at around 08:00am and they are viewed at least 1km from where they are. This activity is recommended to individuals above 12 years of age and those who are physically fit and you are advised to maintain maximum silence during the trekking of the primates.
Hiking/Nature walks: Nature treks are one of the most active ways to explore the landscapes and wildlife of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Locations include the shady Maramagambo forest, Mweya peninsula with its scenic views and Ishasha River where you may spot a variety of forest and savanna species as well as having a unique opportunity to get extremely close to hippos on foot!
Cave: It is tucked beneath the shady canopy of the Maramagambo forest. The cave has a viewing room from which visitors can observe the resident bats and pythons.
Game drives: For a classic African safari experience, the tracks through Kasenyi, the North Kazinga plains and the Ishasha sector offer virtually guaranteed buffalo, antelope and elephant sightings along with warthogs and baboons. Taking an experienced guide in the early morning or at dusk is the most successful way to track down a pride of lions and maybe even the odd leopard.
Launch trip: The Kazinga channel is an oasis for many of the fascinating species that inhabit the Park and taking a boat tour along it gives visitors the chance to cruise just meters from hundreds of enormous hippos and buffaloes well as elephants linger on the shoreline.
Cultural heritage and nature trail: You will come to see energetic dances of the Kikorongo equator cultural performers, workers harvesting salt on Lake Katwe, a traditional Banyaraguru hut or an agricultural village which are all guided by those who know them best (local community members).
Wildlife research tour: For the tourists who yearn to get up close to wild African fauna, a research trip is a rewarding adventure. This new and unique experience allows visitors to actively participate in monitoring some of the exotic birds and mammals that fill the Park using locator devices and learn habituation calls as well as monitoring weather, surroundings and behavior.
The Park is made up of lodges where tourists can live in for the reason of performing various activities in the Park and these include Kyambura game lodge, Mweya safari lodge, Hippo safari lodge, Ishasha wilderness camp, Jacana safari lodge, Kyambura gorge lodge and so on.