Queen Elizabeth National Park

 

Opened by Queen Elizabeth of England in 1954, this Park covers 1,978 sq. km and includes a remarkable 57 varieties of eco-systems, from semi-deciduous tropical forest to green meadows, savannah and swamps. 95 mammal species has been recorded here, the highest for any Ugandan national park. It is the home of the famous tree-climbing lions, the Uganda kob and other antelope species, the rare giant Hog as well as elephants, buffalos, hippos, baboons, chimpanzees and other primates. 612 bird species have been sighted in Queen Elizabeth, making this park truly unique for it has one of the highest numbers in the world for such a relatively small reserve. The species include the Shoebill stork, black bee-eater, Palm-nut Vulture, eleven types of kingfishers and a variety of birds of prey namely grey Kestrel, Lappet- faced Vultures, several falcons and eagles.


Because of this diversity, the Park has recently been designated as a reserve for Humanity under UNESCO. It is also a RAMSAR wetland reserve.
In the crater lakes that dot the park area, spectacular flocks of flamingos gather, creating the image of a moving pink carpet. The launch trip along the Kazinga Channel connecting Lakes Edward and George is a memorable way to view the abundant game in Queen Elizabeth and to see a huge number of bird species.
In the eastern section of the park is Kyambura Gorge where visitors can go down the 100m deep gorge through tropical forest and catch sight of a variety of primates, especially chimpanzees and olive Baboons.


In the Ishasha sector south of the park, visitors can move through the woodlands in search of tree-climbing lions perched on the branches of ancient fig trees. In the southeast, the Maramagambo forest offers opportunities to see primates including Chimpanzees, Black-and-white Colobus and other monkeys.


Distance: The headquarters of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Mweya can be accessed through Fort Portal – about 440 Kilometres or Mbarara- about 425 Kilometres and both ways can be traveled between 6-7 hours.


Places to stay and dine include:

  • Jacana Safari Lodge
  • Mweya Safari Lodge
  • Mweya Ecology Institute
  • Simba Safari Camp