Scenic and biodiverse, Queen Elizabeth National
Park (QENP) is Uganda's most popular protected area. Diverse ecosystems,
including sprawling savanna, shady forests, sparkling lakes and lush wetlands,
provide ideal habitats for classic big game, forest primates, and birds. An abundance
of magnificent vistas include the jagged backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains;
rolling hills pocked with extinct volcanic craters; open, rift valley
grasslands at Kasenyi and Ishasha; the hippo-lined Kazinga Channel; and the
Mitumbe mountains in Congo rising above the distant, western shore of Lake
Edward.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located 389km from Kampala and can be accessed by road within 5-6 hours. Major tourist activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park include:
Game drives: Game drives are most rewarding in early morning hours and late afternoon. A ranger guide is recommended to help you make the most of your experience. Expect to see buffaloes, hippos, elephants, topis, antelopes, leopards, the rare shoebill storks and more besides. Queen Elizabeth National Park is comprises of two sectors i.e. the Kasenyi sector in the north and the southern Ishasha sector is also famous for the tree climbing lions.
Launch trips: Launch trips on the Kazinga Channel provide the most relaxing way to view game in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The 40km-long channel that connects Lake George to Lake Edward provides the park's prime wildlife spectacles. The 2-hour return voyage between Mweya and the channel's entrance into Lake Edward cruises beside banks lined with resident hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds and visiting elephant, buffalo and antelopes.
Forest walks: At the foot of the Kichwamba Escarpment, the shady
Maramagambo Forest contrasts with the park's open grasslands. Guided walks
afford sightings of primates and rare birds (including the forest flycatcher,
white-naped pigeon and the striking Rwenzori turaco) and visit Lake
Nyamusingire (home to the African finfoot, this is formed by three connected
crater lakes), the copper-rich Blue Lake and the Bat Cave with its resident
bat-gorged python.