Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the most visited National Park due to its location between and closer to National Parks such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Rwenzori National Park an Kibale National Park.
Destination Highlights
The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park, and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II. The park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. The Katwe explosion craters mark the park's highest point at 1,350m above sea level, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Background Information
Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds.
Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains, whose fig trees hide lions ready to pounce on herds of unsuspecting Uganda kob.
As well as its outstanding wildlife attractions, Queen Elizabeth National Park has a fascinating cultural history. There are many opportunities for visitors to meet the local communities and enjoy storytelling, dance, music and more. The gazetting of the park has ensured the conservation of its ecosystems, which in turn benefits the surrounding communities.
What to see and do
Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to the tree climbing lions commonly spotted in the southern sector of the park popularly referred to as Ishasha. It is home to over 600 hundred species of birds including migratory birds from Europe. Kazinga channel boat cruise remains one of the highlights of the park as several animals such as hippos, elephants, birds among other can be spotted with easy.
Mweya area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, is rich with wildlife including warthog, water buck, bush buck, leopard, Ugandan kob, elephants, countless bird species and even the rare giant forest hog. In the Mweya sector of the park, visitors will find vast numbers of Uganda’s unique and strange Euphorbia, or “candelabra” tree. The many nearby crater lakes and mountain ranges provide a beautiful backdrop for your journey. While in Queen Elizabeth National Park, enjoy a leisurely boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel which has the highest concentration of hippos in the whole world. Over 600 species can be spotted by kin birders on a good day and it is recorded that Kazinga channel is the widest natural water channel in the whole world as well. On your two hour boat cruise, you may encounter herds of elephant, buffalos and antelopes, families of warthogs, large groups of hippos, and crocodiles basking on the shore. Kazinga’s shores are a haven for numerous birds, including many migratory species as they make their way south to warmer climates. The cruise also provides a spectacular view of the beautiful Mweya Peninsula and life in local fishing villages set along the banks.
Where to find Queen Elizabeth National Park
