Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly a medley of wonders! Situated in the Kasese District of Uganda, this Ugandan national park has various ecosystems made up of sprawling savannah, shadowy, moist forests, lakes and fertile wetlands, which makes it a good home to various species of wildlife, primates and birds.
Queen Elizabeth National Park lies against the backdrop of the great Rwenzori Mountains with stunning and panoramic views that are made up of various crater lakes. These lakes are carved dramatically into many green rolling hills.
When you visit, you will be rewarded with magical sights of the Kazinga Channel, its shores teeming with hippopotamus, elephant and buffalo. You will also see the plains of Ishasha, whose fig trees obscure tree climbing lions that are ever ready to hunt herds of Ugandan kob.
As it is with the rich abundance of wildlife, Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda also has a rich cultural background. There are manyopportunities for tourists to meet up with the local communities and be part of amazing cultural activities like traditional dances, storytelling moments, listening to traditional music and more. You can further engage in community projects and leave footprints of good behind.
Named after Queen Elizabeth II, the park was previously named Kazinga National Park. The gazetting of Queen Elizabeth National Park has long ensured the conservation of its ecosystems for decades, which in turn can benefit the surrounding communities.
Some activities in this popular national park include wildlife viewing (primary activity) in Kasenyi, Mweya and Ishasha sectors, chimpanzee trekking in the exhilarating Kyambura Gorge, Kalinzu forest or Maramagambo forest, hot air ballooning and local community visits.
Other interesting activities include hiking and nature walks, bird watching, cruises on the Kazinga Channel, lion tracking with the Uganda Carnivore Program, a visit to the explosion crater and a visit to the Katwe salt works.
Tourists can visit Queen Elizabeth National Park at any time of the year, but the best experiences are during the months of June to September and December to January respectively. This amazing wildlife park is not only among the best wildlife viewing destinations, but is also Uganda’s most popular tourist destination!