The Ishasha sector is an area in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park found in south western part of Uganda.
This area is famous for harboring, the unique tree climbing lions not found elsewhere except in Lake Manyara national park in Tanzania. The lions lazily lie on trees mostly in the afternoon hours or eating their prey on top of acacia or sycamore trees.
Apart from the tree climbing lions, the Ishasha sector contains savannah type of vegetation, riverine forests and excellent topography.
The lions are often seen at the acacia and sycamore fig trees other animals like elephants, antelopes, warthogs, Ugandan Kob, buffaloes graze on the endless Ishasha plains.
This area of is one of the most visited in the park despite its unique remoteness, one can experience the drama in the wilderness as lions siting and catching their prey mostly antelopes grazing on the vast plains.
The reason for lions climbing lions is not well known but some say lions climb trees to relax from the afternoon heat while others say they climb to escape from the ground tsetse fly bites and other insects or to have better views of their prey.
Another unique future about the tree climbing lions of Ishasha sector is that the manes of this lions are black which is rare from other lions.
The best time to visit the Ishasha sector is in June-September during this season the grass is short and easy to see the tree climbing lions hunting on their prey and you can also have very clear views of the Ishasha horizons and other animals grazing on the savannah, however other times of the year are also not bad but the best is June to September.
The Ishasha sector also contains numerous wildlife and birds like palm bat culture, grey kestrel, shoebill, African green pigeon, martial eagle and African crowned eagle among others being just two hours’ drive from the splendid Kazinga channel which links the two fresh water lakes George and Edward.
Here you can view elephants playing on water, the giant Nile crocodiles, hippos and water birds like papyrus gonolek, white winged tern, pied kingfisher, greater swamp warbler, malachite kingfisher among others.
To make your trip memorable you can also add visiting the great crater lakes like lake nyamunyangwe swarmed with flamingos, lake Katwe where salt has been mined for over 500 years and visit the miners in their villages, acquire some unique African crafts to take back home for remembrance.