[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Queen Elizabeth National Park – Uganda’s most popular national park” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Signika%3A300%2Cregular%2C600%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”4819″ img_size=”1000*500″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Queen Elizabeth National park is Uganda’s most famous, popular and the most often visited national park for all Uganda Safari tours. The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National park only to be renamed Queen Elizabeth National park two years later after the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 and it boasts over 500 bird species as well as 95 mammal species. The park is located in the western region of the country extending across districts of Kasese , Kamwenge, Rubirizi and Rukungiri district is the only national park crossed by the equator. The park lies on the floor bed of the western arm of the great East African Rift Valley occupying an estimated 1978 square kilometers or 764 square miles bordering the Kigezi Game reserve, Kyambura game reserve and Kibale National park all in Uganda as well as Virunga National park in Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC). The park is famous for its volcanic features like the volcanic cones and deep craters such as the Katwe craters which mark the highest point of the park at 1350m above sea level, acacia woodlands, savanna grasslands and tropical forests like Maragambo forest located in the
southern part of the park. It is also known for its wildlife such as tree climbing lions, leopards, crocodiles, elephants, Uganda kobs, Hippos, buffalos, chimpanzees, warthogs etc. The park also boosts a rich cultural history which implies that the visitors can interact with locals in the community through storytelling, dance, music and many other activities
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A 400km distance southwest of Uganda’s largest city and capital, Kampala on a 5-6hr drive is the QueenElizabeth National park also dubbed as “The Medley of Wonders”. The park can be accessed on tarmac either through Fortportal via Kasese or through Mbarara
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Attractions in the Park” google_fonts=”font_family:Signika%3A300%2Cregular%2C600%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
The park’s diverse eco system like the rich savanna grasslands, humid tropical forests, lakes and fertile wetlands make it an incredible habitat for wildlife and a treasured destination for all Popular Uganda Safaris. Some of the attractions are:-
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”1. The Kazinga Channel” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Signika%3A300%2Cregular%2C600%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”4828″ img_size=”500*375″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Kazinga Channel is a 32km fresh waterway that connects adjacent lakes of Lake George in the North East and Lake Edward in the South East of the park. It is best for wildlife and attracts a vast array of animals and birds especially during the dry season when animals are on its shores. It also boosts one of the largest concentration of hippos and nile crocodiles in the world. A boat cruise on Kazinga Channel is absolutely consummate as you come face to face with three of the big five all at once with several bird species holding meetings at Kazinga fishing village.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”2. Mweya Peninsula” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Signika%3A300%2Cregular%2C600%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
This is located on the north eastern shores of Lake Edward at the point where the Kazinga Channel joins Lake Edward. It is the most visited part in the park because of its topograpghy, accommodation facilities, abundant game drives on land, water and in air as well as the magnificent flora and fauna around the Peninsula which significantly differs from the one in the Southern part of park. The Peninsula on its northern edge is home to one of Uganda’s luxurious lodges “Mweya Safari Lodge” with spectacular views of Lake Edward which is just adjacent to the lodge.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”3. Kyambura Gorge” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Signika%3A300%2Cregular%2C600%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
This is also known as the “Valley of Apes” located in the northeastern part approximately 30km form the Mweya Peninsula and spans a distance of 11km linking to the Kazinga channel. The Kyambura Gorge is best known for Chimpanzee tracking and is home to approximately 24 chimpanzees. It also has a stunning underground tropical forest bordered by rift valley escarpments. Other primates
found in the Gorge are baboons, colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys etc.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”4. The Ishasha Sector” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Signika%3A300%2Cregular%2C600%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”4835″ img_size=”500*375″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
This is located in Rukungiri district in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National park and is best known for its tree climbing lions. These endless Ishasha plains are habitats to Uganda Kobs which are food for the tree climbing lions. The Ishasha sector is rarely visited by tourists but seeing these tree climbing lions is a rare spectacular sight and incredible experience.
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Accommodation at Queen Elizabeth National park can range from budget, midrange to luxury and the park possesses the best accommodation service due to a number of facilities to satisfy your accommodation needs on any Ugandan Safari. This resonates to the fact that it’s the most popular and visited National park in Uganda. Below are some of the accommodation facilities:-
Mweya Safari Lodge
Kingfisher Lodge Kichwamba Uganda
Jacana Safari Lodge
Kitandara Hippo Hill Camp
Ishasha Wilderness Camp etc.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Main Activities to do in the Park” google_fonts=”font_family:Signika%3A300%2Cregular%2C600%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel
Chimpanzee tracking at Kyambura Gorge
Birding
Game drives
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