Queen Elizabeth National Park Tours | Bird Watching Safaris

QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

Queen Elizabeth national park together with kyambura and kigezi wildlife reserve forms the most diverse ecosystem in Africa. The melting glacier waters of Rwenzori mountains create a vast wetland system comprising of two main lakes, George and Edward, as well as the connecting kazinga channel. Thousands of hippos populate these shorelines. Open savannah dotted with acacia and euphobia trees provide habitat for elephants, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, and big herds of buffaloes.
The park also harbors primate species, ten in number which include chimpanzees and monkeys.
Waterbucks, giant forest hog, topi, hyenas, and crocodiles are among the many animals seen frequently in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Queen Elizabeth national park has the biggest number of bird species compared to all the other parks in Africa.

The local people that inhabit Queen Elizabeth national park mainly are the bakiga, banyankore and bakonjo. These ethnic groups that inhabit this part of the country are closely related both linguistically and culturally. In 1979, Queen Elizabeth national park was designated as a biosphere reserve with the ultimate goal of integrating human activities with the conservation and protection of wildlife, wetlands, and natural resources. There are eleven fishing village enclaves within the protected area.

There are many tourist activities in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Game drives at Queen Elizabeth national park are best done in the early morning and late afternoon hours. If the trucks are well maintained, it can take over 200 kms for the visitors to have access to the park’s game. Sometimes these trucks pass through the large mating grounds of great herds of Uganda kob. Driving slowly is better because it helps visitors to view more. It is during the game drive that the lions can be viewed searching for prey. At the same time the, the legendary forest hog is visible roaming the bush. Large herds of elephant are seen make their way down to the water, if the game drive is done during the hot period. Buffalo and bushbucks can be found on the channel track and adjacent circuits. The warthog is a hallmark sight on the mweya peninsula. The outstanding scenery along the crater track brings visitors to volcanic craters at the foothills of the misty mountains of the moon (Mt. Rwennzori). The lake Mburo national park management can help in planning this breathtaking experience.

Bird watching is the main tourist activity at Queen Elizabeth national park as it hosts the biggest number of birds in Africa. The park boasts of 606 bird species. Experienced guides know the most interesting bird sports around swamps, lakes and other interesting habitats. The park offers visitors chance of spotting Uganda’s most sought after bird, the prehistoric looking shoebill stork. Other key species are the African fish eagle, martial eagle, papyrus gonolek, African skimmer and many more. A minimum of two to three days can give visitor a best chance to see these beautiful birds.

Launch trip on the kazinga channel is very interesting and gives an eye to eye with yawning hippos surrounded by vast numbers of migrant and resident water birds. The boat puts one to the heart of nature. The boat trip along the hippo crowded banks of kazinga channel gives visitors a unique unequalled wild experience. Many buffaloes are seen resting in the water while the big herds of elephant are seen enjoying themselves drinking and playing along the channel banks. Crocodiles have become a common sight and occasionally leopards may be seen while on a boat trip.

Maramagambo forest has many surprises awaiting you being an extensive rain forest. A variety of long, medium and short guided nature walks are offered in maramagambo forest. While on these walks, visitors often observe pythons in the crevices of the bats cave floor, using the bats as a source of food. The cave is near the picturesque blue lake and hunters cave. Other trails lead to the heart of the forest surrounding tranquil crater lakes and are a home to wild chimps, other primates and forest birds.

Ishasha is a true pearl in the southern part of the park. Idyllic campsites that are frequently visited by the colobus and other monkeys are situated along the winding ishasha river. It is in this part of the park that the famous tree-climbing lions can be sported on the large fig trees.
There are also other animals which graze in the acacia studded savannah such as the Uganda kobs, topi, and buffaloes.
Ishasha is an interesting part of Queen Elizabeth national park as it harbors a big number of flora and fauna.

Traditional salt works at the enclave of Lake Katwe town give visitors an interesting experience. This is one of the oldest industries in Uganda and it has been in existence the 14th century. Since the 14th century, salt has been mined by traditional methods and is still in use up to today. Salt production peaks during the dry season.

Kyambura wildlife reserve is found in the eastern part of they protected area and is supports the similar mammals as the rest of the park. Kyambura reserve has three saline crater lakes. These crater lakes attract large numbers of flamingos that are not found anywhere else in Uganda, thus making it an interesting part of the park and making it very attractive to the tourists.
The steep kyambura gorge formed by the turbulent waters of Kyambura River provides a lush riverine forest which is a home to chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons and other primates, as well as plenty of forest birds.
A guided nature walk along this trail takes visitors into the gorge and offers a great chance to track habituated chimps in their natural habitat.
Kyambura wildlife reserve is also a main tourist attraction, which takes visitors to Queen Elizabeth national park.

Accommodation
Mweya safari lodge is one of Uganda’s best places yet within Queen Elizabeth national park. Therefore this makes accommodation at Queen Elizabeth national park comfortable and easy to find. There are campsites at mweya, maramagabo forest and ishasha. However some of these campsites don’t provide meals.
Jacana safari lodge at maramagambo forest provides full board accommodation, as well as mweya safari lodge, bandas located at ishasha sector, all make accommodation at the park easy to access. The also park operates a students centre with a capacity of 48 beds.
Generally, accommodation at Queen Elizabeth national park is fairly good and can be easily availed.

Access
Queen Elizabeth national park can be accessed by either air or road transport.
From Kampala either via Masaka and Mbarara or via fort portal, the distance is approximately 467 kilometers. From Kabale, the ishasha sector can also be reached.
Three air fields are serving the park at Kasese, Ishasha and Mweya peninsular.
Air transport is faster but road is more rewarding and a four wheel drive vehicle is more recommendable.

For conservation purposes, the Uganda wildlife authority the following rules and regulations which should be strictly adhered to.

Visitors should get their permits before entering the park.

Driving should be between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm.

Fire arms and ammunitions should not be brought in the park.

Plants and animals are not supposed to be picked.

Visitors are not supposed to sound their horns while in the park.

Starting fires and throwing cigarette ends is strictly prohibited.

Animals should be given right of way and should not be disturbed.

Driving more than 45 kilometers per hour is not allowed.

Staying over night should be at only designated areas.

Littering is not allowed.

Petty animals like dogs are not supposed to be brought in the park.