Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly a medley of wonders, located in the Kasese District, in the western part of Uganda. The national park has various ecosystems made up of sprawling savannah, shadowy, moist forests, lakes, and wetlands, which makes it a good home to various species of wildlife.
Queen Elizabeth National Park gives a great view of the legendary Mountains of the Moon, also known as the Rwenzori Mountains, with stunning and panoramic sightseeing that is made up of various crater lakes. These lakes are carved dramatically into the green rolling hills.
A visit to the park rewards you with magical sights of the Kazinga Channel, Lake Edward, and Lake George, plus other crater lakes of the area like Katwe. The Kazinga Channel shores are infested with hippopotamuses, elephants, and buffaloes. Explore the Savannah plains of Ishasha, whose fig trees obscure tree-climbing lions that are ever ready to knock on herds of the famous Ugandan Kob.
The park was established in 1952 and was originally called Kazinga National Park; later, after the visit of Queen Elizabeth in 1954, the name changed. The formation of Queen Elizabeth National Park has long ensured the conservation of its ecosystems for decades, which in turn benefits the surrounding communities.
National park activities include wildlife viewing (primary activity) in Kasenyi, Mweya, and Ishasha sectors; chimpanzee trekking in the exhilarating Kyambura Gorge, Kalinzu Forest, and Maramagambo Forest; hot air ballooning; boat cruises; and local community visits.
Other interesting activities include hiking and nature walks, bird watching, lion tracking, a visit to the explosion crater, and a visit to the Katwe salt works.
The park is popularly known for its tree-climbing lion in the Ishasha sector. The tree-climbing lion experience is a rewarding activity in the wilderness. Lions rest for more than 20 hours, giving the viewers a chance to watch them in their natural habitat.
Queen Elizabeth is the most visited/famous and popularly known national park.
When heading for a gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, stop over at Ishasha for the rewarding game drive to see the tree-climbing lions. This route connects quickly to Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks for gorilla and golden monkey trekking, respectively.
Reaching Queen Elizabeth National Park
The park is situated about 5-6 hours drive by road from Kampala, passing via Mbarara and Bushenyi, and can also be reached from Bwindi or Kampala, Mubende, Fort Portal, and Kasese. It’s accessible by public or private transport.