Queen Elizabeth National park is the most popular tourist destination in Uganda and is one of the oldest national parks in Uganda. Queen Elizabeth national park is located in western Uganda in districts of Kamwenge, kasese, Bushenyi and Rukungiri. The park was prior known as Kazinga National park and was later renamed Queen Elizabeth National Park after the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
The park occupies an estimated 1,978sqkm of which about 17%lies in kasese district, 33% in Rukungili district and 50% in Bushenyi district. The area of the park goes up to Lake Geoge in northeast to Lake Edward in south west and Kazinga Channel that connects the 2 lakes.Queen Elizabeth National park lies on the floor of Africa’s Western Rift Valley, which runs from northern Uganda to Malawi. From the lodge terrace, it’s almost impossible to tell which way the Kazinga Channel is flowing. It actually flows west from Lake George to Lake Edward.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its wildlife and home of about 95 species of mammals which include Hippopotamus, Chimpanzee, elephants, lions, leopard and many others. The park also has about 600 species of birds. The area around ishasha in Rukungiri district is known for its tree- climbing lions that are unique in this area. Other attractions in the park may include dozens of craters carved into rolling green hills, sparkling lakes, fertile wetlands, view of kazinga channel with its banks lined with hippos.The park is also known for its volcanic features, deep craters, volcanic cones and, many with crater lakes such as Lake Katwe, from which salt is extracted.
Nature treks are one of the more active ways to explore the landscapes and wildlife of Queen Elizabeth. Locations include Mweya Peninsula with its scenic views, the shady Maramagambo forest and Ishasha River, where one can spot a variety of forest and savanna species as well as having an opportunity to get close to hippos.
Still there are many opportunities for visitors to meet the local communities and enjoy music storytelling, dance, and more. The gazetting of the park has ensured the conservation of its ecosystems, which benefits the communitiessurrounding.
Queen Elizabeth National park also has a great experience of discovering chimpanzees in their natural environment, it teaches tourists about the ecosystems of Kyambura Gorge’s atmospheric “underground” rainforest, including; bird identification and behavior; and chimp and monkey and vegetation types. The park has luxury accommodation that will cater for all guests. It also caters for budget clients. It has lodges like Jacana safari lodge, Mweya safari lodge, Kyambura game lodge, Kataara lodge, Ishasha wilderness camp, Ishasha jungle lodge, Bush lodge,Simba lodge, etc
The Kazinga Channel is an oasis for many of the fascinating species that inhabit the park, and taking a boat tour along it gives tourists the chance to cruise just meters from hundreds of enormous hippos and buffalos while elephants linger on the shoreline. – See more at: kingfisher and many others. Still the park has camping sites like Ishasha, Maramagambo, Hippo hill camp and others which all offers wonderfull accommodation.
ACTIVITIES IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
Chimp tracking
Chimps in queen are discovered in Kyambura Gorge. It teaches visitors about the vegetation type, bird identification and behavior.
CaveExploration
The cave is called ‘’Bat cave’’ which is found in the canopy of the Maramagamb Forest. The Cave has aviewing room in which visitorscan observe the bats and python.
Birding
It is classified as animportant birding area;Queen inhabits over 600 bird species. Key species in the park include martial eagle, African skimmer, and papyrus gonolok. The hot spots for birding include kazinga channel, Kasenyi area, Maragambo Forest, Ishasha sector, Katunguru
Cultural Encounter
Here one may be in position to see the workers harvesting salt on Lake Katwe, a traditional Banyaragura hut, kikorongo equator cultural performers.
Launch Trip in Queen
This boat tour gives visitors chance to cruise just meters to get chance to see hippos and buffalos.
Game drives
The trucks through Kazinga plains, k
Kasenyi and Ishasha sectors may give visitors a chance to see buffalo, Antelope, elephant
Nature walks
It is the way of exploring the landscapes and wildlife of queen. This can be witnessed in Mweya peninsula, Maramagombo Forest and Ishasha River. Here one may get close to hippos.