Queen Elizabeth National Park
Located in the western provinces of Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is a hidden gem of adventure that is ideal for nature lovers and sightseeing enthusiasts. The park is a renowned treasure trove of biodiversity harboring a wide scope of attractive flora and fauna species.
Due to its fairly large size, it occupies 4 districts with parts of it stretching up to Kasese, Kamwenge, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri. The park is one of Uganda’s most popular destinations receiving tens of thousands of travellers that go to marvel at its exceptional beauty encompassing wildlife and the breathtaking diverse array of landscapes.
History of the National Park.
Following the infestation of tsetse flies in the early 1920s, masses fled the area where Queen Elizabeth National Park lies today. This prompted the British colonial government which was then in charge of the Ugandan colony to gazette the area as a national reserve.
Queen Elizabeth National Reserve was formerly known as Kazinga National Park when it was upgraded to National Park status in 1952. This was after the efforts of combining Lake Edward and Lake George game reserves. Kazinga, later after two years of National Park status was renamed Queen Elizabeth National Park to commemorate the monarch’s visit to the country.
There have been minimal human-wildlife conflicts in the past years in the park but the situation is being put under control through the collaboration of conservation bodies with the local communities and Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Major attractions and uniqueness of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The major attractions of Queen Elizabeth National Park are the tree-climbing lions. They possess a rare trait amongst all lions in the universe which therefore makes them such a huge attraction to the lovers of wildlife. Visitors enjoy watching them climb up the figs as they relax in their natural habitat.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is unique in the sense that it’s the only place in Uganda where one can watch the tree-climbing lions. The diverse landscapes of the National Park especially the valleys, Kyambura gorge, lakes, and the Kazinga channel further make it a unique and ideal place for sophisticated adventures and deep immersion into the glamorous beauty of the African savanna.
Other attractions of the National Park.
Other wildlife species. Queen Elizabeth National Park does not only protect the tree-climbing lions but also a series of other attractive wildlife species. Visitors to the National Park are therefore presented with the golden opportunity to observe some of the most awe-inspiring creatures in the land, especially the Uganda kobs, warthogs, spotted hyenas, chimpanzees, crocodiles, hippos, and giant forest hogs to mention but a few.
Bird species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to over 600 bird species. Visitors can observe these in the diverse landscapes and along the lakes and streams in the park.
Maramagambo forest. This is one of the most moist and evergreen forests in the western region. It lies on the outskirts of Queen Elizabeth National Park presenting breathtaking views.
Mweya peninsula. This peninsula presents access to the Kazinga Channel and Lake Edward. It is also a renowned sightseeing area in Queen Elizabeth National Park as it helps one observe the dry savanna grasslands and the animals within.
Things to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Boat safaris. The boat safaris are usually launched on lakes Edward and George. They’re carried out to help the visitors explore more of the park’s endowments as they get to view the wildlife species along the shores of the lake and also spot some of the beautiful birds, especially the African fish Eagles, black and white casqured hornbill, and egrets.
Game drives. The game drives in the park are conducted under the guidance of experienced tourist guides who provide information about most of the creatures encountered. They are usually carried out during the day and partially at night to enable visitors to observe wild cats.
Bird watching. This helps visitors to observe some of the bird species within the park. Viewing some of the bird species while on a safari is such a humbling experience. Visitors get to set their eyes on some of the most beautiful creatures on the planet.
Visitors have the opportunity to observe birds, especially standard winged night jars, green turacos, green-breasted pitta, bar-tailed trogons, black-breasted barbets, Shelley’s crimsonwing, bushshrikes and the eastern plantain eaters.
Primate trekking. Guests to the park can also indulge in trekking primates in the tropical rainforests in the park especially in the Kyambura gorge and Kalinzu forest. Visitors have opportunities to observe chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, lhoests, and vervets.
Favourable time to visit and how to access Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The most appropriate moments of the year in which visitors can enjoy Queen Elizabeth National Park visits are during the dry months. The dry months present uninterrupted opportunities to traverse through the landscapes of the park with no hardships. The dry months usually occur from June to September and from December to February.
Queen Elizabeth National Park can be accessed both by air and road transport. Air travelers can fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Mweya Airstrip. Road transport users can travel through the Kampala – Masaka – Mbarara – Kasese highway or Kampala – Mubende – Fortportal highway and then proceed to the park. This usually takes about six to seven hours to drive.
