Is Queen Elizabeth national park worth visiting

Is Queen Elizabeth national park worth visiting: Yes, Queen Elizabeth national park is worth visiting. The 1978 sq. km piece of land is one of the protected areas in Uganda worth exploring and is understandably the country’s most popular tourist destination. Inside Queen Elizabeth national park, tourists find 95 mammals, and over 600 bird species in the different vegetation covers of the park.

If you choose to have a safari in Queen Elizabeth national park, it’s the best choice you have made. The national park has a lot of tourist attractions which are seen during different park activities. Queen Elizabeth national park in western Uganda is one of the best tourism destinations that offers tours and the best safari experiences in the country.

Is Queen Elizabeth national park worth visiting

Reasons to visit Queen Elizabeth national park

Wild animals

Queen Elizabeth national park harbors over 95 mammal species which tourists can see whenever they visit the park. The animals are best seen during activities like game drives and nature walks around the park. Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park are carried out every day in the morning, evening, and night hours in different parts of the park.

Game drives last 3 to 4 hours in Queen Elizabeth national park and tourists are able to see as much wildlife as they can. During the game drives, tourists are driven to different park areas where they see animals such as lions, side stripped jackals, leopards, elephants, spotted hyenas, cape buffaloes, hippos, topis, Uganda kobs, defassa waterbucks, sitatungas, warthogs, giant forest hogs, crocodiles, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, l’hoest’s monkeys, and vervet monkeys to mention but a few.

Tree climbing lions

Queen Elizabeth national park is the only place in Uganda where tourists can get a chance to see tree climbing lions. Tree climbing lions are very rare and if you get a chance to visit Queen Elizabeth national park you shouldn’t leave minus visiting them in the Ishasha sector of the park.  A few hours game drive in Ishasha sector will give you an opportunity to meet climbing lions and you will be given a chance to record videos and take photos.

Apart from tree climbing lions, tourists will be able to see other animals that have been recorded in Queen Elizabeth national park. among these include lions, buffaloes, leopards, antelopes, monkeys, and hyenas to mention but a few. Tourists should know that it’s only in Ishasha sector where tree-climbing lions can be found in the whole of Queen Elizabeth national park.

Bird watching

With over 600 bird species, Queen Elizabeth national park is one of the best birding areas in Uganda. Bird watching is among the top activities carried out in Queen Elizabeth national park. Bird watching can be caried out in the morning, and afternoon hours within the park and tourists will be able to see as many bird species as they can if they use a good birding guide.

Bird watching in Queen Elizabeth national park is done in areas like Ishasha, Kazinga channel, Kyambura gorge, Katunguru bridge, and areas around Kikorongo to mention but a few. Bird watching is done with an armed ranger guide and a bird watching guide who knows the best areas to spot the birds. Birders should move along with a pair of binoculars, a birding book, voice recorder, and a camera.

Birds to see include Rock pratincole, African harrier hawk, black-billed wood dove, tambourine dove, western bronze-napped pigeon, lesser spotted eagle, ayre’s eagle, vinaceous dove, African fish eagle, little green sunbird, olive sunbird, brown capped weaver, rufous-breasted sparrow hawk, northern ground hornbill, African grey hornbill, red chested owlet, common barn owl, common scimitar bill, swallow bee-eater.

African thrush, long-tailed hornbill, elliot’s woodpecker, grey throated barbet, yellow-throated tinker bird, spot-flanked barbet, double toothed barbet, African broadbill, red-shouldered cuckoo shrike, black-throated watt led-eye, brubru, red-tailed ant thrush, grey-green buck shrike, red-billed paradise flycatcher, crested malimbe, red-billed paradise flycatcher, plain green bull, fawn breasted waxbill, red-tailed ant thrush to mention but a few.

Boat cruises

Tourists should take a visit to Queen Elizabeth national park for bota cruises on Kazinga channel. Kazinga channel is a large water body that connects Lake Edward to Lake George. Boat cruises are a 2 to 3 hours activity that enables tourists to explore the channel as well as the national park. During the boat cruise, tourists are able to see water birds, park animals near the shores, crocodiles, and hippos as well as the surrounding areas.

Best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park

Are you wondering about what would be the best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park; well tourists can visit Queen Elizabeth national park at any time of the year however some months are better than others. The dry season months from June to September and December to February are the best time to visit the park because they have good weather. These months are characterized by plenty of sunshine and little rainfall which leaves the game tracks dry and easier to drive through and the vegetation is short with unclear views of wildlife.

Tourists can still visit Queen Elizabeth national park in the rainy season however these favor budget travelers because they find the lodges have discounted prices. The rainy season happens from March to May and October to November when the park experiences too much rainfall and little sunshine. The game tracks are muddy and slippery limiting access to some of the park areas and the vegetation is tall with unclear views of wildlife.

Accessing to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth national park is one of the protected areas that can be accessed by both air transport and road transport. Accessing to Queen Elizabeth National Park by air transport, tourists can fly with Bar Aviation Uganda or Aerolink Uganda from Kajjansi Airstrip or Entebbe International Airport to Kasese Airstrip or Mweya Airstrip. Flights are available every day but tourists must book early in advance to secure themselves space.

Accessing to Queen Elizabeth National Park by road, Queen Elizabeth national park can still be accessed by road transport and so many routes can be used. From Kampala/Entebbe tourists take about 5 to 6 hours to get to Queen Elizabeth national park by road. Any of the routes used to get to the park come with stopovers and great views of different attractions along the way. From Kampala/Entebbe, the journey goes through Masaka, Mbarara, Bushenyi and then to the park.

Where to stay while in Queen Elizabeth national park

Tourists visiting Queen Elizabeth national park shouldn’t be worried about where they are to stay or sleep while on a safari in the park. There are so many accommodation facilities of budget, mid-range, and luxury options inside and outside the park where tourists can stay for a night or even more. They include Mweya Safari Lodge, Elephants Plain Lodge, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Engiri Game Lodge, Tembo Safari Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, and Katara Lodge to mention but a few.