What is the famous National Park in Uganda? Uganda, known as “the pearl of Africa,” is a home of beautiful wonders. The country is located in central Africa, bordering countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. Uganda is home to the amazing UNESCO site of Bwindi impenetrable national park, which hosts amazing mountain gorillas, which are the world’s rarest species. The country is home to 10 national parks, 12 wildlife reserves, 5 community wildlife management areas, and 13 wildlife sanctuaries. The ten national parks include Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Murchison Falls, Kidepo Valley, Kibale, Mount Elgon, Rwenzori Mountains, Semuliki, Mgahinga Gorilla, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks. These parks display the best in East Africa. Their Rift Valley landscapes and tropical forests make dramatic backdrops for an extensive variety of flora and fauna.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is ranked as the most famous national park in Uganda. Queen Elizabeth National Park is a famous safari destination in Uganda for its amazing lions. Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to over 250 lions residing in the park’s southern and northern sectors, offering visitors a great opportunity to encounter these captivating creatures in their natural environment. The park is the second-largest of the country’s national parks and was gazetted in 1952. The park was named after Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate her visit to Uganda in 1954. It was originally known as Kazinga National Park but was later renamed in her Honor. The park is also one of the largest protected areas in Uganda; it covers an area of approximately 1,978 square kilometers. The park extends from Lake George in the northeast to Lake Edward in the southwest and includes the Kazinga Channel connecting the two lakes. Queen Elizabeth Park is known for its wildlife viewing, including African buffalo, Ugandan Kob, hippopotamus, giant forest hog, warthog, Nile crocodile, African bush elephant, African leopard, lion, and chimpanzee. It is home to 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. The park gives you spectacular views of the Rwenzori Mountains, the Kazinga Channel, the large area of the swamp, the beauty of the open savannah around Lake George, the beautiful crater lakes, and a lot more.
Thrilling activities to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Chimpanzee tracking
Chimpanzee tracking is an activity that involves walking on foot through the tropical rainforest in search of fascinating chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Chimpanzee tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park is done in Kyambura Gorge, and the activity starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations of tracking these fascinating creatures. and then after, you will be assigned an experienced armed ranger who will lead you into the forest in search of them. Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorges takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on where these fascinating primates are allocated because the chimpanzees move from one place to another in search of food. While on a Uganda chimpanzee trek, you will also get a chance to meet with other forest dwellers like birds, other primates, and animals, as well as stunning vegetation cover. Once these fascinating creatures are found, you will be allowed one hour of interaction with them in their habitat while observing how they carry out their daily activities, such as playing, breastfeeding, and feeding, among others.
Game drives
Like other Savannah parks, game viewing is the specialty of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is home to the big game in big numbers; the park has about 3000 Elephants and 5000 hippos, and there are over 10,000 Cape Buffaloes, but there is also another small game including Warthogs, Waterbuck, Uganda Kob, Topi and even the rare semi-aquatic Sitatunga Antelope. To get the best out of your game drive and experience a classic African safari, the tracks through the Kasenyi sector, the North Kazinga Plains and the Ishasha Sector offer virtually guaranteed buffalo, antelope and elephant sightings, along with warthogs and baboons. Taking an experienced guide in the early morning or at dusk is the most successful way to track down a pride of lions, and maybe even the odd leopard. A night game drive is also possible for nocturnal species.
Lion tracking
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the only destination in Uganda that offers an adventurous lion tracking experience where visitors drive around the park with a researcher allocated by the Uganda Carnivores Project who will help you spot the lions. Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park is carried out in the Kasenyi Plains, and it is done at a scheduled time either in the morning at around 8:00 a.m. or in the evening with researchers who drive around the park with radiation trackers, which help them allocate the captivating creatures. During lion tracking, which will take you 1 to 3 hours, you will get the opportunity to be driven close to the lions while observing and learning about their behaviors in the wild, among others.
Exploring Lake Katwe
Lake Katwe is located outside the park and is renowned for its salty water and salt mining. Lake Katwe offers a unique and fascinating experience, allowing visitors to delve into the cultural heritage of one of Uganda’s most renowned salt lakes. The lake is home to several historic sites associated with the salt mining industry, including ancient salt wells, tools, and artifacts used by early salt miners. During your visit to this fascinating lake, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in different activities such as salt mining, birding along the shores of the lake, cultural encounters, and buying and selling of salt products, among others.
A boat cruise trip along the Kazinga Channel
A boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel is also another thrilling activity to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park on your wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. These thrilling boat cruises in Queen Elizabeth National Park are done in the Kazinga Channel, situated between Lake George and Lake Edward. During your boat cruise trip, you will have the opportunity to encounter large herds of elephants, buffaloes, several antelopes, warthogs, a school of hippos, and crocodiles basking on the shore, as well as colorful bird species like the kingfisher, blue-naped mouse bird, little bee-eater, grey-handed kingfisher, pygmy kingfisher, yellow-backed weavers, pin-tailed whydah, swamp nightjar, African mourning dove, and slender-billed weaver, among others.
Bird watching
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best destinations in Uganda for bird-watching safaris. The park is home to over 600 bird species, including migratory birds, swamp birds, savannah birds, and water birds, making it the true birders’ haven for bird lovers. During a Uganda birdwatching tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will have the opportunity to spot different kinds of colorful birds situated in different birding spots, such as Maramagambo Forest, Kasenyi Plain, Ishasha Sectors, Mweya Peninsula, and the Kazinga Channel. Such fascinating birds include the kingfisher, blue-naped mouse bird, little bee-eater, grey-handed kingfisher, pygmy kingfisher, yellow-backed weavers, pin-tailed whydah, swamp nightjar, African mourning dove, slender-billed weaver, lesser masked weaver, diederik cuckoo, red-capped lark, white-naped pigeon, dark-caped warbler, Rwenzori turaco, African green pigeon, Ross’s turaco, white-tailed lark, grey-crowned cranes, and yellow-throated long crow, among others.
