Queen Elizabeth N.P

Wildlife Encounters Like No Other 🦁🐘🦒

Queen Elizabeth National Park offers some of the best game viewing in Uganda. The park is one of the few places in the world where lions climb trees, particularly in Ishasha, where they perch in fig trees, waiting to ambush unsuspecting Uganda kobs.

Notable Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth:

Big Game: Elephants, buffaloes, hippos, Uganda kobs, and waterbucks
Predators: Lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and side-striped jackals
Primates: Chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and olive baboons
Rare & Iconic Birds: Over 600 bird species, including the African fish eagle, shoebill stork, flamingos, and papyrus gonolek
The park also supports 20 species of carnivores, making it one of Uganda’s top destinations for predator sightings.

The Kazinga Channel: A Wildlife Spectacle 🚤🐊

One of the park’s most iconic attractions, the Kazinga Channel, connects Lake Edward and Lake George. This 40km-long waterway is a magnet for wildlife, where visitors can witness:
🔹 Hundreds of hippos basking in the waters
🔹 Massive Nile crocodiles lurking on the shores
🔹 Herds of elephants and buffaloes quenching their thirst
🔹 Scores of water birds, including pink-backed pelicans and saddle-billed storks

The Ishasha Sector: Home of the Tree-Climbing Lions 🦁🌳

While lions are usually found on the ground, the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth is famous for its tree-climbing lions. These unique predators spend their days lounging on fig trees, scanning the vast savanna plains for prey. This behavior is rare globally, making Ishasha a must-visit for safari enthusiasts.

A Park with a Rich Cultural Heritage 🎶🛖

Beyond its wildlife wonders, Queen Elizabeth National Park is deeply interwoven with the traditions of the local communities. Visitors can engage in:
🔹 Storytelling sessions that bring ancient legends to life
🔹 Traditional dances and music performances
🔹 Cultural tours in the nearby Bakonzo, Basongora, and Banyabindi communities

The conservation of Queen Elizabeth’s ecosystems has not only protected wildlife but also benefited the local people, who rely on ecotourism and sustainable resource use.

The Unique Savannah Landscape 🌿

Queen Elizabeth’s vast savanna ecosystem is primarily open grassland, though it transitions into moist and woody terrain towards the west. The park’s thorny acacia woodlands, along with dense candelabra shrubs, create a distinct habitat, particularly along the Kazinga Channel and the Kasenyi Plains.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is located about 410km/255mi west of Kampala. The direct drive takes at least 7 to 8 hours, but your itinerary will most likely include some parks on the way. It is also possible to fly to any of the nearby airstrips of Kasese, Mweya or Kihihi (for Ishasha) by scheduled or chartered aircraft from Entebbe International Airport (EBB) or Kajjansi Airfield near Kampala.
You will enter Uganda at Entebbe International Airport (EBB), about 46km/29mi from Kampala, the capital city. Generally, your tour operator will arrange for your pick-up from the airport, and organize any further transportation required as part of your safari package.