Activities, getting there, attractions and safari booking information for Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.
QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK UGANDA SAFARI

This is a wonderful and especially scenic National Park, with two lakes connected by a channel overlooked by a high peninsula. In addition to the lakes there are volcanic craters, grassy plains, papyrus swamps, open savannahs and tropical forests. As a result of such varied habitats, QENP has one of the highest biodiversity ratings in the world, with almost 100 mammal species and an incredible 606 bird species.

Much of Uganda’s wildlife was poached out in the past, especially elephants, but now the area is protected and elephants numbers are boosted by those entering the park from the Congo, where poaching is still a problem. The Kazinga Channel alone is said to contain the world’s largest concentration of hippos, but interestingly enough not many crocodiles! Other wildlife includes warthogs, buffalo, rare aquatic sitatunga antelope, giant forest hog, beautifully horned Uganda kob, topi, waterbuck, elephant and leopard. There are no giraffe, zebra, impala or rhino.

Kyambura (pronounced Chambura) Gorge on the northeast boundary of the Park is real Tarzan territory with thick treetop canopies and vines dangling down to the soft forest floor. The terrain comes complete with chimpanzees that crash about and chatter high up in the branches. If they don’t feel like being seen, they just keep one step ahead of the out-of-breath terrestrial visitors.

The Maramagambo Forest, south of the Kazinga Channel is also home to large numbers of chimps, plus a number of other monkey species.

Some rare and odd birds inhabit this park and keen birders come from all over the world to clock up a sighting of the strange and rare shoebill (or whale-headed) stork. A great way to see both the birds and the mammals is from a boat on the Kasinga Channel.

When looking at some maps of Uganda, you may find yourself a little confused. Several of the National Parks and lakes have changed their names more than once since independence in 1962, and not all maps have kept up with the changes. QENP was called Ruwenzori National Park for many years until it returned to its royal colonial name. Meanwhile the Ruwenzori Mountains to the north of QENP were formed into the new Ruwenzori National Park in 1991.