Queen Elizabeth National Park, located in southwestern Uganda, stretches across 1,978 km² in the Rift Valley. Its savannahs, forests, and lakes lie between the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Edward, creating one of Africa’s most biodiverse sanctuaries.
Visitors can experience traditional safari scenes: elephants moving through golden grass, fish eagles calling at dawn, and a rich variety of wildlife. The park is home to about 95 mammal species, including around 200 lions. Herds of elephants roam the savannah, while hippos crowd the waterways. Primates such as chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys are also found here. Other wildlife includes leopards, spotted hyenas, and a variety of antelope species, from tiny oribi to massive eland.
The southern sector is famous for lions lounging in fig trees to escape flies and the heat. Spot their tawny forms draped across branches, especially during the hottest part of the day.
The 32 km Kazinga Channel connects Lake Edward and Lake George, creating a wildlife highway. A boat safari lets you see hippos, buffalo, elephants, and numerous waterbirds along the banks.
Kyambura Gorge is a 100-metre-deep ravine with a strip of rainforest sheltering a small community of chimpanzees. Trekking through the gorge offers an adventurous wildlife experience amid primate calls and lush vegetation.
The park’s northern sector has volcanic crater lakes, creating dramatic contrasts with the savannah. Walking along crater rims gives stunning views of the Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the Mountains of the Moon.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to Africa’s Big Five. Early morning drives reveal lions, elephants, Uganda kob, leopards, and hyenas across the Kasenyi plains and acacia-studded landscapes.
This ancient forest is full of wildlife. Walking trails take you past towering trees with black-and-white colobus monkeys, forest duikers, butterflies, and countless other creatures of this vibrant ecosystem.
Night drives reveal a different side of the park. Spot bushbabies, hunting leopards, and glowing eyes of nocturnal birds like nightjars, providing rare encounters not seen during the day.
With over 600 bird species, the park is a birder’s paradise. Spot martial eagles soaring above, shoebills in papyrus swamps, grey-crowned cranes, and the melodic calls of countless other birds.
