Queen Elizabeth National park
Queen Elizabeth Nationl park
Queen Elizabeth National Park was first called Kazinga National Park in 1952 and later named Queen Elizabeth National Park in 1954 to honor a visit by Queen Elizabeth II of England. It is the 2nd largest national park covering 1978 square kilometers with tropical climate and vegetation types such as forests, grassland, bushy grassland, acacia woodland and swamp vegetation that favours diverse wildlife to live in.
The main tourist attraction in the park are the tree climbing lions however there are other wildlife animals about 95 are mammals species such as carnivores like leopards, spotted henyas, banded mongoose, herbivores like elephants, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, giant forest hogs, reptiles like crocodiles, primates like bush baby, red colobus monkey, vervet monkey, chimpanzees, olive baboons, about 600 plus birds species like African fish eagle, shoebill, flamingos, papyrus gonolek, grey crowned crane, African finfoot, white backed night heron, African hobby, local people like Bakonzo, Basongora, Banyabindi, Kazinga Channel
LOCATION OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
It is located in South Western Uganda about 410 kilometers from Kampala between 7hours to 8hours drive by road. It spans in districts of Kasese, Kamweng, Rubirizi, Rukungiri
ATTRACTIONS IN THE NATIONAL PARK
Queen Elizabeth National Park offers diverse and beautiful natural treasures that can attract large number of tourists to visit it as they do a variety of activities. The attractions include the following;
WILDLIFE ANIMALS
The national park is a home of variety of wildlife animals such as about 95 are mammals species such as carnivores like leopards, spotted henyas, tree climbing lions the main attraction, banded mongoose, herbivores like elephants, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, giant forest hogs, reptiles like crocodiles, primates like bush baby, red colobus monkey, vervet monkey, chimpanzees, olive baboons.
BIRDS
There are many beautiful birds over 600 in the national park such as African fish eagle, shoebill, flamingos, papyrus gonolek, grey crowned crane, African finfoot, white backed night heron, white faced whistling duck, red chested sun bird, heuglin’s gull that bird watchers and adventure seekers may enjoy to look at during nature walk and boat cruise while on Kazinga Channel.
KAZINGA CHANNEL
It is a 40km long waterway connecting to Lake Edward and Lake George. It has hippos, Nile crocodile on the shores, elephants, buffaloes, water birds like pink backed pelicans and saddle-billed stroks spotted while on boat cruise by tourists
LOCAL PEOPLE
Queen Elizabeth National park has also homes of local people near it such as Bakonzo, Basongora, Banyabindi who attract tourists to get to find out their local culture such as traditional milking, animal herding. These people welcome tourists with their traditional music, dance and other performances in their community which are wonderful to watch and hear
ACTIVITIES IN THE NATIONAL PARK
There are many adventurous activities that may excite tourists to take part while in the national park. They include the following;
GAME DRIVES
Tourists carry out game drives led by park rangers from Mweya Peninsula found in the centre to remote area of Ishasha sector bounded by Lake Edward to the North, the Ishasha River to the South of about 3 to 4 hours spotting out different wildlife animals such as as carnivores like leopards, spotted henyas, tree climbing lions the main attraction, banded mongoose, herbivores like elephants, buffaloes. These game drives can be carried out in different secessions including morning, afternoon, evening and night.
BOAT CRUISE ON KAZINGA CHANNEL
It is carried out by well trained and experienced boat operators who lead tourists in navigation of the waters of Kazinga Channel as they have a chance to spot different wildlife for example hippos, Nile crocodile on the shores, elephants, buffaloes, water birds like pink backed pelicans and saddle-billed stroks spotted and hear the sounds of the waters.
NATURE WALK
There is also nature walk where tourists may have a chance to see different primates such as bush baby, red colobus monkey, vervet monkey, chimpanzees, olive baboons in Kyambura gorge of about 3 hours and Maramagabo forest doing different activities like feeding their young ones, playing with each others
CULTURAL WALK
Tourists carry out cultural walk while in Queen Elizabeth National Park where they may engage community activities of the people like local music, dance, story telling, fishing and other performaces, buy local crafts they love to be take home as souvenirs
ACCOMMODATION IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
The national park offers wide range of accommodation with comfortable rooms, delicious foods and friendly staff for tourists. These accommodation range from luxury to mid range to budget;
THE LUXURY ACCOMMODATION
These include Mweya Safari Lodge found in the centre of the park, Elephant Hab Lodge found in Busongora, Adardvark Safari Lodge found in Rubirizi built in African traditional way with grass thatched roof and high level of comfort
THE MID RANGE ACCOMMODATION
These include Enganzi Game Lodge, Ihamba Lakeside Safari Lodge, Entale Safari Lodge found in Kasese with comfortable cottages, Embogo Safari Lodge found in Katobi village built in African traditional style with grass thatched roof and local woods, Wild Tracks Overland Camp found in Kasese
THE BUDGET ACCOMMADATION
These include Kyambura Game Lodge, Kazinga Wilderness Safria Camp along Katunguru Bridge near Kazinga Channel, Topi Lodge found in the Southern gate to Ishasha, Bush Camp found few kilometers off Kasese- Mbarara main road, Park View Lodge nearest the main gate of the national park
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Tourists can visit the national park through out the year however the best time is during dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, October, December, January, February roads are drier and ease to navigate.
HOW TO GET THERE
Tourists can reach there by road or air . Air transport means are the fastest means of transport that can be used however tourists can use means of road transport means like private vehicles about 6 hour drive. The routes that lead to the park;
Masaka to Mbarara to Bushenyi about 420km
Mubende to Fort Portal to Kasese about 410km
