Uganda’s leading protected area, Queen Elizabeth National Park sits on the eastern shores of Lake Edward, one of the smaller African Great Lakes found in East Africa’s rift valley region. With habitats which range from open plains to riverine forest, and volcanic craters, the park has been an important sanctuary for the area’s wildlife since it was first designated in 1952.
Two generations later, Queen Elizabeth National Park is more than able to hold its own when it comes to game drives. Those willing to accept a safari’s dawn start have the chance of sighting four of Africa’s Big Five species: Cape buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, and rhino.
The park has good populations of Cape buffalo and elephant, while its lion population is strong enough to have made the national park an official Lion Conservation Unit. The mature males here are known for their unusual black manes, and prides of both sexes in the Ishasha sector are some of the African continent’s only tree climbing lions. Queen Elizabeth’s ‘Big Four’ are rounded off by leopard, with only rhino absent from making it a Big Five destination.
In addition to traditional game drives, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers its visitors boat cruises along the Kazinga Channel connecting Lake Edward with Lake Albert. Not only are they a wonderful way to enjoy sunrise or sunset, but the cruises provide closer encounters with hippo, many of the 95 mammal species which call the park home, and a significant number of the 600 bird species which rely on the channel as a water source.
Elsewhere, the neighboring Kyambura Gorge is one of the few places anywhere in Africa where it’s possible to head out in search of habituated chimpanzees on foot. More adventurous travelers might also want to seek out the Katwe volcanic craters, from which salt has been extracted for at least five centuries.
Top Uganda Travel Destinations
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park / Kampala / Kibale National Park / Lake Mburo National Park / Murchison Falls National Park / Queen Elizabeth National Park
The Big Five
African Elephant / Cape Buffalo / Leopard / Lion / Rhino
