Queen Elizabeth national park safari is done in the second largest national park in Uganda which is located in the south western part of the country. The national park is made up of diverse habitats including savannah grasslands, lakes, forests and also wetlands. Queen Elizabeth national park is also a popular savannah park and wildlife viewing destination in Uganda.
Wildlife species which can be seen during a Uganda safari include buffalos, lions, leopards, waterbucks, impalas, bushbucks, hippos, warthogs, hyenas and many others.
Tree climbing lions are a special attraction which can be seen during a safari in Queen Elizabeth national park and they can be spotted during tours around the ishasha sector. Other parts of the national park which can be visited include the Mweya area, Kasenyi plains, kazinga channel, Maramagambo forest, Kyambura gorge among others.
Cost of visiting Queen Elizabeth national park for safari
There are different costs which come with visiting a national park for a safari and these include accommodation and meal costs, transport costs and also charges for activities.
The accommodation costs will depend on the type of accommodation where you stay during the Uganda safaris and they include budget lodges, midrange lodges and luxury lodges. The prices for these lodges also vary according to the season with the peak season having higher costs for lodging as compared to the low season.
Another cost incurred during a safari in Queen Elizabeth national park is transport costs. Some tourists get to the national park by flight which is more costly as compared to driving to the national park during a safari.
Different activities carried out during a safari around Queen Elizabeth national park are also charged differently. Park entrance fee is also incurred when visiting the national park and for foreign nonresidents visiting Queen Elizabeth national park for a safari park entrance fee is 40 USD, foreign residents pay 30 USD during a safari and East Africans pay 20,000 Uganda shillings during a safari at the destination. The park fees are valid for 24 hours and are paid to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) which manages the national parks of Uganda. Children are also charged a different fee for park entrance of Queen Elizabeth national park during safaris.
Attractions in Queen Elizabeth national park
Places to visit around Queen Elizabeth national park are found in different parts of the destination and they include the following;
- Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth national park is where tree climbing lions can be seen during a safari. It is found in the far southern part of the national park and from this part of Queen Elizabeth national park, tourists can connect to Bwindi national park. The types of trees where the lions can be seen include acacia trees.
- Kazinga channel is another place to visit in Queen Elizabeth national park and it is known for boat rides. This channel is formed where Lake George and Lake Edward meet. Boat rides on Kazinga channel are carried out in the morning and can also be done in the afternoon.
- Mweya peninsular is a part of Queen Elizabeth national park where game drives are carried out during safaris. It is found in the north of the Kazinga channel and is said to be the most visited part of the national park.
- Lake Katwe salt mines are visited during safaris in Queen Elizabeth national park and they are a good place to learn more about salt mining in south western Uganda and also see flamingos.
- Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park is a place where chimpanzee trekking is carried out during safaris. It is found in the eastern part of the national park and it has beautiful scenery.
Other places to visit in Queen Elizabeth national park include Maramagambo forest, Kasenyi plains, Kalinzu forest among others.
Activities to do during a safari in Queen Elizabeth national park
Game drives are a popular activity to do during safaris in Queen Elizabeth national park and they can be done in the morning, afternoon and also for a full day. Different wildlife species can be seen during this activity including elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, waterbucks, impalas and many others.
Lion tracking is another activity to do when visiting Queen Elizabeth national park for a safari. This activity is an off the track experience done in Kasenyi plains and can be done in the morning and also in the afternoon.
Bird watching in Queen Elizabeth national park can be done at different times of the year and the national park has over 600 bird species such as francolins, fish eagles, cormorants, bee eaters, grey crowned cranes, vultures, fly catchers and many others. The best time to see these birds is during the months of November to April.
Kazinga boat rides take place in the morning and in the afternoon and they cost about 30 USD. During boat rides on Kazinga channel, wildlife species like buffalos, hippos and Nile crocodiles can be seen as well as different bird species.
Chimpanzee tracking in queen Elizabeth national park is carried out in Kyambura gorge and it costs 50 USD. Kyambura gorge is found in the north eastern part of the national park and it is made up of rainforest vegetation and it also has steep slopes.
Cultural tours are also carried out during Uganda wildlife safaris around Queen Elizabeth national park involving interactions with the locals, dances and getting to know more about their way of life.
Accommodation to stay in during a safari in Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth national park offers accommodation both inside and outside the park where tourists can stay during their safaris. There are different types of accommodation around and in the park and they include budget, midrange and luxury accommodations.
Some of the lodges around Queen Elizabeth national park include Mweya safari lodge, Elephant plains lodge, Ihamba safari lodge, Kyambura tented lodge, Pumba safari cottages, Buffalo safari lodge, Ishasha jungle lodge, ishasha wilderness camp, Kikongoro safari lodge, Queen Elizabeth bush lodge, Elephant hab lodge among others.