Queen Elizabeth National Park covers 1,978 square kilometres of southwestern Uganda and straddles the equator, where monuments mark the exact line. Its scenery is remarkably varied: grassland savannah, acacia woodland, wetlands and lakes, with volcanic cones and dozens of craters cut into rolling green hills, some filled with crater lakes, all set against the Rwenzori Mountains.
That variety supports more wildlife than any other park in Uganda. There are 96 mammal species, including elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, hippos, hyenas, chimpanzees and the Uganda kob, so four of Africa’s Big Five are present. In the southern Ishasha sector, lions are famous for spending the heat of the day stretched out in the branches of fig trees. Together with neighbouring Virunga National Park, the area is recognised as a Lion Conservation Unit.
The Kazinga Channel, a long natural waterway linking two lakes, draws huge numbers of animals and holds one of the largest gatherings of hippos and Nile crocodiles anywhere. More than 600 bird species have been recorded, among them the shoebill, the martial eagle, the papyrus canary, pink backed pelicans and flamingos.
In the southern Ishasha sector, lions escape the heat of the day by resting in the limbs of large fig trees, one of only a few places in Africa where this can be seen.
A relaxed boat trip along the channel past the largest numbers of hippos in Africa, plenty of crocodiles and, often, elephants, buffalo and antelope at the water’s edge.
A walk into a striking sunken forest where chimpanzees live alongside monkeys, baboons and colourful birds, one of the most unusual settings for primate tracking in Uganda.
A Uganda gorilla trekking itinerary built around permit logistics, practical lodge access, and enough structure to make quoting easier for first-time primate travelers.
The park is open all year. The drier months are best for chimpanzee trekking, when trails are firmer, while the wet seasons from March to May and August to December bring lush scenery and migratory birds but can make roads difficult. Days reach about 28°C and nights fall to about 15°C.
Uganda
national park
Park entry and activity fees are confirmed in your quotation. The park is open 24 hours a day and is six to eight hours by road from Kampala.
A Uganda route combining gorilla permits with classic wildlife sections, positioned to show clear value across transfer style and lodge level.
A Uganda route combining gorilla permits with classic wildlife sections, positioned to show clear value across transfer style and lodge level.