Queen Elizabeth National Park guide describes everything you need to know when planning your dream wildlife safari. Queen Elizabeth National Park, also described as a “Medley of Wonders,” is Uganda’s 2nd largest game park, with a surface area of 1978 sq. km. It was declared a National Park in 1952 and currently features several sectors, each with amazing habitats where you can find your favorite wildlife or birds.
Queen Elizabeth National Park boundaries are marked by unique features including Lake Edward, the Ishasha River, and Kyambura Gorge. It is surrounded by the Kigezi Wildlife Reserve to the South, the Rwenzori Mountains, and Kibale National Park. It’s altitude ranges between 910 and 1390m.
Why should you visit Queen Elizabeth Game Park in 2026?
Queen Elizabeth National Park remains the most famous park in Uganda. It prides itself on breathtaking landscapes with abundant wildlife. The park is also among the very few designated Biosphere Reserves present in Uganda.
At Queen Elizabeth NP, expect to explore different habitats, each inhabited by diverse wildlife/birds, and other attractions. The popular habitats that make up this park include acacia woodland, rivers, lakes, tropical forest, open savannas, and extensive wetlands. Up to 95 mammal species are confined to the various sites of the park and share the different habitats with about 620 bird species.
Where is Queen Elizabeth NP found?
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the stunning parks that lies along the rift valley area in Western Uganda. Its boundaries extend around the 4 main districts of Western Uganda, including Kamwenge, Rubirizi, Kasese, and Rukungiri. Through Kasese, you can easily reach the park’s Katunguru, Kabatoro gate, and also explore the Kasenyi and Mweya Peninsular. The Rubirizi district lies in the Eastern end of the park and is ideal if you are interested in exploring the Maramagambo Forest, plus different Crater Lakes. Rukungiri is where the Southern sector (Ishasha) is found, also a popular spot to find several tree climbing lions.
What to see or explore
On a Uganda safari, expect to explore the diversity of wildlife/attractions. The wildlife that you are likely to locate on a game viewing tour include African elephants, Nile crocodiles, hippos, topis, leopards, Uganda Kobs, lions (inclusive of the tree climbing lions at Ishasha), waterbucks, and bushbucks.
Other wildlife to also find include the side-striped jackals, cape buffaloes, spotted hyenas, sitatungas, giant forest hogs, waterbucks, warthogs, and more. A great population of interesting primates also thrives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, especially around the Maramagambo Forest & Kyambura Gorge.
Top primates to find include the red-tailed monkeys, chimpanzees, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and colobus monkeys.
Birds
A checklist of birds that make Queen Elizabeth National Park includes the black-bellied bustards, grey-headed kingfishers, white-winged warblers, African fin foot, African jacanas, African skimmers, African fish eagle, blue-headed bee-eaters, great white pelicans, yellow-billed storks, and papyrus gonoleks. The park also supports birds, including the grey-crowned cranes, pied kingfishers, flamingos, martial eagles, long-crested eagles, black-knee eaters, common squacco herons, Senegal lapwings, and more.
Things to do on a Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Game drives
Queen Elizabeth National Park offers the most memorable game drive experiences, a great opportunity for you to find the diversity of savanna species. The prime places to visit to enjoy guided game drives include Kasenyi Plains and Ishasha. Guided game drives here allow you to explore a variety of wildlife species that reside in the savanna plains, including Cape buffalo, hyenas, Uganda Kobs, and elephants. Visitors can opt to secure the morning or afternoon game drive.
Boat cruise
Boat tours are enjoyable on the Kazinga channel that links Lake George and Edward. The Kazinga boat excursion offers amazing sightings of hippos, crocodiles, and waterbird species. The extensive boat ride can run for about 2 to 3 hours, whether you choose to go on the morning or afternoon session.
Bird watching
When it comes to birding experiences, Queen Elizabeth National Park shouldn’t be left out on the bucket list. The park contains diverse bird species that can be spotted in the different habitats. During the guided birding tours, there is a chance to find amazing birds, including papyrus canary, pelicans, white winged warblers, corncrakes, African skimmers, and martial eagle.
Chimpanzee tracking
Visit Kyambura Gorge to enjoy the thrill of chimpanzee trekking. At Kyambura Gorge, expect to interact mainly with the chimp communities that have undergone through the full habituation and have been opened for the public to explore.
Nature walks
Available nature walking opportunities to take up on a visit in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Maramagambo Forest and Kyambura Gorge. These places offer amazing sightings of the wildlife that thrive in the lush forest and other habitats. The common primates to expect to come across on a nature walking excursion include vervet monkeys, colobus monkeys, and olive baboons.
The Best Time to Visit Queen Elizabeth for a Holiday Safari
Queen Elizabeth National Park features varied habitat types, including rainforests. But in general, the weather conditions are favorable all year round, with the dry season being the ideal time. The dry season offers visitors to a chance to enjoy game drives or boat rides, chimpanzee treks, and nature walks without worrying about getting challenged due to heavy rainfall. The dry season starts from June to September or December to February, and these mark both short and long dry months.
Accommodation
The best places to consider for overnight stay comprise budget, midrange, and luxury. They include Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Simba Tented Camp, Enganzi Game Lodge, Engiri Game Lodge, Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, and Buffalo Safari Lodge.
Getting to Queen Elizabeth NP guide
Leave Kampala or Entebbe for Queen Elizabeth National Park, a journey that can run for about 7-8 hours depending on the route. This park can be reached via Masaka-Bushenyi route or from Kampala/Entebbe via Mityana to Fort Portal city to Kasese. You can also depart from Kibale National Park and drive for about 2-3 hours. Both routes come with a great opportunity for taking you to take pictures at the Equator crossing. Using air, you can travel to Entebbe Airport and take a flight to Kasese Airstrip.