Queen Elizabeth National Park: Introduction
Boasting one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any reserve in the world, Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to almost a hundred animal species as well as more than 600 types of birds. The park is 1,978 km2 in size, and is famous for its primate species, it’s unusual tree-climbing lions, and the large concentration of hippos. A beautiful combination of forests, grasslands and waterscapes. Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular safari destination in Uganda and marries wonderfully with a gorilla or chimp trek.
The park is famous for its big cats, including tree-climbing lions and leopards. Game drives in will reveal the parks range of big game including elephants, buffalos, antelopes and warthogs. Boat safaris take you across the Kazinga Channel that links Lakes Edward and George. Here you'll find buffalo and elephant coming down to the shore, pelicans rafting together in the sunshine, and plenty of hippos. There are over 600 species of recorded birds in Queens, and you can even pair a game drive or boat safari with chimp trekking in the mystical forests of Kyambura Gorge.
Locate the Queen Elizabeth National Park
How to get there & Best time to visit
How to get there
Most locations in Queen Elizabeth National Park are between 375km/233mi and 425km/264mi west of the capital city, Kampala, by road. The direct drive takes at least 7 to 8 hours*, but your itinerary will most likely include some stops on the way. Note that while the Ishasha Plains are rather isolated from the rest of Queen Elizabeth NP, this area is only 2 hours’ drive* from Buhoma, the most popular gorilla trekking center in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
It is possible to fly to the nearby airstrips of Kasese, Mweya or Kihihi (for Ishasha) by scheduled or chartered aircraft from Entebbe International Airport (EBB) or Kajjansi Airfield near Kampala.
Best time to visit
Queen Elizabeth National Park is open all year long, but wildlife viewing is at its best from January to February and June to July (the Dry seasons). However, this scenic park is at its most beautiful in the Wet seasons (March to May and August to December). From April to May and September to November it tends to be very wet and rain might interfere with your safari.
The climate in Queen Elizabeth National Park is warm. Temperatures remain constant throughout the year. Daytime temperatures typically rise to around 28°C/82°F and slowly fall to around 18°C/64°F at night. Queen Elizabeth NP doesn’t have a real Dry season, so there is always potential for rain. But there is less rain from mid-December through to February, and rainfall is lowest over June and July.