National park
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Tree-climbing lions and the Kazinga Channel
Location
South-western Uganda
Size
About 1,978 km²
Queen Elizabeth is Uganda's most popular savannah park, set against the backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains and stitched together by the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lakes George and Edward. The channel's banks hold one of the densest concentrations of hippos in Africa, plus elephants, buffalo and countless birds.
In the remote Ishasha sector, lions famously lounge in the branches of fig trees — one of the few places in Africa where lions habitually climb. Volcanic crater lakes, chimpanzees in the Kyambura Gorge and Mweya Peninsula viewpoints round out the variety.
Wildlife
- Tree-climbing lions
- Elephants
- Buffalo
- Hippos
- Leopards
- Spotted hyenas
- Chimpanzees (Kyambura Gorge)
- Over 600 bird species
Activities
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise
- Game drives in Kasenyi and Ishasha
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge
- Crater lake drives
- Community and cave walks
Getting there & best time
Roughly 6–7 hours' drive from Kampala, or a shorter hop from Bwindi or Kibale, which makes it the natural link between western Uganda's parks.
Best time: June to September and December to February offer the best game viewing conditions.
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