QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

The Royal National Park was named after the late Queen of England, referred to as Elizabeth when she visited Uganda. The Majestic Queen Elizabeth has a stunning scenic beauty with green vegetation covering the entire savanna landscape, including regions such as the Isashasha region, which is filled with climbing lions that take naps in the fig trees. Some giraffes also feed from these trees, and sometimes, these female lions end up feeding on these animals with elongated necks. Queen Elizabeth covers parts of Kamwenge, Ruburinzi in the Western Region, neighboring mountains such as Mountain Rwenzori, which is snow-capped, and it’s a block mountain with its peak referred to as Margherita Peak. There are also the mountains near Mountain Elgon on the eastern flanks.
The entry fee at the park is $40 for foreigners, $30 for foreign residents of Uganda, while tourists from the East African community citizens pay UGX 20,000. This amount is only for a single day, and the annual entry fee is only received from foreign residents, which is $350. If you are a couple, you pay $500. In a group, for example, a family with a maximum of four kids is entitled to pay $700, while a family from East Africa pays UGX 30,000. Motorcycles entering the park are also charged $30 for foreigners and $10,000 for East African citizens, while saloon cars for foreigners pay $40 and $20 for East African citizens. Minibuses are charged $50 for foreigners and UGX 30,000 for East African citizens. Pickups and 4WD cars are charged $50 for foreigners and 30,000 UGX for East African residents, while school buses are charged UGX 50,000. Aircraft are also charged; helicopters pay $100 (foreigners) and UGX 25,000 (East African residents) per landing.
Keep in mind the following:
Landing fees are independent of the park entry fee of Queen Elizabeth.
En-route pilots are not liable to the park entry fees if they stay for less than 20 hours.
The vehicle entry fee is charged per entry in the park.
Accommodations at this park range from luxury, midrange to humble, with deluxe rooms, free Wi-Fi, clean towels, bedsheets, television, warm blankets, enough parking space, and restaurants with both local and classy foods. These accommodations include Tembo Safari Lodge, The Baboon Safari Hotel, Irungu Forest Safari Lodge, Engiri Game Lodge, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Elephant Plains Lodge, Little Elephant Camp, Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Enjojo Lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages, Kyambura Gorge Lodge.
The means of transport to the national park are by either road or air transport (charter is usually booked with Aero Link Uganda or from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Kasese. These depart three times a day, at 7:00 am, 10:15 am, and 12 noon).
Queen Elizabeth, formerly known as Kazinga, has many tourist attractions, including:
Kazinga Channel: This water source links two mighty lakes, including Lake Edward and Lake George, named after the royal family in England. This meeting point attracts many tourists who come to see the swimming hippos and sunbathing crocodiles in the water. Enjoying this experience requires a life jacket to prevent accidents. Don’t forget the elephants and buffaloes that also gather near this water source, enjoying the calm environment with fewer predators that can endanger their lives. The African skimmer and different bird species also add to the beauty of the area.
Kyambura Gorge: This area is famously visited for Gorilla trekking. Travelers witness the habitats of the gorillas in the thick, leafy forest in Queen Elizabeth National Park. These gorillas have distinct characteristics, such as broad chests and shoulders, large human-like hands, small eyes set into hairless faces. Gorillas are social animals that live together in groups, and there are two types of gorillas: the eastern and western gorillas. Adult males are known as silverbacks. Tourists walk on their feet deep into the jungle but are advised not to get too close, as these gorillas can be dangerous. Always follow instructions given by the tour guide. The trek lasts for three hours, and there are 17 chimps in the park, so your chances of seeing them are 60%. A permit is needed for trekking, which can be booked online or obtained from Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Mweya Peninsula: There are many gate trails to reach the Mweya swamp when on a game drive. It takes only three hours to patrol the grassland area located in Rwenzururu sub-region in Kasese District on the northern bank of the Kazinga channel. At times, it’s difficult to spot animals due to the thick vegetation, but a well-trained game ranger will show you the places where some of the animals hide.
The activities at the National park include a hot air balloon safari, which involves sailing in the air, enabling tourists to spot hidden animal species like lions that hide in tall grass during their 20 hours of rest. Nature walks differ from hot air balloon rides as they offer ground-level views of features. Even areas that are unreachable on a hot air balloon can be explored on foot, making it a unique and enjoyable experience. A boat trip at Kazinga Channel is one of the best activities as it allows tourists to observe hippos, crocodiles, and various flying birds in their natural habitat. To avoid scaring away the birds, the boat’s engine should remain quiet.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a place you would never want to leave. The decision is yours today to include the Mighty Queen Elizabeth in your safari budget.