The Queen Elizabeth National Park, in the western region of Uganda, and known as “Queen” by the locals, is the country’s most visited national park. The park was founded in 1952 and named Kazinga National Park, but was renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a large conservation area (1,978 km2/764 sq mi) that extends from Lake George in the northeast to Lake Edward in the southwest and includes the Kazinga Channel connecting the two lakes.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a wildlife enthusiast’s dream and some of the wildlife calling the park home include African Buffalo, (Ugandan) Kob, Hippopotamus, Giant Forest Hog, Warthog, Nile Crocodile, African Elephant, Leopard, Lion and Chimpanzee. It is home to 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. The area around Ishasha in the Rukungiri District is famous for its tree-climbing Lions, whose males sport impressive black manes.
The park is heaven for birders, with over 600 species recorded – the greatest number of any east African national park and a phenomenal number for such a small area. The likes of the sought-after Shoebill, the stunning African Finfoot, African Hobby, African Skimmer, Black bee-eater, Broad-billed Roller, Caspian Plover, Great Blue Turaco, Great White Pelican, Grey-winged Robin-chat, Palm-nut Vulture, Papyrus Gonolek, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Red-chested Sunbird, Rufous-bellied Heron, Western Banded Snake Eagle, White-backed Night Heron and Yellow-throated Cuckoo all call the park home, along with many others.
The park is also famous for its volcanic features, including volcanic cones and deep craters, many with crater lakes. The park has the most diverse wildlife of any Ugandan park; this is due to the variety of habitats including sprawling grassland savannah, moist forests, fertile wetlands and lakes cut into rolling green hills. The park is set against the backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains, making the park a photographer’s dream.
Join one of our Uganda Safaris and Tours to experience this wonderful safari destination with us.
