ABOUT QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

Located in Western Uganda spanning the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri, the park is nearly 400 Km from Ugandan capital, Kampala. The park includes The park includes the Maramagambo Forest and borders the Kigezi Game Reserve, the Kyambura Game Reserve, and the Kibale National Park in Uganda, and the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Established in 1952 as Kazinga National Park, it was named after Queen Elizabeth two years later. The topography of the park boasts of volcanic features including volcanic cones and deep craters, many of which are filled with salt lakes.
The park is a home to astonishing variety of flora and fauna. The park has five levels of vegetation namely bushy grassland, Acacia woodland, Lakeshore or swamp vegetation along with forest grassland. Mammals found here include Ishasha tree climbing lions, Cape buffalo, Uganda kob, waterbuck, warthlog, lion, leopard, hyena, giant forest hog. Boasting of voer 550 bird species, the park is a paradise for bird watchers. Birds found here include White-faced Whistling, Spur-winged Plovers, Squacco Heron, Fish Eagle, Pink and white backed Pelicans, Long tailed Cormorants, African Jacana, Yellow backed Weavers, open-billed Stork, Water-Thick knee, Pied kingfishers, Wattled Plovers, the Black Crake and the Knob-billed Ducks. The shores of the magnificent Kazinga Channel located inside the park attract wildlife.

WHEN TO GO ?

The best time to visit the park is between December and February when one can go on a bird –watching safari. Setting aside two or three days for bird safari, one will be able to spot half the species of 550 birds.