Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most complete wildlife destination in one place — tree-climbing lions, a hippo-and-elephant-lined boat cruise, and over 600 recorded bird species, all within a landscape of savannah, crater lakes and forest.
Key Highlights
- Home to Uganda’s famous tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise, one of Africa’s densest hippo concentrations
- Over 600 bird species recorded, more than any other Uganda park
- Kyambura Gorge offers chimpanzee tracking within the park’s boundaries
- Centrally located, making it the natural link between southwestern and western Uganda
Wildlife and Activities
Game drives here regularly turn up lions, elephants, buffalo and Uganda kob, with the Ishasha sector’s tree-climbing lions as the park’s signature sighting. The Kazinga Channel boat cruise is one of Uganda’s best wildlife experiences on water, and chimpanzee tracking is available at Kyambura Gorge without leaving the park.
Getting There
Queen Elizabeth sits roughly midway between Bwindi and Kibale National Park, making it the natural stopover for almost any southwestern Uganda itinerary rather than a standalone destination.
Combining Queen Elizabeth With Other Parks
Most itineraries pair Queen Elizabeth with Bwindi gorilla trekking on one side and Kibale chimpanzee tracking on the other, using the park’s game drives and boat cruise as the wildlife centerpiece between the two. See our full guide to combining gorilla trekking with Queen Elizabeth for how to sequence the two, or our 7-day itinerary for a ready-made route.
Plan Your Queen Elizabeth Visit
Tell us what else is on your route and we’ll slot Queen Elizabeth’s game drives and boat cruise in at the right point in your itinerary.