Uganda Destinations Queen Elizabeth National Park

Uganda’s most popular tourist destination, Queen Elizabeth National Park, is understandable. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes, and fertile wetlands, make it an ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species, including chimps, and more than 600 bird species.

The park’s spectacular vistas include dozens of massive craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo, and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains, whose fig trees hide lions ready to pounce on herds of unsuspecting Uganda kob.

Queen Elizabeth National Park has a fascinating cultural history in addition to its outstanding wildlife attractions. There are numerous opportunities for visitors to interact with local communities and participate in storytelling, dance, music, and other activities. The park’s gazetting has ensured that its ecosystems are preserved, which benefits the surrounding communities.

The Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda is a veritable medley of wonders!

PARK AT A GLANCE

  • Size: 1,978km².
  • Queen Elizabeth spans the equator line; monuments on either side of the road mark the exact spot where it crosses latitude 00.
  • The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park, and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II.
  • The park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.
  • The Katwe explosion craters mark the park’s highest point at 1,350m above sea level, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward.