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The
Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second largest national park in
Uganda and lies north and south of the equator to the south west of Uganda.
It is the major destination for tourism due to the incredible variety
of vegetation and wildlife. The Queen Elizabeth National Park provides
an unforgettable and unique experience.
It is a region of varied habitats including, open grassland with thickets,
thick bush, forest, swamps and lake-shore. Queen Elizabeth National Park
together with Virunga National Park in (DRC) completely encircle Lake
Edward which is connected to Lake George by the Kazinga Channel.
It is a world bio-sphere reserve (UNESCO, 1979) includes a RAMSAR wetland
site and is a classified Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International.
QENP has 568 of Uganda’s 1017 species of birds (over a quarter of
Africa’s bird species), more than any other park in Africa.
In the Queen Elizabeth Park you may see crater lakes filled with huge
flocks of flamingos. You will spot eagles soaring and vultures perching.
You will view lions relaxing and elephants ambling and giant forest hog
snuffling. And, in its lakes you'll see hippos swimming and kingfishers
darting. Any visitor to this park cannot fail to be amazed by the enormous
diversity in each kingdom of creation. It's simply a visual feast. Take
a boat trip, a game drive, a woodland
Attractions
Launch trips on Kazinga Channel down the shore of Lake Edward provides
a unique vantage for viewing savannah wildlife. A launch trip starts at
Mweya the park headquarters along the Kazinga Channel, which joins Lake
Edward and Lake George. Truly, this is among the most exciting and memorable
experience offered by the Park. While on the trip expect to be thrilled
by yawning hippos and a closer view of water birds along the shores.
In the southern part of the park is the Ishasha Sector with substantial
tree climbing lions found perched on savannah fig trees. The concentration
of game in its savannah setting, Lake Edward and River Ishasha flats,
Ishasha and riverine forest, Hippo Pool and Congo escarpment provides
splendid scenery. Ishasha Sector is known for its expansive savannah landscape
teeming with a variety of wildlife possibly due to its continuity cross
border migration of wildlife. "Missing Ishasha is simply missing
QENP".
Wildlife
The checklist of mammals of QENP include 66 species. The larger mammalian
fauna of the park is characterized by a few species furnishing an exceptionally
high biomass. During the late 1960s, the biomass densities recorded from
the park exceeded those published for any wildlife community anywhere
in the world. To date, the Park main biomass contributors includes: hippotamus,
leopard, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, topi, bushbucks, waterbucks,
rare giant forest hogs, advarks, porcupines, pangolins, bush pigs, and
warthogs, lions, hyenas, civets, etc.
The Nile Crocodiles can be sighted along the Kazinga Channel and Lake
Edward. African rock python, monitor lizards, spitting cobra, buffer adder,
black mamba, Gabon viper, green snakes can be sighted, etc.
Access
By road, the Park Headquarters is 64 kms from Kasese, which is 418 kms
from Kampala via Mbarara and Katunguru. The journey takes approximately
6 hours. Air charter services are possible to the landing strip near Mweya
Safari Lodge, Kasese Aerodrome and Ishasha Sector Airstrip.
Accommodation
Mweya Safari Lodge built on a peninsular and almost surrounded by water
has stunning views of this magnificent panorama. A luxury lodge in the
old style with a restaurant, bar, a terrace, suit bedrooms, conference
theatre and swimming pool. The bedrooms are self contained with such comfort
that one could ever need! The lodge is located in the prime area for the
park’s attraction; it is the door gate for the entire of Queen Elizabeth
National Park.
The Jacana Safari Lodge is situated on the margin of Maramagambo Forest
close to Lake Nyamusingiri and Kyasanduka. The log cabins built in an
African way stretch from the woods up to the great views of Lake Nyamusingiri
and the forest. Above all, these cabins are self contained. There is a
restaurant, waterside bar, swimming pool and offers a boat trip on Lake
Nyamusingiri which is encircled by a blanket of forest.
Ishasha Sector is served with accommodation facilities like the bandas,
the camp sites (3) and the tented bush camp. At the tented Bush Camp,
accommodation and meals are provided.
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