Queen Elizabeth National Park Safari

With all the attention focused on gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, it’s easy to forget that a Uganda safari can include classic savannah experiences too. Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s premier game viewing destination and one of the most biologically diverse parks in the world, not least thanks to its mind-boggling bird list of 610 species (more than the entire British Isles!).

Located in south-west Uganda, the park’s famous tree-climbing lions are its undisputed wildlife stars but visitors on a Queen Elizabeth National Park safari can also expect to see elephants, hippo, crocodiles, buffalo and plenty of antelope species.

But the park’s real reward lies in its ability to offer a diverse range of safari activities. A boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel is almost obligatory, given the rewarding game viewing and bird watching en route, while Kyambura Gorge offers a green sliver of forest to explore, home to chimpanzees and other primates. On-foot chimp tracking through the forest is available twice a day and makes a wonderful contrast with the savannah game viewing in the rest of the park.

Popular and accessible, Queen Elizabeth National Park is on many Uganda safari itineraries and combines easily with gorilla trekking in nearby Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park. There’s a wide variety of accommodation, from family-friendly lodges to secluded tented camps, and activities range from game drives and boat cruises to professionally guided nature walks, chimp treks and sensational bird watching.