Queen Elizabeth
National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second largest
national park in Uganda at 1,978 sq.km and lies
north and south of the equator to the south west
of Uganda.
It is contiguous with Kibale National Park and
Uganda Parc Nationale des Virunga, in the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
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 walk or simply enjoy
any of the myriad stunning views.
The Queen Elizabeth National Park provides an
unforgettable and unique experience.
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".
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.
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.
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