QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
HISTORY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
Queen Elizabeth national park was initially named kazinga national park in 1952, but was renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by queen Elizabeth II. it has a total land area of 1,983 square kilometers.
In 1921, a rinderpest epidemic and sleeping sickness caused great death and emigration among the local inhabitants, the Basongora pastoralist , from the region. The epidemic was believed to be caused by the colonial government under the campaign of livestock vaccination. The game increased, and the British colonial government decided to chase away the remaining people from their lands to create game reserves. Their homes were destroyed and their livestock slaughtered, causing them to flee across the border and seek refuge in present Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers the equator line; monuments on either side of the road marking the exact spot where it crosses latitude 00.
The Katwe explosion craters mark the park’s highest point at 1,350m a.s.l, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward.
Scenic and biodiverse, Queen Elizabeth national park is Uganda’s most popular protected area diverse ecosystems including extensive savanna, shady forests, sparkling lakes and lush wetlands, provide ideal habitats for classic big game, forest primates, and birds. These varied habitats support a wealth of wildlife with 95 mammal species more than any other Ugandan parks and over 600 bird species a phenomenal number for such a small area. Expect to see safari favorites such as elephants, buffaloes and uganda kobs while the chance of finding lions on the plains of kasenyi and ishasha are good.
An abundance of magnificent view includes the jagged backdrop of the Rwenzori mountains, rolling hills pocked with extinct volcanic craters, open rift valley, grasslands at kasenyi and ishasha, the hippos-lined at kazinga channel; and the mitumbe mountains in Congo rising above the distant western shore of lake Edward
ACCESSIBILITY
Roads
Two routes run from Kampala to mweya, the primary tourism center in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The most scenic route passes through the fort portal (410km) and offers diversion to kibale, semuliki and Rwenzori mountains national parks. The alternative (420km) runs through Mbarara and bushenyi and passes lake mburo national park. Queen Elizabeth National Park southerly ishasha sector is directly on the main route to or from buhoma, the main mountain gorilla tracking trailhead in Bwindi impenetrable national park which lies 62km south
Air
Charter flights can be arranged to air strips at kasese, mweya and ishasha
ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS
MWEYA PENINSULA AND KAZINGA CHANNEL
Queen Elizabeth National Park’s main tourism center is found on mweya peninsula, 22km west of the Kasese Mbarara road. Mweya, which occupies an elevated plateau overlooking the kazinga channel and lake Edward, is the site of an up market lodge, budget UWA run accommodation, a marina for launch trips on the channel and a visitor’s information center.
LAUNCH CRUISES
Launch trips on the kazinga channel provide the most relaxing way to view game in Queen Elizabeth national park. The 2 hour return voyage between mweya and the channel’s entrance into lake Edward cruises beside banks lined with resident hippos, crocodiles and water birds and visiting elephants, buffaloes and antelopes.
GAME DRIVES
Kasenyi plains; The open grasslands of kasenyi provide Queen Elizabeth national park’s primary game viewing area, thanks to resident herds of Uganda kobs and the lions that hunt them. The park’s experienced ranger guides can usually locate lions but predator sightings can be guaranteed by signing up for a tour with the mweya – based Uganda predator project which monitors the movement of lions, leopards and hyena fitted with radio collars
Ishasha; Queen Elizabeth national park’s southern most sector offers a classic game viewing experience under vast rift valley skies. Expect to see buffaloes, elephants, different birds Uganda kobs and more. The chance of sighting lions is particularly good in ishasha, local prides voluntarily spend their days resting up in the branches of shady fig trees
FOREST WALKS
Kyambura gorge
The forest filled kyambura gorge extends from the kichwamba escarpment to the kazinga channel. Enjoy the giddy view point on the edge of the 100m – deep gulf before descending into the depths to track chimpanzees with UWA guides
Maramagambo forest
At the foot of the kichwamba escarpment, the shady maramagambo forest contrasts with the park’s open grasslands guided walks afford sightings of primates and rare birds (including the forest flycatcher, white-napped pigeon and the striking Rwenzori turaco) and visit the bat cave with its resident bat gorged python.
VOLCANIC EXPLOSION CRATERS
Crater drive
Dozens of volcanic craters pock the landscape north of mweya to remind us of the Albertine rift’s violent tectonic history. The 27km crater drive between the kabatoro and crater gates follows a breath-taking route around the rims of extinct crates filled variously, with lakes, forest and grassland
Katwe Salt Lake
The people of katwe town,12km from mweya, have been extracting salt from the saline lake katwe using evaporation pans since the 14th century. Local guides will escort visitors down into the crater to see the process. The adjacent lake munyanyange is rich in water birds, including migrating lesser flamingo between august and November