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Queen Elizabeth National Park

One of the classical places to go to in Uganda is Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in the west of the country. QENP is located in Kasese district and its area is almost two thousand square kilometers. It borders with some other national parks, many towns are around it and even lake Edward is not far from it.

The year of the foundation of the park is 1952, but first it was named as Kazinga National Park, a combination of two lakes reserves. Two years later it was renamed due to the visit of Queen Elizabeth II.   

Queen Elizabeth National Park is well-known for its wildness. It’s a home for African elephants and buffalos, lions and hippos, leopards, Nile crocodiles, etc. There you can observe mammals and birds in their ecosystem. One of the most attractive is tree-climbing lions. Do you know that lions can climb? It is rare for most of the breeds, only two populations can climb the trees on an everyday basis. They live in the Ishasha part in the park. It’s a popular tourist attraction, because people always try to guess the reason. They climb because of the flies on the ground level or they try to keep safe from the heat. Frankly speaking, the truth is unknown. The lions usually lie on the branches of the fig trees sleeping or staring down at the kobs on the plains. So now you know, that in Uganda’s areas to climb the tree while been chasing by the lion won’t help you to escape. The route there is unreliable, that’s why we recommend taking any safari tour. There will be an educated agent and appropriate vehicles.

The park is also famous for its volcanic items, like volcanic cones and craters. Katwe crater lakes can be found on the territory of the park. It is considered as the explosion crater, which means it was violent long time ago, but nowadays it is extinct freeing sulphurous smells. The picture is absolutely charming, hiking in this area is the best decision to take amazing photos and enjoy the moment. You can take Crater Drive that is 27 km long, check out Lake Kitagata, a lake full of salty warm springs with no wildlife around. You can also visit lake Katwe with its long-time salt works.    

As the park strongly differs in ecosystems, there is a chance for visitors to see savannas, humid forests, abundant bogs, and lakes. There’s a heaven of tours. For those who want to enjoy the scenery or for those who always dream to see the wild animals and birds as close as possible. Moreover, tourists can pick up some walks within the territories, bird watching, cruises to the Kasinga Channel.

But not only tours, trips and safari, but Queen Elizabeth National Park also has a bountiful cultural history. The tourists have opportunities to meet the inhabitants of the nearby living centers, to see their lifestyle, to take part in different cultural traditions. The most favored activity among tourists is dancing with the locals. In addition, they can listen to some stories of the citizens or listen to traditional music, etc.

The best time for visiting QENP is from June to September or December to January, but at any time of the year, there are chances to get in here. It depends on climate peculiarities and the living characteristics of the animals there.

 All in all, this place is an amazing spot on the planet. There is a lot of things to see and to take part in. Coming here you will never regret, but remember those fascinating moments of the life as it is. Pictures from here will recall all your memories even many years later.