Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda is the country’s most visited national park and one of East Africa’s most diverse wildlife destinations. At 1,978 square kilometres, it straddles the equator between the Rwenzori Mountains to the north and Lake Edward and the Democratic Republic of Congo border to the southwest. Its three-part geography — the savannah Kasenyi sector north of the Kazinga Channel, the channel itself, and the Ishasha sector to the south — give three completely different driving and wildlife experiences within the same park. For self-drive visitors, the combination of a morning Kasenyi game drive, afternoon Kazinga Channel boat trip, and a full day in the Ishasha sector covers the essential Queen Elizabeth experience in 2 to 3 days.
Getting to Queen Elizabeth NP from Kampala
The drive from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park (Mweya gate, north sector) is 420km and takes 5 to 6 hours: Kampala → Mbarara highway → Mbarara (270km, fill fuel) → Kasese → Katunguru Gate (the main north sector entry point). The road from Kampala to Mbarara is well-tarmacked and dual-carriageway for portions. Kasese to the park is the last section — good tarmac to the gate. There is no fuel inside the park — fill at Kasese or at the small petrol station in Katunguru trading centre (reliable but branded fuel at Kasese is preferable).
Park Entry Fees (2027/2028)
- Non-resident adult: USD 40 per person per 24 hours
- Non-resident child (5-15 years): USD 20 per person per 24 hours
- Vehicle entry: USD 40 per vehicle per 24 hours
- Kazinga Channel boat trip (2 hours): approximately USD 30 to 40 per adult
- Kyambura Gorge chimp tracking: USD 50 per person per session
- UWA Mweya campsite: USD 30 per person per night
The Kasenyi Plains: Lion and Buffalo Circuit
The Kasenyi plains north of the Kazinga Channel are the primary lion habitat in Queen Elizabeth. Several prides — together totalling approximately 40 to 60 lions in the north sector in 2027/2028 — range across the open savannah between the Kasenyi track and the Kazinga Channel banks. The Kasenyi road (20km east of Mweya along the north shore of the channel) runs through the middle of this lion territory. Morning game drives from Mweya starting at 6:30am are the most productive — follow the Kasenyi road east, loop through the interior tracks, and return along the channel road. Buffalo are present in very large herds on the Kasenyi plains — herds of 200 to 500 individuals are common. Uganda kob (the endemic Uganda antelope shown on the national coat of arms) is present in large numbers across the open grassland.
Kazinga Channel Boat Trip
The Kazinga Channel connects Lake George (east) to Lake Edward (west) — a 32km natural channel with some of the highest hippo density in Africa. The 2-hour boat trip from the Mweya launch site runs along the channel’s north bank and back. Wildlife on the trip: hippo pods at high density (the channel holds an estimated 5,000 hippos — every 50 to 100 metres reveals another pod), Nile crocodile on mudflats, elephant drinking at the water’s edge, buffalo in large herds on the channel banks, and outstanding bird diversity — pied kingfisher, Goliath heron, African fish eagle, pink-backed pelican, and numerous wader species. Boat trip timing: morning departure (8am) gives calmer water and better photography light. Afternoon (2pm) is equally productive. Book at the Mweya UWA office on arrival.
Kyambura Gorge: Chimp Tracking
Kyambura Gorge (pronounced “Chambura”) is a dramatic river gorge that cuts through the savannah of Queen Elizabeth — a narrow strip of rainforest in an open landscape, sometimes called “the Valley of Apes.” A habituated chimpanzee community of approximately 16 individuals lives in the gorge forest. The chimp tracking walk descends into the gorge and follows the chimp community along the river. This is a different experience from the Kibale chimp track — Kyambura’s chimps move through a smaller, denser forest with narrower paths, and the combination of savannah on the plateau above and forest in the gorge below creates an extraordinary ecological contrast. USD 50 per person, booked through UWA at Mweya.
The Ishasha Sector: Tree-Climbing Lions
The Ishasha sector is the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, 100km from Mweya on a road through the park’s interior. Ishasha is famous for one specific behaviour: the Ishasha lion prides (approximately 4 prides, 30 to 40 individuals) spend their resting hours in the branches of large fig trees on the open plains. No other lion population in Uganda — and very few in Africa — habitually tree-climbs in this way. The reason is debated (to avoid tsetse flies, to access breeze above the insects, as a lookout advantage) but the result is one of the most dramatic and unusual game drive experiences in East Africa. Approach the Ishasha sector from either the north (through QENP from Mweya, 100km) or from the south (from Kabale, entering via the Ishasha Gate, 100km from Kabale). Overnight in the Ishasha sector to maximise morning tree-climbing lion sightings.
Accommodation at Queen Elizabeth
- Mweya Safari Lodge (premium, USD 250 to 400 per person): On the Mweya peninsula directly on the channel — arguably Uganda’s most beautiful lodge position
- Jacana Safari Lodge (mid-range, USD 100 to 180 per person): Budget alternative with channel views
- UWA Mweya Campsite (USD 30 per person): Basic facilities, wildlife walks through camp at night
- Ishasha Wilderness Camp (USD 150 to 250 per person, Ishasha sector): For tree-climbing lion access
