Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda's most visited national park, and it earns that status through remarkable ecological diversity. Straddling the equator between the Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Edward, the park encompasses savannah grassland, acacia woodland, dense forest patches, wetlands, volcanic craters, and two great lakes. In a single day it is possible to spot lions, elephants, hippos, chimpanzees, and several hundred bird species.
But the park's most celebrated attraction is something found in very few places on earth: lions that routinely climb trees. The Ishasha sector in the south of Queen Elizabeth National Park has a resident population of lions known to spend their days draped in fig trees, apparently to escape ground-level heat and insects. No one has definitively explained why this unusual behaviour emerged here and in Tanzania's Lake Manyara, but it makes for one of the most distinctive wildlife encounters in Africa.
Queen Elizabeth National Park: An Overview
The park covers approximately 1,978 square kilometres of remarkably varied terrain. It was gazetted in 1952 and named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Uganda in 1954. Today it is part of a larger transfrontier conservation area connected to Virunga National Park in DRC.
Key Zones of the Park
- Kasenyi Plains: the main northern savannah area, excellent for lion, buffalo, elephant, Uganda kob, and topi sightings. The Kasenyi track is one of the best game drives in the park.
- Mweya Peninsula: the park's main hub, with the iconic Mweya Safari Lodge perched on a ridge overlooking the junction of the Kazinga Channel and Lake Edward. Boat safaris on the Kazinga depart from here.
- Kazinga Channel: a 32km natural channel connecting Lake George and Lake Edward, hosting one of the highest concentrations of hippos in Africa and extraordinary birdlife.
- Kyambura Gorge: a forested gorge cutting through the savannah, home to a small community of habituated chimpanzees and offering a remarkable contrast to the open plains above.
- Ishasha Sector: the southern sector, accessed via a different gate, famous for tree-climbing lions and a different savannah character with thick fig trees and quieter, less-visited terrain.
- Maramagambo Forest: a significant forest block in the east of the park, home to forest birds, chimpanzees, and cave-dwelling bats.
The Tree-Climbing Lions of Ishasha
The Ishasha sector sits roughly 120 kilometres south of the main Mweya hub, making it a separate overnight destination or a long day excursion. Most visitors who specifically want to see tree-climbing lions base themselves here, at one of a handful of small camps and lodges in the sector.
What to Know About the Ishasha Lions
- The lions are most commonly found in the large fig trees around the Ntungwe River area, often resting in groups of three to eight individuals.
- Morning game drives (departing before 6:30 a.m.) give the best chance of finding them in the trees before they descend to the ground.
- The lions are not always visible from the ground when in the canopy; patience and binoculars are essential.
- The Ishasha sector also has excellent general game viewing: large Uganda kob herds, buffalo in significant numbers, elephant, and good birdlife.
- The terrain is flatter and the vegetation more open than in the Mweya area, giving a different visual character.
What Makes the Behaviour So Unusual
Lions everywhere are capable of climbing trees; what distinguishes Ishasha (and Lake Manyara) is that the behaviour is habitual and consistently observed across generations. Young cubs learn it from their mothers. The prevailing theories include thermoregulation (trees are cooler than the ground), insect avoidance (tsetse flies and other biting insects are more numerous on the ground), and better visibility for scanning the landscape. Whatever the reason, a lion regarding you calmly from a branch four metres above the ground is an experience with no equivalent.
The Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
The afternoon boat safari on the Kazinga Channel is arguably the most reliably spectacular two hours you can spend in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The channel supports an extraordinary biomass.
- Hippos: thousands of hippos inhabit the channel and adjacent shallows, packed in groups and highly photogenic.
- Crocodiles: some of the largest Nile crocodiles in East Africa bask on the banks.
- Elephants: regularly come to drink along the channel edges.
- Birds: the Kazinga Channel is a world-class birding site. African fish eagles, Goliath herons, African skimmers, various kingfishers, pied avocets, and rare species like the shoebill (in Murchison Flats and adjacent wetlands) are possible.
Boat departures from Mweya are typically at 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., allowing visitors to combine a morning game drive with an afternoon boat safari.
Kyambura Gorge and Chimpanzee Trekking
The Kyambura Gorge -- sometimes called the Valley of Apes -- is a remarkable geological feature: a forested ravine that drops sharply from the open savannah, creating a micro-ecosystem within the park. A small community of habituated chimpanzees (typically fifteen to thirty individuals) lives in the gorge forest.
Chimpanzee trekking permits for Kyambura are issued by UWA (indicative cost around USD 50 per person, significantly less than Kibale). Sightings are less reliable than at Kibale because the community is smaller and more elusive, but the setting -- emerging from open savannah into a lush gorge -- is uniquely dramatic.
Wildlife Summary
| Species | Where | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Tree-climbing lion | Ishasha sector | Moderate-high with morning drive |
| Lion (ground) | Kasenyi plains, Ishasha | High |
| Elephant | Kasenyi, Kazinga channel | Very high |
| Buffalo | Widespread | Very high |
| Uganda kob | Kasenyi plains | Very high |
| Hippo | Kazinga channel | Exceptional |
| Crocodile | Kazinga channel | High |
| Chimpanzee | Kyambura gorge | Moderate |
| Shoebill | Wetlands (seasonal) | Moderate, requires specific effort |
| African fish eagle | Kazinga channel | Very high |
Birds of Queen Elizabeth National Park
With over 620 bird species recorded, Queen Elizabeth is one of the top ten birding sites in Africa. Key highlights include:
- African green broadbill: Maramagambo Forest; one of Uganda's most sought-after endemics.
- Papyrus gonolek: in papyrus wetlands along the Kazinga Channel.
- Martial eagle, bateleur, African fish eagle: regularly seen on game drives and boat safaris.
- Pink-backed pelican and great white pelican: in large numbers on the channel.
- African skimmer: nesting on sandbanks in the channel (seasonal).
- Various bee-eaters: red-throated, cinnamon-chested, and others in the savannah woodland.
Top Lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Mweya Safari Lodge
The park's landmark property, perched on the Mweya Peninsula with panoramic views of Lake Edward and the Kazinga Channel. Comfortable rooms, an excellent dining terrace, and the most convenient access to the channel and Kasenyi game drives.
Price range: approximately USD 300 to USD 500 per person per night.
Kyambura Gorge Lodge
An architecturally striking eco-lodge on the rim of the gorge, with six suites and direct access to chimpanzee trekking. Exceptional food and a strong community ethos.
Price range: approximately USD 500 to USD 800 per person per night.
Ishasha Wilderness Camp
A small tented camp in the Ishasha sector, intimate and well-run, with afternoon drives targeting the tree-climbing lion prides.
Price range: approximately USD 300 to USD 500 per person per night.
Jacana Safari Lodge
A well-priced lodge near the main park area, popular with repeat visitors for its friendly team and reliable service.
Price range: approximately USD 200 to USD 350 per person per night.
Getting to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- From Kampala: approximately five to six hours by road via Masaka or via Kasese.
- From Kibale National Park: approximately two hours south via Fort Portal and Kasese.
- From Bwindi (Buhoma): approximately three to four hours north via Ishasha sector, making for a natural route that takes in both parks.
- By air: charter flights operate from Entebbe to Kasese airstrip, approximately forty-five minutes by road to Mweya. Flight time is roughly one hour.
Combining Queen Elizabeth with Other Uganda Destinations
Queen Elizabeth sits at the geographic centre of Uganda's western safari circuit.
- North: Kibale Forest (chimpanzee trekking, two hours)
- South: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (gorilla trekking, three to four hours via Ishasha)
- West: Rwenzori Mountains (hiking, one and a half hours)
- East: Lake Mburo National Park (savannah wildlife, two and a half hours)
A classic seven-night itinerary combining Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi creates a journey through three distinct ecosystems with three of the world's most extraordinary primate encounters.
Queen Elizabeth National Park deserves far more than a passing visit. Whether it is tree-climbing lions at dawn in Ishasha, the theatre of the Kazinga Channel in the afternoon light, or a chimpanzee peering at you from the gorge below, this park consistently rewards those who spend time with it. The Waigumo Safaris team knows Queen Elizabeth intimately and will help you build an itinerary that makes the most of everything it offers. Contact us to start planning.
