Queen Elizabeth National Park
Savanna between Lake Edward and Lake George, joined by the Kazinga Channel
The boat is better than the game drive.
That is unusual, and it is true here.
Queen Elizabeth National Park sits between Lake Edward and Lake George, with the Kazinga Channel running between them. Lions hunt the Kasenyi plains, and in the south Ishasha is famous for lions that rest in fig trees, though the Uganda Wildlife Authority said in September 2026 that only three known adult lions remain there.
A launch of about two hours along the Kazinga Channel, from Mweya to the channel's mouth on Lake Edward, passes banks lined with hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds, and visiting elephant and buffalo.
On land, the Uganda Wildlife Authority points to the Kasenyi plains for lions, where the kob herds draw them, and to Mweya and the Channel Track for leopards, which it calls frequent but unpredictable.
The Ishasha sector in the far south is famous for lions that rest in fig trees. The Uganda Wildlife Authority said in September 2026 that only three known adult lions remain there, so we never promise them, but Ishasha is on the road south toward Bwindi, which makes it an easy addition rather than a detour.
Safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Typically 3 to 5 daysGorilla trekkingUganda Gorilla Trekkingfrom USD 3,450per personSee the itinerary
Typically 10 to 14 daysChimpanzee trekkingBest of Ugandafrom USD 3,950per personSee the itinerary
Typically 7 to 10 daysGorilla trekkingUganda Honeymoon Safarifrom USD 4,200per personSee the itinerary
Typically 8 to 12 daysWildlife safariUganda Family Safarifrom USD 3,600per personSee the itineraryThe places worth the drive
The Kazinga Channel
Hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds along the banks, with visiting elephant and buffalo.
Ishasha
The southern sector, famous for lions that rest in fig trees; the Uganda Wildlife Authority said in September 2026 that only three known adult lions remain there.
We never promise them. It sits on the road to Bwindi, so it costs you very little to look.
The Kyambura Gorge
A forested gorge 100 metres deep in the savanna, where you descend to track chimpanzees.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority publishes no sighting odds for Kyambura's chimpanzees, so go for the gorge itself.
The Mweya peninsula
The headland between the channel and Lake Edward, with lodges close to the launch.
The year in Queen Elizabeth National Park
The long dry season
Firm trails, short grass and predictable roads. The busiest stretch of the year and the easiest walking.
Gorilla permits for these months sell out first, so they are booked before flights rather than after.
The short rains
Rain arrives in the afternoon and rarely lasts the day. Green country, few vehicles.
November carries the USD 600 gorilla permit. If your dates move, this is the best value in the calendar.
The second dry season
Hot and clear. Busy over Christmas and the new year, then quiet through January and February.
February is the driest month in the south and the strongest window for the Rwenzori.
The long rains
The wettest stretch. Harder underfoot, some northern tracks go difficult, a few lodges close.
April and May carry the USD 600 permit, birding peaks, and you will have the forest very nearly to yourself.
What we tell everyone about Queen Elizabeth
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