Queen Elizabeth National Park has the largest checklist of any protected area in East Africa with more than 600 bird species recorded. This is mostly due to the wide variety of habitats: from savannah to forest to wetland. Many of the birds in the park are regarded as specials within East Africa, which make it a prime birding destination. The swamps in the Ishasha sector are a good place to look for the elusive shoebill stork. Migratory birds are present from November to April. The birdlife in Queen Elizabeth NP is good year-round, but at its best from late May to September, when the rain is less and food is abundant. June to July has the least rain, while April to May and September to November have the most rain. The heavy rains might result in delays due to impassable roads and slippery hiking trails. These may limit your bird-watching time. From November to April, migratory birds can be found in the park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Background
Queen Elizabeth National Park, named after Queen Elizabeth II, is Uganda's big game safari capital and the title is well-deserved. It is located in the south western part of the country and encompasses a number of significant wildlife reserves, river channels, volcanic mountains and crater lakes. It enjoys the beautiful backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountain Range and houses diverse ecosystems, which include rolling savannah, tree-filled forests, glistening lakes and fertile wetlands. Queen Elizabeth National Park is renowned for its wildlife, which, after being badly destroyed by poaching, has been revived to thriving numbers and is now well-protected. Hippos, elephants, leopards, lions and chimpanzees are among the highlights, but by no means are they the only species found in this park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species, which makes it a top birding and game destination. Beautiful volcanic features of peaks and craters fill the landscape, while their crater lakes are economically extracted for salt.
Wildlife Experience
Queen Elizabeth National Park is set against the backdrop of Rwenzori Mountains and is renowned for its dramatic volcanoes and crater lakes, such as Lake Katwe. Salt mining at Lake Katwe is famous throughout East Africa; its lake floor is 0.8m thick with salt and there has been 7 tonnes of salt produced per hour for over 30 years. Queen Elizabeth National Park supports a wide variety of wildlife and is certainly the most popularly visited park in Uganda. Guests come here to discover the jagged, volcanic landscape dripping in rainforest; to spot the 600 species of birds flitting about the trees; to observe the black-maned lions known for climbing trees. There are over 10 species of primate dwelling in the park and the river channels are occupied by hippo, buffalo and elephant. A cultural exchange project runs in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which aims to support conservation through empowering local communities. Visitors can enjoy and learn about local traditions through story-telling, dancing, music and more.
