Queen Elizabeth National Park spans 1,978 sq km from Lake George to Lake Edward in the southwestern corner of Uganda. It was given its current name after a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1954.
The tree climbing lion are the park’s greatest curiosity: nobody knows why they do it. There are only two places in East Africa where they’re known to have acquired this habit (the other being Lake Manyara in Tanzania). You’ll see the Queen Elizabeth population on a game drive along the Ishasha River, usually in the late afternoon while they’re still dozing, escaping the afternoon heat in the shadow of the branches.
The majority of wildlife in the park, including the birds, congregates along the Kazinga Channel, a major water source. There are daily cruises along the channel to Lake Edward, where we recommend you take a nature walk along the riverbank. Look out for the Uganda kob, and also the buffalo.
For chimp tracking, head into the Kyambura Gorge. The scenery is spectacular and the chimpanzee troops are often up to 80 members strong. They are quite territorial, so you might well see the males sparring to climb the ladder of the community’s hierarchy.
