5 Days Explore Queen Elizabeth national park

During our 5 days explore of Queen Elizabeth national park, we embark on an exciting Uganda safari that starts in Kampala and ends in Entebbe. During the safari, you will have the opportunity to visit Queen Elizabeth national park, which is one of the two largest national parks in Uganda after Murchison falls national park.

During the safari you will be able to view an abundance of wildlife species such as elephants, tree climbing lions, leopards, buffaloes, Ugandan kobs, waterbucks, hippos, crocodiles, among others, which can be seen during the game drives and boat cruises at Kazinga channel. You will also be able to spend one hour with the endangered chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge also known as the valley of apes.

Highlights of the 5 days explore Queen Elizabeth national park

Day 1: Pick up and drive to Queen Elizabeth national park

Day 2: Morning game drive/ lion tracking and afternoon boat cruise

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and crater lakes

Day 4: Full day game drive in Ishasha sector

Day 5: Departure to Kampala

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up and drive to Queen Elizabeth national park

Depending on where you are located in Kampala on the first day of your 5-day safari exploring Queen Elizabeth national park, your driver guide will come pick you up, give you a brief introduction to the safari and then begin the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park in western Uganda.

You will have a lunch break at Fort Portal en-route the trip and then continue the journey with spectacular views of the beautiful scenery, such as the Rwenzori Mountains, tea and banana plantations, crater lakes, among others, as you journey to the destination. Upon arrival you will go for an optional evening game drive where you will be able to view various animals like elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs among others. After the game drive you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise

After breakfast on the second day of the 5 days, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to take you for a morning game drive or lion tracking experience in Kasenyi Plains.

During the game drive, you will be able to see the sunrise, lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs and a wide range of bird species, to name a few. There are four big mammals to see on the safari, which include lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, and zebras. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for lunch.

Afterwards, we will drive you to the landing site near the Mweya safari lodge so that you can enjoy an incredible boat cruise along the Kazinga channel, a 40 kilometer-long channel that forms a connection between Lake George and Lake Edward.

Lion Tracking in Queen NP

During the boat trip which lasts for about 2 hours you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs drinking water along the banks, view water birds like yellow billed stork, cormorants, hornbills, African skimmer, kingfishers, fish eagles among others.

You will also be able to see the fishermen along the shores preparing their fishing gears for night fishing, take beautiful pictures among others. After the boat cruise you will go for an evening game drive where you will be able to view some of the animals that you missed in the morning and later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight while your on a Uganda Safari.

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking and crater lakes tour

During the third day of your 5 days exploration of Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will meet up with your driver guide for the transfer to Kyambura gorge, also known as the valley of apes, where you will be briefed about the rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a park guide and start trekking in the forest in search of the habituated chimpanzees.

Trekking of chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food.

While trekking you will be able to see baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, as well as other primate species like baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, and colorful birds such as African kingfisher, blue-headed bee-eater, falcons, African finfoots, as well as animals like elephants and plants and trees, among many more species.

When the chimpanzees are found, you are permitted to spend one hour with them in the natural habitat where you can learn more about their habits, behaviors, and the ways in which they feed, breastfeed, play, hunt, rest, take photos, record the moments and so on. You will also have the opportunity to observe how they feed, breastfeed, play, hunt, rest, etc. After spending one hour with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will meet with your driver guide for a Crater Lake tour, where you will visit Katwe Crater Lake as part of the tour. During the tour you will be able to interact with the local people who will be extracting rock salt from the lake so as to earn a living, visit Nyamunuka Crater Lake which is known as the hospital for animals, Lake Bunyampaka, Nyamunuka among others. After the Crater Lakes tour you will drive back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Game drive in Ishasha sector

After breakfast on the fourth day of your 5-day journey exploring the Queen Elizabeth national park, you will meet up with your driver guide for a full day game drive in the Ishasha sector of the park.

Ishasha sector is located in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park and it’s known for harbouring the famous tree climbing lions which will be viewed during the game drive.

In Ishasha sector you can observe tree climbing lions lounging lazily up in the branches of trees such as acacias and figs staring at other animals like the Ugandan kobs, waterbucks, buffaloes, elephants, and many more. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Departure to Kampala

You will have a relaxed breakfast on the last day of your 5 days of exploring Queen Elizabeth national park, check out of the lodge and meet with your driver guide to be transferred back to Kampala for the last leg of your journey.

On the way you will a stopover at Igongo cultural center for lunch and then continue the journey with another stopover at the Equator where you will buy craft items, art pieces, paintings and take photos.

From the Equator you will proceed to Kampala reaching early evening and upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at any place of convenience.

End of 5 days explore Queen Elizabeth national park

Quotation includes     

• Chimpanzee trekking permit
• Park entrance fees/ game drive
• Lion tracking fees
• Boat cruise fee
• Full-time English-speaking driver guide
• Accommodation
• Pick up and drop off in Kampala
• 4 WD safari vehicle and fuel
• Bottled drinking water

Tour excludes

• Air flight tickets and Visas
• Optional activities not included on the itinerary
• Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, tips among others.