Queen Elizabeth National Park
Rift Valley savannah, the hippo-rich Kazinga Channel, volcanic explosion crater lakes, and the legendary tree-climbing lions of Ishasha.
Ecosystem
Rift Valley Savannah & Channel
Ideal Stay
2 to 4 Nights
Key Wildlife
Tree-Climbing Lions, Kazinga Hippos
Signature Experience
Kazinga Channel Boat & Ishasha Lions
Kasenyi Plains & Savannah Game Drives
Spanning the floor of the Albertine Rift Valley against the dramatic silhouette of the Rwenzori Mountains, the northern Kasenyi sector is the primary stage for predator-prey dynamics.
Vast herds of Uganda kob graze open savannahs where lion prides hunt during early morning game drives. Large herds of buffaloes, waterbucks, and bushbucks populate the open plains.
Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
A 32-kilometre natural waterway connecting Lake George and Lake Edward, the Kazinga Channel boasts one of Africa’s greatest concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles.
Afternoon boat safaris cruise within metres of elephant families drinking and bathing along the banks, while thousands of pelicans, skimmers, and fish eagles soar above.
The Tree-Climbing Lions of Ishasha
In the remote southern Ishasha sector, lions exhibit a rare behavioral adaptation: spending the heat of the day resting on the sturdy horizontal limbs of giant sycamore fig trees.
Ishasha serves as the natural geographical bridge connecting Queen Elizabeth with northern Bwindi (Buhoma sector), making it an indispensable overnight stop on classic western safari circuits.
Kyambura Chimp Gorge & Crater Lakes
Known as the “Valley of Apes”, Kyambura is a 100-meter deep forested scar carved into savannah plains sheltering an isolated community of habituated chimpanzees.
To the north, the Katwe explosion crater drive loops around emerald volcanic crater lakes with panoramic viewpoints spanning the rift valley floor.
Private Safaris Featuring Queen Elizabeth
Explore published private routes from the Empathy Tours team, fully customizable around your dates and travel pace.
Private safariUganda3-day Queen Elizabeth National Park wildlife safari
3 days
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the entire focus of this three-day safari. The short route concentrates on the Kasenyi Plains, the Kazinga Channel, Kyambura Gorge and the Katwe crater and salt-mining area rather than trying to add another park. With 95 recorded mammal species and more than 550 bird species, there is enough range here for game viewing, a boat safari and a forested chimpanzee-tracking section within one park.
Private safariUganda5-day Queen Elizabeth and Kibale safari: chimpanzees, wildlife and Kazinga Channel
5 days
Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale National Park fit naturally into a five-day route. Two nights around Queen Elizabeth give you time for game drives and the Kazinga Channel, then the journey shifts north to Kibale for chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Wetland. It is a compact safari, but the change from open savannah to rainforest gives each half a different character.
Private safariUganda8-day Uganda gorilla trekking and wildlife safari
8 days
Gorilla trekking sits at the centre of this eight-day western Uganda circuit. Lake Mburo breaks up the journey south, Bwindi provides the forest trek, Queen Elizabeth adds two days of savannah and the Kazinga Channel, and Kibale closes the wildlife section with chimpanzee tracking. The route moves regularly, but each stop serves a clear purpose rather than adding parks for the sake of a longer list.
