4 Days Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari

Day 1: Pickup and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park –  Evening game drive

Our Guide will pick you up very early from your Hotel in Kampala or airport in Entebbe to begin the journey to Queen Elizabeth National park. Queen Elizabeth is located in the western part of the country which is remarkable for its beautiful scenery, rolling hills and other physical features which resulted from the formation of the East African Rift Valley. Watch out for the local people working in their gardens or doing business in the market places along the roadside. You will also notice many herdsmen tending to the intriguing long horned Ankole cattle.

The driver will stop briefly at the Equator crossing in Kayabwe to allow you take photos in this popular spot. The equator line separates the earths northern and southern hemispheres. You can spread your legs and be in two of the earth’s hemispheres at the same time. The journey will continue and the next stop will be at the Igongo cultural center. As you approach the park, you will begin spotting beautiful views of the Rwenzori mountains from the horizon as well as crater lakes, wildlife and the East African rift valley. This is where the Guide will be most active as he shares with you details about all the features. You will arrive in the afternoon and be taken to your hotel for refreshment. After refreshment and maybe changing clothes, you will go for an evening game drive at the Kasenyi plains to spot warthogs, buffaloes, elephants, lions, small primates and several species of antelopes among others.

Dinner and Overnight at Enganzi Lodge (budget), Park View Lodge (Midrange) and Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury).

Day 2:  Morning Game drive – Boat Cruise at the Kazinga Channel

Get up early for heavy breakfast as you wait to be taken for the morning game drive. The morning game drive allows you to spot the early risers and nocturnal animals like leopards going back to their den. Queen Elizabeth national park has remarkable landscape compared to even the Murchison Falls National Park. You will marvel at the savanna plains, crater lakes, swamps, rivers and woodlands. The Rwenzori mountains can be seen from almost every part of the park. All these physical features attract a variety of wildlife including buffaloes, lions, elephants, leopard, giant forest hogs, waterbuck, bush bucks, the Uganda Kob and Topis among many others.

After the morning game drive, you will go back to hotel for rest and lunch before proceeding for the boat cruise at the Kazinga Channel. This boat will provide a perfect platform for viewing most of the wildlife as they gather to drink and bathe in one place.  The Kazinga Channel is one of the great birding spots in Uganda and Africa. You will see all kinds of water birds feeding close to giant crocodiles, elephants and hippos.

Dinner and Overnight at Enganzi Lodge (budget), Park View Lodge (Midrange) and Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury0

Day 3 – Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge – Transfer to Ishasha for Tree Climbing Lions

Wake up early and prepare to be taken for briefing at the starting point in Kyambura Gorge. The Kyambura Gorge is an underground forest that was created by secondary faulting after the formation of the East African rift valley. A vast forest grew in this valley which became a favorite for many primates, birds and other wildlife. There was once a natural forest corridor that connecting the underground forest to mainland forests like Maramagambo and Kalinzu but this was recently destroyed by humans. The destruction of this forest corridor left the chimpanzee population in the gorge trapped. They cannot use the savanna plains to reach nearby forests for fear of being attacked by predators. Scientists worry about inbreeding and genetic mutations within the chimpanzee community here. The good news is that a new forest corridor is being built to allow the chimps meet other clans elsewhere. Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge is remarkable because it offers tourists a chance to visit the unique gorge and discover its biodiversity. Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge can be strenuous considering that you would be hiking up and down a steep gorge. You need to be mentally prepared for the challenge so that you are not surprised.

After tracking the chimps, you will have lunch and be transferred to the Ishasha sector of the park to search for the famous tree climbing lions of Uganda. The lions love to rest on top of fig trees during the hot parts of the day but can be seen in the evenings too.

Dinner and Overnight at Enganzi Lodge (budget), Park View Lodge (Midrange) and Mweya Safari Lodge (Luxury).

Day 4 – Morning Game Drive in Ishasha – Transfer to Kampala

Wake up and have an early morning game drive in Ishasha to see more of the lions and other wildlife in this particular sector including topis, elephants and buffaloes. Ishasha will offer you a different experience because it has a different setting and landscape from Kasenyi. After the game drive, you will begin the journey to Kampala with lunch at the Igongo cultural Centre. You may visit the Centre briefly to learn about the culture of the Ankole people – That is you if didn’t get time on the first day. You will continue the journey using the same route and bypass the equator crossing. Expect to reach Entebbe between 6 to 7 pm.

The tour includes:

1. Transportation in a 4 Wheel Drive Car with a pop-up roof throughout the safari.
2. An English speaking Guide to be at your disposal throughout the trip
3. Ranger fees
4. Park entrance
5. Accommodation for three nights (Full board)
6. All Meals and bottled water while on the trip
7. A Chimpanzee Permit
8. 3 game drives
9. Boat cruise at the Kazinga Channel
10. Airport transfers
11. All activities indicated in the itinerary

The safari Excludes:

1. International flight tickets and any related bookings
2. Visas
3. Personal expenses like alcoholic drinks, tips, cigars, telephone bills and laundry

Enganzi Game Lodge: Enganzi lodge is a mid-range facility built on a hill close to the park. The hills provide a majestic view of the park and its creatures. This makes the lodge an excellent choice for starting a safari in the park. The lodge has 7 beautiful cottages which all face the beautiful savanna in the park. All rooms are spacious with a waitress who will ensure that you are served food at the right time. Among the facilities and services offered in the lodge are parking space, laundry, an indoor fire place and barbecue. Enganzi is also excellent for evening nature walks, sightseeing, birding and game viewing from outside the lodge. If you are looking for a lodge with great views of pristine African wilderness and offering a chance to experience the parks remarkable biodiversity, then this would be an excellent choice.

Mweya Safari Lodge – Mweya is a luxury lodge built overlooking the Kazinga Channel.  It has 49 luxurious rooms that are all built with class and quality. Mweya is owned by Marasa Africa which has built a reputation for excellent service and management. The group also owns the luxury Chobe and Paraa lodges in Murchison falls national park. Mweya has an impressive list of prominent guests including presidents who have resided in it in the past.  Mweya has twin, single and double rooms that are spacious and built with comfort in mind. The rooms are all self-contained with a fan, balcony, telephone, safe and working table among many other facilities. Mweya Safari lodge prepares and serves excellent food. You do not have to worry if you are vegetarian because they will get you something excellent and different every day. Heavy breakfast is served every morning and is enough to fill you for much of the day. Mweya Safari Lodge is also popular because of its large swimming pool which overlooks the Kazinga channel. The pool is perfect for relaxation after a long day of activities in the park. You also get to meet other resident swimmers from all over the world.

Parkview Safari lodge: Parkview Safari lodge is an award winning Eco-friendly lodge which may considered mid-range but we beg to differ. The services offered here are more close to mid-luxury than it appears on paper. Park View offers a true feel of being out in the African wilderness with rooms that are built overlooking the beautiful Savannah. All the rooms are built with high quality local material but with a touch of modernity. The rooms are very comfortable and spacious. Each room has a shower (hot and cold), bath tubs and a private balcony.

Parkview safari lodge has a large swimming pool, a bar, conference facilities, laundry services, a gift shop for souvenir, a library and a restaurant serving international dishes. The library has an assortment of books about the park and tourism in Uganda. The lodge has free internet, steam bath, Sauna and a massage parlor. If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive but high quality accommodation facility while in Queen Elizabeth National Park, look no further than Parkview Safari Lodge – You will not be disappointed. The staff are very professional and will go an extra mile to ensure that you leave with a lasting impression of the lodge.