3 days
Wildlife and Game Drive Safaris
3 Day Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari
Three days of game drives and a Kazinga Channel boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park, with an optional visit to Ishasha.
Price on request
A big-game and birding park on the equator, famous for the Kazinga Channel, tree-climbing lions in Ishasha and a landscape of lakes, craters and forest.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda's most varied safari park. It covers just under two thousand square kilometres of savanna, wetland, lakeshore, crater lake and forest, straddles the equator and holds more than ninety-five mammal species and over six hundred bird species, according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
The heart of the park is the Kazinga Channel, a waterway of about forty kilometres that links Lake Edward and Lake George. Hippos crowd the shallows, Nile crocodiles bask on the banks, and elephants and buffalo come down to drink. A boat cruise here is one of the best wildlife value experiences in the country because the animals come to you. Our 3 day Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari puts the channel cruise at the centre of the trip.
The southern Ishasha sector is known for lions that rest in fig trees. UWA describes the behaviour as rare globally, and the sector is quieter and wilder than the north. Sightings are never guaranteed, so a good plan allows more than one drive. Between the two sectors lies Maramagambo Forest, and the Kyambura Gorge, a forested chasm, is known for chimpanzees. The Katwe explosion craters and nearby salt lake add a landscape and culture stop.
Queen Elizabeth is also a birder's park. The mix of open water, papyrus and forest means a single morning can list dozens of species. If birds are your reason for travelling, read our Uganda birdwatching guide and our 6 day Uganda birding safari.
Choosing where to sleep saves driving. The northern sector around the Kazinga Channel suits the boat cruise, the Kasenyi plains and the craters, while Ishasha in the south suits the tree-climbing lions and the road on to Bwindi. A trip of three nights or more can use one base in each sector instead of crossing the park every day. Keep voices low near elephants and stay in the vehicle on the plains unless your guide says it is safe to step out.
From Mbarara the park is a natural second stop after Lake Mburo and a natural lead-in to Bwindi for gorillas, because the road through Ishasha connects the two. Our three day Queen Elizabeth guide sets out how to split the time. You can also combine it with chimps in Kibale on our Kibale chimps and Queen Elizabeth safari.
A slow cruise past hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, elephants and water birds such as pelicans. Afternoon departures give warm light for photographs.
Open plains around Kasenyi are the best place to look for Uganda kobs, buffalo, elephants and lions, especially at dawn.
Search the fig trees of the southern sector where lions rest through the heat of the day. Allow time, because sightings depend on luck as much as skill.
A forested gorge on the park's eastern edge, known for chimpanzees and birdlife. Trails are steep, so ask us about fitness and permits.
With more than six hundred species recorded, even a short stay delivers a long list. Early boat and drive departures are best.
A scenic drive among volcanic craters with a salt works at the shore, easy to add on the way in or out.
UWA lists storytelling, music and dance with the Bakonzo, Basongora and Banyabindi communities, a good way to meet people who live beside the park.
Queen Elizabeth is rewarding all year. The two drier seasons, roughly June to August and December to February, make game drives easier and concentrate animals near water, while the wetter months, roughly March to May and September to November, are quieter, greener and excellent for birds. Boat cruises run in all seasons. Because roads in Ishasha can become slippery in heavy rain, we plan the southern sector with extra time in the wet months. See our seasons guide for the wider picture.
From Mbarara the northern sector and the Kazinga Channel are roughly two to three hours by road through Ishaka and Katunguru, and Ishasha is further on through the south-west, so allow most of a day to reach it with stops. UWA lists the park at about 410 kilometres from Kampala, a drive of at least seven to eight hours, and notes that scheduled or chartered flights serve airstrips at Kasese, Mweya and Kihihi. If you are going on to Bwindi, the Ishasha route is the natural link. Ask us to plan the sequence in your quote on the plan your trip page.
lodge luxury
Mweya Peninsula, Queen Elizabeth National Park
Peninsula lodge overlooking the Kazinga Channel.
Two nights lets you do a channel cruise and a game drive. Three nights adds Ishasha or the Kyambura Gorge without rushing. Our three day guide shows a sample plan.
No. Lions in Ishasha climb fig trees to rest, but they do not do so on a schedule. A good plan allows time on more than one drive and an early start.
Chimpanzees live in the Kyambura Gorge area. For a longer and more reliable chimpanzee trek, Kibale National Park is the better choice. Our guide to gorilla and chimpanzee trekking compares them.
Yes. The Kazinga Channel concentrates hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo and birds along a short stretch of shore, and the boat puts you close without disturbing them.
Yes. The road through Ishasha leads toward Bwindi, so many guests do the park first and trek gorillas next. Read our 7 day western Uganda itinerary.
Entry and activity fees are set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (opens in a new tab) and change by season and residency. We include the current fees in your quote.
A paced one-week route from Mbarara through Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Bunyonyi, with drive times and ways to adapt it.
A month-by-month guide to Uganda's rainy and dry seasons and what each means for gorilla treks, game drives, birding, rafting and your packing.
What works on a Uganda safari with children: age limits for gorilla and chimp treks, family-friendly parks, drive times, health and how to pace the days.
Uganda is one of Africa's best birding countries. Here is where to go, what you might see, and how to plan a birding route that starts in Mbarara.
A Uganda safari price is made of several parts. Understanding them helps you compare quotes, avoid surprises and decide where to spend.
How to spend three days in Queen Elizabeth National Park: the Kazinga Channel cruise, game drives, Ishasha's tree-climbing lions and Kyambura Gorge.
The questions first-time visitors ask most, from visas and health to money, packing and how to choose your first park, with straight answers.
Behind every safari quote sits a lot of small decisions. Here is what goes into one, what we need from you and how to compare quotes fairly.
Trips that include it
3 days
Wildlife and Game Drive Safaris
Three days of game drives and a Kazinga Channel boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park, with an optional visit to Ishasha.
Price on request
4 days
Gorilla and Primate Safaris
Track chimpanzees in Kibale's rainforest, then trade the forest for the savanna and the boat cruise of Queen Elizabeth.
Price on request
6 days
Birding Safaris
Six days of savanna, wetland and forest birding across western Uganda, from Lake Mburo to Queen Elizabeth and Kibale.
Price on request
Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming. We will come back with a plan and a price.