Page 26 - July-Sept 2024 Edition

| Tourism Feature

Article and images by Michelle Sutton

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) is a large sprawling park that straddles the
equator in the Western region of Uganda and is the countries most visited national
park. Located on the floor of the Albertine Rift valley with the Rwenzori Mountains
towering in the west, the park boasts a diverse range of ecosystems which are
home to many different mammal and bird species. The park covers an area of
approximately 1,978 square kilometers (764 square miles) and is found 410 kilometres
(255 miles) west of the capital city of Kampala. The landscape of the park is pitted
with 72 extinct volcanic craters some of which offer great vantage points. The parks
beautiful scenery combined with its diversity, make it a great safari destination.

History
In 1952, the park was established and given the name Kazinga National Park. Two years later, the
name was changed to Queen Elizabeth National Park, to commemorate the late Queen’s visit.
Today, the park is a popular tourist destination in Uganda and has a developed infrastructure of
safari tracks, lodges, tented camps, and other tourist facilities.

Wildlife Primates
Before you set off on safari, it’s exciting to know QENP is home to several
what you might see. QENP is best known for primate species. The
its herds of African Elephant that roam the most popular are the
savannah grasslands and the large population chimpanzees that live
of hippopotamus (hippo) that live in and in Kyambura Gorge
around the lakes and the Kazinga Channel. along with black &
Other herbivores you might see are Cape white colobus monkey,
buffalo, forest buffalo, a cross breed of the red-tailed monkey,
two buffalo, giant forest hog and warthog, vervet monkey and
along with several antelope species including olive baboons. Besides
Ugandan kob, Defassa waterbuck, bushbuck, Kyambura Gorge, the
red duiker (rare) and topi (Ishasha sector). The forested areas along the
carnivores of QENP include lion, leopard, serval, road to Ishasha are good
spotted hyena, banded mongoose, and the spots to look for some of
side striped jackal (rare). You can also expect the species listed above
to see reptiles such as Nile crocodiles and as well as the L’Hoest’s
monitor lizards, these are best seen on the monkey and grey
shores of the Kazinga channel on a boat safari. checked mangabey.
Olive baboon
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