Luxury Lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park has some of the best luxury lodges in Uganda. The park is located in western Uganda on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is also the second largest park in Uganda after Murchison Falls National Park. The park was formerly known as the Kazinga National Park and it was named after the visit of the Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1954. It was gazette in 1952 as a protection area. Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular destination in Uganda and the second most visited park in Uganda. It is also among the savannah parks of Uganda. Additionally, this park is home to various Wildlife and landscape features and the equator crosses it. One of the iconic wildlife species of the park is the rare tree-climbing lions found in the Ishasha Sector.
What are the luxury lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
The park has several luxury lodges where travelers on a Uganda safari can stay. These include;
Mweya safari lodge
Mweya Safari Lodge is located on the Mweya peninsular within the park. The lodge is one of the oldest lodges in the park belonging to the Marasa Group of Companies with other lodges situated in the different parks of Uganda. This lodge has the best views of the park including; Mountain Rwenzori, and Lake Edward since the park is found in the center of the park. Mweya Safari Lodge also has several rooms suiting the luxury standards of travelers.
Katara lodge
This lodge is located in the Katara village in the Rubizi district adjacent to the Rift Valley escarpment. It is 16 kilometers away from the park’s gate. The lodge has several luxurious rooms and cottages for travelers to engage in during the Uganda safaris in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge is situated at the edge of the Kyambura Gorge within the Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is also part of the Kyambura eco-system project. The lodge is under a chain of lodges belonging to the Volcanoes Safaris in the different parks of Uganda.
Ishasha wilderness camp
This camp is located in the southern sector of the park which is famous for the tree-climbing lions and also with the best views of the Ntungwe River. The camp is in the remote region of the park. During a safari, travelers have the opportunity to see the tree-climbing lions roaming the area.
Kasenyi Safari Camp
Kasenyi Safari Camp is located in the northern part of the park next to Lake Bunyampaka. During a safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will have great views of the savannah plains of the Kasenyi sector. You will also have an opportunity to see some wildlife near the lodge like lions, elephants, hippos, buffaloes, and many others.
There are several luxury lodges that travelers on their Uganda safaris can visit during the Uganda safari in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
What to see in Queen Elizabeth National Park (Attractions)?
Wildlife
The park is home to several wildlife which are also the primary attractions of the park. Wildlife can be seen through the game viewing or the game drive. The wildlife can be seen in the southern and northern sectors of the park. Some of the wildlife in the park include; lions, leopards, elephants, hippos, kobs, and many others. Additionally, Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to many primates including chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge.
Kazinga Channel
Kazinga Channel connects Lake George to Lake Edward within the park. On this water body, there are several wildlife that the travelers can see during the boat cruise. The wildlife in the park includes; hippos, elephants, crocodiles, buffaloes, and many others.
Equator
The latitude line marking 00 crosses through the park. This is also another attraction that travelers have on their Uganda safari. The New Equator Monument in Queen Elizabeth National Park is something you need not miss on a Uganda safari. You will take part in experiments like water balance and weight loss at different hemispheres of the earth. There are other several attractions in the park that the travelers on their Uganda safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Other lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park
While on the Uganda safari, there are also several other lodges that travelers spend nights over. These lodges range from midrange and budget facilities. Midrange range accommodation facilities are the facilities with services and amenities that are slightly lower than the luxury facilities’ price. These facilities include; Elephant Hub, Enjojo Lodge, Bulbul Lodge, Buffalo Lodge, Simba Safari Camp, and many others.
Budget accommodation facilities are facilities that offer services that are lower than the midrange and usually, these facilities are good for travelers on a tight budget during their Uganda safari. The budget facilities include; Pumba Safari Cottages, Kazinga Green Resort, Ihamba Cottages, and many others.
How to access the Queen Elizabeth National Park?
The park can be accessed by both road and air transport. By road, the park can be accessed through the Kampala – Kasese Highway which is about 7 hours from Kampala. Alternatively, the park can be accessed through the Kampala-Mbarara Highway which is about 7 to 8 hours. On the other hand, the park can also be accessed via Kigali Rwanda through the Kabale – Kihihi, Kabale -Bushenyi which is about 5 to 6 hours of travel. While using this route, travelers do cross-border transfers to Uganda.
By air, travelers use chartered flights from the Entebbe International Airport to different airstrips near the park. These include; the Kasese Airstrip, Mweya Airstrip, and the Kihihi Airstrip.
What is the best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park?
Queen Elizabeth National Park is open to travelers throughout the year. However, the dry seasons are preferred by many travelers to visit Uganda generally. The seasons run from June to September and December to February. During such periods, there is less or no rain and many safari activities can easily be done. Game viewing in the dry season becomes easy since the vegetation in the park is short and dry, and wildlife is always around the water points.
