New Equator Monument in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Did you know that a new equator monument has been installed in Queen Elizabeth National Park? Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in western Uganda in Kasese district. The park was established in 1952 covering a total area of 1978 square kilometers. The park is one of the destinations in Uganda that is crossed by the equator. The equator is the altitude that divides the earth into two parts. The equator crosses 13 countries in the world and this altitude measures 0 degrees. This latitude park divides the park into the southern and northern sectors.
The equator monument in the Queen Elizabeth National Park was destroyed in 2019 under the permission of the Ministry of Tourism. The equator monument was destroyed to expand the road of the Kasese – Mbarara highway. This imaginary line is located in Kasese Kikorongo on the Kasese-Mbarara highway. Currently, a new monument is in place and more attractive.
Facts about the equator
The equator divides the world into the southern and northern hemispheres measuring O degrees. The line is also the diameter of the world. Earth’s gravitational pull is kinder weak on the equator. Travelers during the Uganda safari while on the equator will weigh slightly less than the usual body weight. The imaginary line also affects the climate of the area where these areas receive the equatorial and tropical types of climate. This climate is characterized by the wet and dry seasons.
More so, the equator influences the equinox season when the sun is over the equator. During the equinox, the temperatures are high usually beyond the normal. The sun at the equator usually rises and sets faster than any other area in the world. The time from the night to the day is usually quicker on the equator.
What to do on the equator in the Queen Elizabeth National Park?
While on the safari to Uganda, there are several activities that you can engage in some of these include;
Photography is one of the key activities that travelers on their Uganda safari usually engage in. The new equator monument’s photography is more attractive than other monuments in Uganda.
Demos at the equator is one of the demonstrations with the Coriolis effects. This scientific effect involves the use of water using different directions. While on the equator, the effect of water in the northern hemisphere flows clockwise and the southern hemisphere flows in the anticlockwise direction.
Purchase of the souvenirs from the Kikorongo craft shop of the Kikorongo women’s cooperative.
Travelers on the Uganda safaris usually make a stopover at the equator usually during the transfer from Kampala, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park, Mountain Rwenzori National Park, and the Semuliki National park to the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Where else can I see the equator monument in Uganda other than Queen Elizabeth National Park?
While on a Uganda safari, there are other equator monuments. While in Kampala, the equator monument can be seen in Masaka Kayabwe. This point is just a 2-hour drive from Kampala. The equator monument is usually seen by travelers traveling to western Uganda to destinations like the Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Additionally, another equator monument can be seen on the Mbarara-Kamwenge highway in the Kitagwenda district. This is usually a rare route for the travelers that usually use it. Travelers who are usually from the Lake Mburo National Park to the Kibale National Park for chimpanzee trekking usually meet at that point.
Activities to combine with a visit to the Equator monument in Uganda
The other activities that travelers usually travelers engage in include;
Boat cruise
This safari is usually done on the Kazinga Channel and the Mweya Peninsular within the park. This involves sailing on the water while in the safari boats on Lake George. During the safari on Lake George, there are many attractions that you can see since the park has abundant wildlife. There is quite several wildlife that one can see during the boat cruise. The wildlife includes elephants, buffaloes, hippos, monitor lizards, crocodiles, and many others. Also, the bird species that are usually seen in the park include the African fishing eagle, martial eagle, and many others.
Game drive or game viewing
The game drive is another activity that aids in the viewing of the wildlife within the park. This game drive is usually done in the northern and southern sectors of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The game drive is categorized as the experiential game drive which involves off-tracking and also the game drive which is done in the gazette routes of the park. During the game drives or the game viewing, the wildlife that is usually seen are lions, leopards, kobs, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, and many other wildlife. The game drive in the park is usually done in a 4×4 safari van with a pop-up.
Chimpanzee trekking
The park is also home to quite a few chimpanzees. The chimpanzees are one of the closest cousins of humans sharing over 98% DNA. The chimpanzees live in the Kyambura Gorge and the chimpanzee trekking in the Kyambura Gorge is so challenging. The activity involves the hiking and sloping in the steep tracks of the gorge.
Birding tours
Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to over 618 bird species and also the park is ranked the 6th destination in the world with the highest diversity. The park is one of the destinations for birders since it has over half of the country’s birds. The bird species in the park include; gray-headed kingfisher, papyrus Canary, black bee-eater, white-winged warbler, and many others.
What is the best time to visit the new equator monument in Uganda?
The new equator monument in the Queen Elizabeth National Park can be visited throughout the year. The best time to visit the new equator monument is usually in the dry months of the year. These include June to September and also December to February. These months are usually dry and have the best views of the equator monument.
