Can I visit Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali?
Visiting Queen National Park from Kigali is possible since the city has routes connecting Uganda to Rwanda. Kigali City is a vibrant city located in the land of a thousand hills. The city is determined to be the cleanliest city in Africa and with well-developed infrastructure. The city is also an administrative center for Rwanda. The drive from Kigali to Queen Elizabeth National Park takes about 6 to 7 hours of the day about 510 kilometers. The transfer involves the cross border to Uganda from Rwanda. Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in western Uganda and it is the second largest park in Uganda. This park is covered by the savannah type of vegetation and also crossed by the equator.
The park was gazette in 1952 as Kazinga National Park and it was later named the Queen Elizabeth National Park after the visit of Queen Elizabeth II. The park is home to several wildlife that travelers visiting the park from Kigali can see. So, travelers are recommended to plan according.
Activities to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali
While on the visit to the Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali, there are several activities that travelers can do. These include;
Game drives or game viewing
Game drives or game viewing safaris are done within the park to view the wildlife. The game is done in a 4×4 safari van with a pop-up for the travelers to view the wildlife. The game drive is also one in gazette routes and tracks within the park. The wildlife that is usually seen in the park includes; lions, leopards, elephants, hippos, buffaloes, kobs, and many others. The game drive is done in the two sectors of the park, the Kasenyi Plains and Ishasha sectors. The Kasenyi plains are located in the northern part of the park and the Ishasha sector is located in the southern part of the country. In the Ishasha sector, the tree-climbing lions are the unique features that you can see. In the park, the game drives can be done in the morning, evening, full day, night, and experiential game drive.
Boat cruise safaris
The boat cruise in the Queen Elizabeth National Park is done in the Kazinga Channel on Lake George and Edward and also on the Mweya peninsular on Lake George. The boat cruise starts in the morning and ends in the evening at around 1800 hrs. During the boat cruise, you will see several wildlife like hippos, elephants, crocodiles, and many others.
Birding
The park hosts over 610 bird species which makes it a birding destination for travelers on their visit to the Queen Elizabeth from Kigali. There are several bird species in the park including the resident, migratory, and endemic species. The bird species in the park include; the African fishing eagle, martial eagle, flamingoes, kingfisher, African Finfoot, and many others.
Chimpanzee trekking
The park is home to several chimpanzees during the visit to the Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali. The chimpanzee lives in the Kyambura Gorge within the park. The chimpanzee shares over 98% of its DNA with man and they are the closest cousins of man. The tracked chimpanzees are habituated to be familiar with men within the park. The activity lasts for about 4 to 5 hours of the day. The chimpanzee trekking can either be done in the morning or the afternoon upon which session the traveler needs. The chimpanzee trekking in the Kyambura Gorge is so challenging since it involves hiking.
What to see in the Queen Elizabeth National Park?
While on the visit to the Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali, there are several attractions that you can see and these include;
Wildlife
The park is home to several wildlife and this wildlife offers a wide experience for the travelers who visit the park. The wildlife in the park ranges from Primates, carnivores, herbivores, aquatic life, and bird species. The park also hosts some of the Big Five animals and most of this wildlife can be seen during a game drive, boat cruise, nature walks, and many others.
Crater lakes
The park hosts quite several crater and crater lakes which enhance the travelers’ experience during the site viewing in the park. The craters can be seen during a crater drive or the sunset. The crater lakes include; Nyamunuka, Katinda and Mirambi, Katwe, Lake NKugute, and many others.
Equator
While in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Equator is one of the attractions that travelers on their Uganda safari can see. This latitude marks 0 degrees and it is an interesting attraction that travelers on their Uganda safaris have to see.
Kazinga Channel
The Kazinga Channel connects two lakes Edward and Albert in the park. During the visit to the Kazinga Channel, you will see quite several fishing villages and other wildlife like hippos, crocodiles, and many others.
What do I need to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali?
While planning a visit to the Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali requires you to have the following.
East African visa for the three countries that is to say Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda.
A valid passport or a national identification card
Vaccination cards that is to say yellow fever and the Covid-19 cards for international travelers.
What is the best time to visit the Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali?
The park is always open for travelers throughout the year. The best time to visit the park is during the dry seasons of the year since the park is more clear and the best time to see the wildlife. Also during this time, the park is too dry to favor activities like the game drives and many others. In the wet season, the less chance to view the wildlife, and there is less traffic in the park which gives time to traveler’s information about the park.
How to access the Queen Elizabeth National Park from Rwanda?
Queen Elizabeth National Park can be accessed by road transport. By road, the travelers will drive about 6 to 7 hours from Kigali city to the park through the Ishasha sector in the southern part. The journey is about 510 kilometers when accessing the park via Kihihi. So travelers on a Uganda safari visit the Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali are recommended to plan accordingly for the thrilling experience.
