Embarking on a game drive safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali is very possible given the distance between these destinations. Traveling from Kigali to Queen Elizabeth National Park takes about 6-7 hours of driving since it is a distance of about 268.6 kilometers. This relatively long distance is all worth it given the exciting attractions visitors encounter as they take on a game drive safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. With improved road network systems connecting to the park, this journey from Kigali is seamless, and visitors reach the park in good spirits. Visitors access Queen Elizabeth National Park through the Katuna border point that connects Rwanda and Uganda.
However, it is also worth noting that traveling to Queen Elizabeth National Park can only be done by road transport, as there is no option of flying. This is because there are no direct flights from Kigali International Airport straight to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This road trip to the park is interesting to visitors because of the scenic views they spot as they proceed to the park. The interaction with the local people, especially during stopovers, adds a much-needed insight into their livelihood.
Game safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park from Kigali is all about exploring the park on a game drive experience. The park has a wide range of wildlife species that visitors can fully encounter on a game drive, as it is safe and comfortable. Queen Elizabeth National Park harbors wildlife species from four of the Big Five, such as lions. Elephants, leopards, and buffaloes. Such animals are best spotted on a game safari for safety reasons, and get closer to them. The park also hosts other animals like hyenas, warthogs, antelopes, waterbucks, topis, reedbucks, and jackals, among others.
The excitement of Queen Elizabeth National Park is not limited to only one activity of game safaris, but other amazing activities can also interest visitors. These activities include some of the following.
Boat cruise
The boat cruise experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park is very popular and done on the Kazinga Channel. This channel is a waterway that connects Lake Edward to Lake George and hosts the largest population of hippos in the country of about 5,000. In addition to this, the channel also harbors countless Nile crocodiles, which can be spotted while on this boat cruise experience. Other animals like elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and waterbucks can also be encountered as they quench their thirst on the shores of this water channel. The scenic views of the park landscapes from the boat side are incredibly amazing. A boat cruise adventure is the best activity to explore the aquatic side of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth National Park is also among the major tourist activities in the park. The biodiversity of Queen Elizabeth National Park is amazingly vast, as on top of being a savannah wilderness, the park also has a tropical rainforest carved in its gorge. Kyambura Gorge, also referred to as the valley of Apes, is a tropical art piece that stretches deep from the savannah, hosting over 100 chimpanzee primates. Chimpanzee trekking is an interesting venture that allows visitors to the gorge to spend up to an hour in the presence of these chimpanzee primates as they take pictures and witness the lifestyle of the primates as they go about their day. Other primates like vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and colobus monkeys can also be encountered during this trekking experience. The gorge also has a river called Kyambura, which offers refuge to hippos, which visitors can also spot during their trekking experience.
Birding
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a recognized important birding area due to the variety of bird species it hosts across its ecological systems. The park is a haven to more than 600 bird species that range from the migratory birds usually spotted in specific seasons, and also the endemic birds, which are the everyday residents. With excellent birding guides, this birding experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park offers birders a chance to explore most of the bird species in the park. This is because of the knowledgeable guides who know most of the bird species in the park. Several designated birding trails in the park also open up the best spots in the park for encountering most of the bird species. African fish eagle, black-chested snake eagle, long-chested eagle, vultures, African cuckoo hawk, great blue turaco, great white pelican, Goliath heron, great egret, African jacana, crowned hornbill, African finfoot, grey-crowned crane, grey woodpecker, and African sacred ibis, among others are some of the bird species in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Lion tracking
Lion tracking is also a very interesting tourist activity that attracts a number of visitors. Queen Elizabeth National Park is famous for having the tree-climbing lions. These lions are also found in Lake Manyatta National Park of Tanzania and not anywhere else in the region. Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park allows visitors to encounter and spend some time watching these lions as they hunt, feed, and rest.
Best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park for game safaris from Kigali
Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park are best done during the dry season, especially from June to September and December to February. This period of the year is characterized by prolonged dry weather with humid temperatures and little or no rainfall throughout the season. These conditions present the best opportunity for game drive safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park since it is easier to track the game close to the few watering holes, unlike it would be in the wet season.
