How to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park?

Several routes and means of transportation are available to transfer visitors to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The two main means of transport to use when traveling to Queen Elizabeth National Park are by air and by road. The transportation network system to the park is slightly improved in some routes and quite developed in other routes, thus making access to Queen Elizabeth National Park easy. As a breakdown of the access of visitors to Queen Elizabeth National Park, here are the details of using both air and road means of transport.

Traveling by road

Traveling by road is one of the best travel experiences that visitors can witness on their journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a safari adventure. Traveling by road gives visitors a front-row seat to Uganda’s lifestyle. These lifestyles can be spotted by visitors as they move on the road. The countryside is also brought to life by road as visitors can interact with the locals as they trade during road stopovers. Visitors also get a chance to witness the vast scenic beauty of the landscape, and also the different ecological systems from dense tropical rainforest to savannah grassland plains.

Visitors upon entry into the country via Entebbe International Airport can begin their journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park by road using two routes. The first route to the park is the Entebbe/Kampala to Mubende to Fort Portal, then to Kasese. This route is not as smooth but rather a bit rugged and bumpy. This route passes through different districts such as Mityana, Mubende, Kamwenje, Bundibugyo, and Fort Portal City. This route gives exquisite views of the countryside, with locals going by with their daily chores as kids run to wave at you with innocent smiles. This route also passes through different ecological systems like the tropical forest of Kibale, where lucky to be able to spot olive baboons chilling by the roadside. As you reach Fort Portal, you a ushered in by the sights of the Tooro Kingdom palace, a cultural landmark for the people of this region. This route then proceeds through Hima town, an industrial hub of this region, and thereafter witnesses the Mountain Rwenzori ranges that welcome you to Kasese district. From these beautiful backdrops of Rwenzori Mountain, arrive in the savannah grassland and woodland plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This route is about 410 kilometers from Kampala, the capital city, and can take you approximately 6-7 hours to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The second alternative route to Queen Elizabeth National Park is through the Entebbe/Kampala-Mbarara-Kasese route. This route is relatively similar to the first, with over 420 kilometers in length, but takes between 5-6 hours. This time difference is dedicated to the improved road network on the route. This route begins in Entebbe/Kampala, then travels for about 280 kilometers to Mbarara City, passing through places like Mpigi, Kayabwe, which bears the equator, Lukaya, a popular barbeque place, and Masaka, a major city close to the capital on this route. The route then extends to Mbarara City, where you can spot the Ankole long-horned cattle grazing. It continues to the Bushenyi district, crossing through areas like Kabwohe, Ishaka, Rubirizi, where you can spot the rift valley landscape of the park, and then to Kasese.

Another route to Queen Elizabeth National Park by road is from Kigali City in Rwanda through Kabale and then connecting to Kasese. This is the most widely used route for visitors coming for a safari adventure to Queen Elizabeth National Park from Rwanda. This route is about 273 kilometers and takes roughly 5 hours to reach the park. The route begins from Kigali City through the Gatuna border with Uganda and connects to Kabale. From here, it proceeds through the Kabale-Ntungamo-Mbarara highway, branching off in Ntungamo. It continues through the Ntungamo-Katunguru road, thus entering Kasese shortly after that to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Traveling by air

Embarking on a journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park by air is the most convenient and fastest means of transport. Flying to Queen Elizabeth National Park does not stop at saving time and reducing exhaustion; it also gives visitors an aerial view of the natural landscapes of the country, from the urban setting to the vast savannah plains of the park. The improved air network systems, with the development of airstrips around Queen Elizabeth National Park, make travel easy and reliable. Visitors begin their journey from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip as they board a domestic chartered flight to either of the airfields around Queen Elizabeth National Park, including Mweya, Kasese, and Ishasha, depending on which side of the park they are going to. Visitors can then take a short drive to the park upon landing. The flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Queen Elizabeth National Park is between 1-2 hours, depending on which airfield you land on.

What to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park?

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular protected area in the country, with incredible tourist activities to engage in. The park is vast, with over 95 mammal species and about 600 bird species living in its 1,978 square kilometers. Below are some of the interesting activities to engage in.

Game drives

This is the major tourist activity in the park, with different regions of the park offering the best wildlife encounters. Game drives involve visitors encountering wildlife species like lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, hyenas, antelopes, and waterbucks, among others, all in the comfort of your vehicle.

Chimpanzee trekking

Chimpanzee trekking takes place in the Kyambura Gorge, also known as the Valley of Apes, which is located in the center of the park. This place is one of the most interesting places in the park as it hosts chimpanzee primates. Visitors can get an hour in the presence of the chimpanzee as they take pictures and record videos after traversing through the dense vegetation.

Boat cruise

The biodiversity in this park is not as spot as boat cruise adventures on the Kazinga Channel, a waterway that connects Lakes Edward and George, giving a chance to explore the aquatic life of the park. Expect to meet various animals like hippos, crocodiles, and other animals like elephants, antelopes, and buffaloes that come to the shores to quench their thirst.

Birding

The vast ecological systems of Queen Elizabeth National Park host over 600 bird species of both endemic residency and migratory status that fly in the park in specific seasons. The park prides itself on having the largest population of bird species in the country. Some of the bird species to look out for include the African fish eagle, pink-backed pelican, Egyptian vulture, black kite, African skimmer, black bee-eater, crowned hornbill, and western banded snake eagle, among others.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.

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