Top 10 animals to see in Queen Elizabeth NP

Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited, thanks to its impressive assortment of top 10 animals to see. These are part of over 95 mammal species that live in the various habitats within Queen Elizabeth National Park. These habitats are composed of lakes, forests, wetlands, savannah grassland, and woodland, etc. The following are the top 10 animals that you should put on your must-see animals list for Queen Elizabeth National Park,

Lions

These are the most sought-after animals by visitors to Queen Elizabeth National Park. These are apex predators and are part of the Big 5. Queen Elizabeth National Park houses over 70 individuals in its savannah wilderness.

Buffaloes

Buffaloes are also members of the Big 5 and live in herds within Queen Elizabeth National Park. They are quite common in the park, and the chances of seeing them are much higher compared to the lions.

Elephants

These African giants are also members of the big 5, are the largest land mammals, and witnessing their sheer size is remarkable. Like buffaloes, they live in herds, and each of these is guided by a matriarch. Chances of seeing it are high.

Leopards

Quite rare to see, but a chance to see it is actually special to most visitors. These big cats are also part of the big 5, and when sighted, are often up in a tree branch. They are either staring back at you or watching out for potential prey.

Tree-climbing lions in Ishasha

This is the only region in Queen Elizabeth National Park where you can see them. They have the rare behavior of climbing trees, which is only done by lions in only 2 countries, Uganda and Tanzania.

Spotted hyenas

These are also quite rare to encounter during the day. But there is a high chance of seeing them in Queen Elizabeth National Park at night. They are skilled hunters but are mostly known for being scavengers.

Chimpanzees in Kyambura

These primates can be seen during a trekking tour. In this case, visitors get to see a habituated chimpanzee troop in the forest. This increases the chances of seeing them physically.

Hippos

In this park, hippos are commonly seen in the Kazinga Channel. But they can also be seen along the savannah. Hippos are among the largest mammals on land, and their massive size is so nice to see with your own eyes. They live in groups, and watching them interact in the water makes your trip memorable.

These are antelopes that can be seen grazing on the savannah grasslands. Seeing them evading their predators like lions is among the most exciting things in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Kobs

Commonly known as Uganda kobs, these are also antelopes and, like topis, are exciting to watch, especially while evading their predators.

How to see the animals?

As these top 10 animals inhabit Queen Elizabeth National Park, there are many ways to encounter or spot these animals. Below is how these animals can be seen.

Game drives

Game drives are guided tours in 4-wheel safari cars that have pop-up roofs. This is the best way of observing as many animals living in Queen Elizabeth National Park as possible. Kasenyi plains offer the finest views of lions, buffalo, elephants, topis, giraffes, Uganda kobs, and warthogs etc. Ishasha sector is another region in Queen where game drives offer exciting views of the animals mentioned, including tree-climbing lions.

Launch trips

Boat cruise or launch trips are guided, relaxing experiences on a motorboat moving on the Kazinga Channel. Besides the frequently encountered hippos and Nile crocodiles, visiting animals like elephants, buffaloes, topis, and Uganda kobs can be spotted. In addition, there are plenty of bird species to observe while on the trip. These include pied kingfishers, grey crowned cranes, saddle-billed storks, and African fish eagles etc.

Forest walks

Nature or forest walks are especially in the Kyambura Gorge, offer a chance to track and see chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Observation time is limited to only an hour, but visitors enjoy the opportunity to meet man’s closest relatives. This is also a huge opportunity to see the Angolan colobus monkey and many bird species. Maramagambo Forest is another place where visitors can have a forest walk and see some animals of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

How to travel?

Traveling to Queen Elizabeth National Park is possible by either road or air transport. The distance to cover to Queen is around 410 kilometers via Fort Portal. This scenic road trip takes 6-7 hours. Private means are available to ensure that you travel by road to Queen. At Standard Safaris, we have safari land cruisers to navigate through the rugged terrain from Kampala to the southwestern part of Uganda.

But we also have safari vans, buses, and SUVs, among others, to select from. For air transport, daily scheduled flights are available from Entebbe International Airport to Mweya Airstrip or Kasese Airstrip. These domestic flights take a much shorter duration than road transport while offering luxury travel experiences. The flight takes only 1 hour and 15 minutes, and you get to enjoy viewing Uganda’s landscapes from above. AeroLink Uganda is the operator.

When to visit?

With the gates of Queen Elizabeth National Park open throughout the year, you can visit the destination anytime. But, if you prefer to visit when clear views of animals are guaranteed, you should visit Queen in the dry season. Dry seasons in this destination often run from June to August. December to February is quite dry, thus another ideal period to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park.

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.