This 3 days Queen Elizabeth safari takes you to the most visited and popular game park in Uganda for a game drive, chimpanzee trekking and visiting one of the salt lakes. Queen Elizabeth national park is located in western Uganda – Kasese town and on the foothills of the Rwenzori mountains. The park was named after Queen Elizabeth II of England when she visited in 1954. Queen Elizabeth National Park stands out for its remarkable biodiversity and landscape. It has over 95 species of mammal roaming the savanna plains including lions, elephants, leopards and buffaloes. The park is also home to over 500 species of birds. Tourists also love the park because they are able to spot tree climbing lions. Queen Elizabeth National Park is the best place to spot these unique lions in the world. Tree climbing lions are found in the Ishasha sector of the park.
As we already noted earlier Queen Elizabeth National Park stands out because of the amazing scenery and landscape. It has two twin lakes (George and Edward). These two lakes are separated by a long stream known as the Kazinga channel. The Kazinga channel is an attraction in its own right and has one of the highest concentration of hippos and birds in Africa. Queen Elizabeth National Park also has other interesting physical features like crater lakes and the amazing Kyambura gorge. In Maramagambo forest, the park has one of Uganda’s largest remaining forests.
In general, the main activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park are nature walks, chimpanzee tracking, game drives, lion tracking, Mongoose tracking, cultural visits and a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. Our 3 days Queen Elizabeth National Park tour package will focus on chimpanzee tracking, game drives and the Kazinga channel boat cruise. There is also a visit to the Katwe Salt mining lake and stopping at the equator crossing on the first day of the trip. If you are interested in a shorter tour of the park, you might want to check out our 2 days Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Safari package. For longer safaris, check out the 4 days Queen Elizabeth National Park safari package or the 5 days Queen Elizabeth National Park tour.
Main Activities
- Stopover at the equator
- Visiting Lake Katwe
- Game drives
- Launch Cruise at the Kazinga channel
- Chimpanzee Tracking at Kyambura Gorge
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Katwe Salt Lake
Our company Guide will pick you up at your hotel or airport on this first day of the tour. After familiarization and a briefing, you will start the journey westwards to Queen Elizabeth national park. On 
your way, you will make a stopover at the equator crossing along the Masaka road. Take photos of yourself at the equator monument, buy some souvenir in one of the artisan shops and then proceed to Mbarara where you will have lunch. After lunch at the Igongo Cultural Centre in Mbarara, you will proceed to Queen Elizabeth National park using Kasese road. After checking in, showering and refreshments, the driver will take you to visit Lake Katwe. Lake Katwe produces most of the salt manufactured locally in Uganda. Residents of the area still use rudimentary methods to harvest the salt but they love their work and it pays the bills. This is a great time to mingle with the locals and get to know how they make a living.
Accommodation: Jacana safari Lodge (luxury), Marafiki Safari Lodge (standard) and Pumba safari Lodge (basic).
Day 2: Game Drive and a boat ride at the Kazinga Channel
At sun rise, you will have your breakfast and wait for the driver to take you for an early morning drive at the Kasenyi plains. This is an area where most of the wildlife in the park can be sighted. It is the best place to spot wildlife in Queen Elizabeth national park. While on the game drive, you will see antelopes, 
buffaloes, hyenas, elephants, lions, elands, leopards, Uganda kobs and different bird species. The game drive will take between 3 to 4 hours after which you will return back to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, you will drive to Kazinga channel to catch the 2:00pm boat ride. On this boat cruise, you will spot hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, elephants and buffaloes bathing or drinking in the water. The Kazinga channel is one of the best places to spot birds in Africa and the boat ride can be an amazing experience even for the seasoned birder.
Accommodation: Jacana safari Lodge (luxury), Marafiki Safari Lodge (standard) and Pumba safari Lodge (basic).
Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kyambura Gorge – Departure to Entebbe or Kampala
This is the last day of the safari but may turn out to be the most exciting. Wake up early, take breakfast and wait for the Guide to take you for the briefing at the amazing Kyambura gorge. Kyambura gorge is an underground tropical rain-forest with a community of chimps which were trapped after surrounding forests where cut down by humans. Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge is very exciting because it offers you a chance to also explore the gorge and the amazing creatures that lie therein. After observing man’s closest relatives for an hour, the park officials will lead you out of the forest where you will find our Guide waiting to take you to Entebbe or Kampala.
End of Trip
Tour Inclusions and Exclusions
The cost of this 3 days Queen Elizabeth National Park safari includes: –
- Park and vehicle entrance fees
- Boat ride fees
- Game drives
- Visiting Lake Katwe
- Park Ranger fees
- Driver/Guide fees
- Accommodation and meals
- 4×4 Vehicle and Fuel
- chimpanzee permits
Exclusions: Wines, cigars, tips, curios, visa fees and air tickets.
Accommodation
Jacana Safari Lodge: This lodge is located close to the Maramagambo forest and is built in form of cabins. The buildings are lifted off the ground and supported by tree-like structures. Jacana Safari Lodge has 12 luxury suites with furniture made of hard mahogany. It is a very formidable and classy lodge to stay in especially if you are used to the boring urban surroundings. This is where to enjoy nature at its best because each of the rooms has an exterior deck overlooking the beautiful Lake Nyamasingire. The food, rooms and services offered are of high quality. Jacana Safari Lodge is owned by a very established hospitality company known as Geo Lodges.
Marafiki Safari Lodge: This is an Eco-lodge located in Kasese district and overlooking Lake George. The lodge has self-contained wooden cabins and bandas for its guests. The lodge offers mid-range facilities and each room has modern warm showers. It also has dormitory rooms to cater for budget travelers and student groups. Marafiki stands out because of its location. Residents can spot wildlife 
moving freely on the savanna plains. The lodge also offers guests an opportunity to visit the nearby local communities and experience village life in Uganda.
Pumba Safari Lodge: This is a basic lodge located 8 miles away from Kyambura Gorge reserve and on the edge of Queen Elizabeth national park. The facility offers five amazing cottages with everything one would need for a comfortable time in the African Wild. There is a shower, a modern bathroom, flush toilet, a standard bed and a veranda in each room. Their meals are very tasty and their continental breakfast will impress anyone. Pumba safari Lodge is highly recommended for budget travelers who are planning to do chimpanzee trekking or nature walks at the Kyambura Gorge.
