Flights to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Flights to Queen Elizabeth National Park : Queen Elizabeth national park is among the destinations in the south western part of Uganda which can be accessed by flight. The national park is one of the famous wildlife safari destinations in Uganda and it is located in Kasese district. Other neighboring towns around Queen Elizabeth national park include Rubirizi, Kamwenge and also Rukungiri district.
Queen Elizabeth national park covers about 1978 square kilometers and consists of savannah plains, acacia woodlands, forests, rivers, valleys and also lakes. Numerous wildlife and bird species are also found at the destination and can be seen during safaris.
The domestic flights to Queen Elizabeth national park can be got from Entebbe international airport to different airstrips such as Mweya airstrip and also Kasese airstrip. Flights can also be got from Kajjansi airfield to Mweya airstrip or Kasese airstrip.
Flights from Entebbe international airport to Kasese airstrip or Mweya airstrip depart at 07:00 am and arrive at 10:05 am. Another flight to the airstrips around Queen Elizabeth national park departs from Entebbe airport at 10:15 am and arrives at 12:05pm and the flight which departs from Entebbe airport at 01:00pm arrives in the national park at 3:30 pm.
The minimum number of passengers for the flight to and from Queen Elizabeth national park is 2 passengers. Airlines which offer daily charter and scheduled flights to Mweya airstrip and Kasese airstrip include Aerolink.
Flights make the distance to Queen Elizabeth national park shorter during safaris in Uganda and this option of transport is favorable for tourists who do not want to travel long distances. These domestic flights can be booked directly with the airline by a traveler and also through licensed tour companies organizing tours to the national park.
Another way to get to Queen Elizabeth national park is by driving using the Kampala-Mbarara-Kasese route or by using the Kampala-Fort Portal-Kasese route.
Queen Elizabeth national park can also be accessed by d riving from Bwindi national park through the Ishasha sector which takes about 4 hours or from Kibale national park which is located in the western part of Uganda.
Best time to visit Queen Elizabeth national park
Tours to Queen Elizabeth national park are best done during the dry season when wildlife species can be spotted around the water sources during activities which are carried out on safaris such as game drives and boat rides.
The thin vegetation around the national park during the dry season and also the good road condition makes wildlife viewing better during the dry season in Queen Elizabeth national park which is experienced in the months of June to September and also around December to February which is also considered a high or peak season.
Flights to Queen Elizabeth national park during the dry season also make it easier to enjoy clear views of the national park from the sky and also see the attractions including wildlife species in the plains below.
Another season of the year when tourists can visit Queen Elizabeth national park is the rainy season which is experiences around March, April and May and also around November. The vegetation in the park is lush making the scenery beautiful and good for photography safaris.
Fewer tourists also visit Queen Elizabeth national park for safari during the rainy season which is ideal for tourists who don’t want to interact with large crowds while on safari. Bird watching is also best done in the months of March to May and November.
Activities to do around Queen Elizabeth national park
There are different activities which can be done during safaris around Queen Elizabeth national park and they include the following;
- Game drives:
Game drives involve driving around the diverse landscape of Queen Elizabeth national park to look out for its various wildlife species.
Queen Elizabeth national park is home to numerous wildlife species which can be seen during morning or afternoon game drives around areas including Kasenyi Plains, the Mweya Peninsula, and the Ishasha sector, known for its tree-climbing lions.
Wildlife species to look out for during game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park include elephants, hippos, buffalos, lions, leopards, waterbucks, hyenas, bushbucks Uganda kobs, hartebeests, elands and many others.
- Boat cruises
Boat rides in Queen Elizabeth national park are carried out on the Kazinga channel which connects Lake Edward and Lake George.
During boat rides on the Kazinga channel whcuh are done in the morning or afternoon, tourists can enjoy wildlife viewing and spot schools of hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffalos, elephants as they drink by the water shores among other wildlife up close and also see various bird species.
- Chimpanzee tracking:
Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to a habituated chimpanzees which c an be seen during tours in the Kyambura Gorge.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge costs 50 USD per person and involves taking part in a guided trek through the gorge to search for and observe the chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
- Bird watching:
Queen Elizabeth national park is home to numerous bird species that can be spotted around the diverse habitats of the park.
Over 600 bird species can be seen when exploring Queen Elizabeth national park and they include the African Fish eagle, Grey Crowned cranes, Cormorants, African mourning dove, Black Headed Gonolek, Cuckoo, Red Capped Lark, Nubian woodpecker, Scarlet Chested Sunbird, Lesser Masked Weaver, Grey Headed Kingfisher among others.
Bird watching around the national park can be done along the various locations including the Kasenyi Plains, and the Mweya Peninsula and around the Kazinga channel among other spots.
- Nature walks:
Tourists can also embark on guided nature walks to explore the diverse flora and fauna around Queen Elizabeth national park during their safaris.
Different trails are followed during these nature walks done with a ranger guide around the savannah where tourists can get close to the wildlife and also enjoy views surrounding the national park
- Community tours:
Visiting local communities surrounding the park to learn about their traditional ways of life and culture is another activity done around Queen Elizabeth national park.
