How big is Queen Elizabeth national park; Queen Elizabeth national park is a sheer life adventure Uganda safari destination seated on the largest piece of land covering about 1978 square kilometers dominated with water source that covers about 250 kilometers off the park comprised of lake shares and the lakes includes Lake Edward, Kazinga Channels, Lake George, River Ishasha and Kyambura River many more. Besides its size, the park is renowned for its abundant wildlife species including; African buffaloes, Ugandan kob, African elephants, topi, spotted hyenas, Nile crocodiles, leopards, giant forest hog, Crocodile, Chimpanzee and lions, hippopotamus, warthogs, among others. Overall, Queen Elizabeth national park is a home to over 95 mammal’s species and over 600 bird species to be spotted in the park thus making it one of the Uganda’s best birding site.
Some of birds to encounter include; Black-rumped Buttonquail, African Skimmer, Martial Eagle, Pink-backed Pelican, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed lark, Bar tailed, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Papyrus Canary, Corncrake, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Black Bee-eater among others.
In fact, Queen Elizabeth national park is half way Murchison Falls national parks located in Northwestern region of Uganda While Queen is located in southwestern region of Uganda approximately 5 to 6hour drive. Alternatively, you can choose to fly to the park with a domestic flight arranged by the help of the tour operator which can land within 1:15 hours.
The park composes an area of about 764 square miles in region of rolling hills and plains east of Lake Edward and runs from beneath of the Mountain Rwenzori once known as mountain of the moon to the southern Ishasha border. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth national park is found with several different districts of Kabarole, Kasese, Rubirizi and Rukungiri as well as Kanungu. More so, the park sounds as the most visited National Park in Uganda because it boasts with high number of wildlife species over 95 mammals like the unique tree climbing lions among others.
Queen Elizabeth national park is positioned in Kasese district and managed by ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority as a governing body for all Uganda’s National Park, covering a geographical area of about 1978 square kilometers and its bordered with Democratic Republic of Congo ‘’DRC’’ in the west. However, the western side of the park is dotted with a number of volcanic craters that where formed many years ago during the Pleistocene epoch period of over 26 million years to 11700 years ago.
Park’s touristic attraction -Special Distribution
The park lies at the edge of the rift valley and the western rift valley covers about 2500 square kilometers including the park ‘s adventurous Kyambura Game Reserve and Kigali Wildlife Reserve, also park’s area is dominated about 250 kilometers of Lakeshores. The lakes found in Queen Elizabeth national park are also part of the park size land such as Lake George, Lake Edward, Kazinga Channel, River Ishasha and Kyambura River many more. All the above mention water bodies are habitats for animal species and bird species as well as providing gainful view experience to visitors.
Kazinga channel is also life adventure where tourists adventure with boat tours since it’s a water body that connects Lake George to Lake Edward and works as the main water source for wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National park. The kazinga channel offers a best birder site to visitors, for it measures 40 kilometers wide.
Kyambura Gorge
This is also another feature that covers the space of Queen Elizabeth national park. Kyambura gorge is a permanent home for chimpanzee in Queen and its where chimpanzee tracking experience is conducted. Despite the fact, the gorge was carved by the flowing of Chambura River that flow through the rift valley and connects to Kazinga Channel which drains toe Lake Edward in the west. Apart from, doing chimpanzee tracking, birding, cool the area for expedition. You can as well enjoy the guided nature walks as can be able to view butterflies and a number of birds in the rain forest of Kyambura gorge.
The ishasha sector raises around 100 kilometers and sits southwards of the Mweya Peninsula. More so, Ishasha sector is popular place that stuns with tree climbing lions also called ‘’ cactus climbing lions.
Maramangambo forest; This is also another stunning area found in Queen Elizabeth national park good for the natural lovers-nature walk. Furthermore, the Maramangambo forest stretches from the eastern rift valley escarpment and harbors a various number of wildlife species which can spotted through interesting trail heads that leads you to a visit to Lake Nyamisingiri, hiking through the dark forest, visit the bat caves and be able to watch milliard of bats hanging in the cave as well as a great view of the big pythons inside the cave.
When it comes to southern part of the Kazinga channel where the four ‘’4’’ crater lakes are positioned also make the park’s size to enlarge and along here you’re able to view beautiful flamingo bird species gathering around the water source.
Moreover, Queen Elizabeth national park’s size makes it awesome Uganda safari location for tourists because it covers a landmarks of the equator line monuments on both two sides thus showing the 00 latitudes. Fact at first the park was established in 1952 as Kazinga National Park but later on after 2 years, was commemorated by the visit of Queen Elizabeth 11 and had to be renamed as Queen Elizabeth National Park.
