Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park Uganda

Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park offer the chance to spot a variety of wildlife species during safaris in Uganda.

Wildlife species which can be seen around Queen Elizabeth national park during safaris include hippos, warthogs, hyenas, buffalos, waterbucks, topi, impalas, bushbucks, elephants, and many more.

In addition, Queen Elizabeth national park is well-known for being home to four of the Big Five (elephants, lions, leopards and buffalos) and for having tree-climbing lions, which are visible in the Ishasha area.

When are game drives carried out in Queen Elizabeth national park?

During safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park, game drives are conducted in the morning and afternoon and can also be done for the entire day. During the game drives, tourists can explore the park's wilderness, observe a variety of animals on the savannah plains, or take in the surrounding scenery.

As visitors search for the various wildlife species in the national park, including elephants, buffalos, waterbucks, impalas, and warthogs, they can enjoy the sunrise over the savannah plains during early morning game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Full day game drives can also be carried out around Queen Elizabeth national park during the year and involve searching for animals in the wilderness in the morning and also in the afternoon.

Some tour operators offer unique game drive experiences around Queen Elizabeth national park that include bush breakfasts or sundowner stops, providing an opportunity to enjoy meals or drinks amidst the park’s beautiful landscapes.

The dry season from June to September and December to February, is the best time for game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park. During these months, the national park experiences less rainfall, resulting in drier and more accessible roads and the vegetation is also thinner making the wildlife easier to see during safaris.

Where are game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park done?

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, game drives are conducted around the Kasenyi plains and also around Mweya peninsular. During game drives across the southern region of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Ishasha sector which is home to tree climbing lions is also explored.

Kasenyi plains

The Kasenyi Plains are a vast expanse of grassland and savannah that stretches across the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park and are known for their abundant wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, and antelopes.

Mweya peninsular

The Mweya Peninsula is bordered by Lake Edward to the south and Lake George to the north, creating a unique ecosystem that supports a wide variety of wildlife species such as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, and various antelope species.

The peninsula offers breathtaking views of the surrounding savannah, crater lakes, and the Rwenzori Mountains in the distance.

Ishasha sector

The Ishasha Sector is a region located in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. It is renowned for its population of tree-climbing lions, which is a rare behavior exhibited by these big cats.

The Ishasha River flows through the sector, adding to its natural beauty and providing a water source for the wildlife that inhabits the area.

Game drive experience in Queen Elizabeth national park

Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park can be done as part of group tours and can also be private wildlife safari experiences. The game drives can take about 4 hours in the morning or afternoon around the park.

In order to make game viewing easy during a safari, 4x4 safari vehicles with pop-up roofs are the type of vehicles used for game drives. Tour companies may own these cars, or visitors may reserve a UWA vehicle for a game drive within the national park.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority has established a number of guidelines that must be followed by tourists when on game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park. These guidelines include, not littering during the game drives, not making noise when around the animals, not feeding the animals, not leaving the safari vehicles during the game drive, maintaining a safe distance from the animals, not driving off the tracks, and not exceeding the speed limit in the national park.

Self-drive safaris are also possible, however it's advisable to accompany a ranger guide on this kind of game drive to prevent getting lost while exploring the different parts of the destination during the search for wildlife species.

Price of game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park

Park entrance fees for this national park are part of the expenses incurred during game drives in the park. This fee is 40 USD for foreign nonresidents, 30 USD for foreign residents and 20,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.

Tourists during their wildlife safaris around Queen Elizabeth national park are also charged fees for different activities like boat safaris, bird watching, community tours, lion tracking and also chimpanzee tracking.

Boat safaris cost 30 USD for foreign nonresidents, 25 USD for foreign residents and 30,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans visiting this national park. Lion tracking costs 100 USD while chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura gorge cists 50 USD.

Other costs incurred during safaris around Queen Elizabeth national park are accommodation costs for the different lodges which include budget, midrange and luxury lodges. Some of the lodges to stay at include Mweya safari lodge, Elephant hab lodge, Engiri game lodge, Tembo safari lodge, Buffalo safari lodge, Ishashs wilderness camp, Kyambura gorge lodge, Elephant plains lodge, Enganzi game lodge, Katara lodge among others.

How to get to Queen Elizabeth national park for game drives

During a safari in Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is accessible by air as well as by road.

Road access to Queen Elizabeth National Park is available via two routes: the Kampala to Mubende to Fort Portal to Kasese route and the Kampala to Masaka to Mbarara to Kasese route.

During safaris, flying from Entebbe airport to Mweya or Kasese airstrip is a much quicker way to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Get in touch with us at Mantis Africa Safaris and let us plan your visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda.