How far is it from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park? Despite being in the western region of Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is not too far from Kampala. The national park is located near Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the western region of Uganda. Only 400 kilometers separate Kampala from Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Entebbe, the location of the main airport, is 440 km away.
It takes visitors seven to eight hours to reach the park, which is approximately 400 kilometers southwest of Kampala via car. During this time, there may be stops for meals, souvenir shopping, and photography. It takes one hour and fifteen minutes to fly 283 kilometers southwest of Queen Elizabeth National Park to reach this park.
Location of Queen Elizabeth National Park
Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park is situated in the country’s western region. The four districts that make up its second-largest national park are Kasese, Rukungiri, Kamwenge, and Rubirizi. In the west, Virunga National Park borders Queen Elizabeth National Park, which includes parts of Lake Albert. Rwenzori Mountains National Park in the northwest and Kibale Forest National Park in the northeast are both close to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
How to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park
By road transport
Kampala is 400 kilometers away from Queen Elizabeth National Park, which can be reached by car in 7-8 hours. Depending on what they choose to see along the way, visitors can choose from a variety of paths to enter Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park can be reached from Kampala/Entebbe via Mubende, Kyenjonjo, Fort Portal, and Kasese.
The second and more intriguing route leads to the park from Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka, Mbarara, Bushenyi, and Rubirizi. There are other stops along this path, such as the equator in Kayabwe, where visitors pause to take pictures and learn about the world’s northern and southern hemispheres. Among other things, there is a halt at Igongo culture and royal drums.
By air
Because it takes just 1 hour and 15 minutes, flying is the fastest and most convenient way to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Airline companies like Aerolink Uganda and Bar Aviation Uganda offer daily scheduled flights to Queen Elizabeth National Park. In order for them to reserve a spot for you, you must make reservations in advance for flights to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Flights to Queen Elizabeth National Park start at Kajjansi Airport or Entebbe International Airport and go to either Kasese Airport, which is outside the park, or Mweya Airport, which is inside the park. The time it takes to get to the the parks depends on their location, and flights take one hour and fifteen minutes. From the airport to the lodge, drivers from Safari hotels will always be available to greet you.
When to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park
Although visitors can visit Queen Elizabeth National Park at any time of year, some times of the year are better than others. The ideal time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park is during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. This is due to the fact that there is little to no rainfall, which makes the roads extremely dry and navigable; the weather is suitable for flying; game vehicles are dry; and the foliage is low and short, providing fantastic views of the wildlife.
During the rainy seasons of March to May and October to November, when lodges are cheap, tourists, particularly those on a tight budget, can visit Queen Elizabeth National Park. However, the rainy season is marked by excessive rains that render roads inaccessible, bad weather for flights on certain days, dense, tall foliage within the park that obscures wildlife views, and muddy, slick game trucks.
What to know about Queen Elizabeth National Park
On the western side of the country, Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular national park. The 1978 square kilometers of savannah, forest, and riverine vegetation that make up the national park were gazetted in 1952. After Murchison Falls National Park, which spans 3893 square kilometers, it is the second-largest national park.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority currently oversees Queen Elizabeth National Park, which was gazetted by the Ugandan government. Currently, 95 mammals, 10 primate species, and 600 bird species that can be found throughout the park are protected by the national park, which was gazetted to safeguard various wild animals.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to a wide variety of species, but its tree-climbing lions are what set it apart from other parks. The Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to the largest number of tree-climbing lions, which are extremely uncommon in Tanzania’s Lake Manyara National Park. In the Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, these tree-climbing lions can be spotted idly perched on large tree branches.
Aside from wildlife. There are different crater lakes within the park, and three bodies of water can be found in Queen Elizabeth National Park: Lake Edward to the west, Lake George to the east, and the Kazinga Channel, which passes through the park and connects these two major lakes. The main activity on Kazinga Channel is boat cruising, which allows visitors to explore the water bodies and various species, particularly the world’s largest concentration of hippos.
What is the best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park?
The park can be visited all year round to all tourists around the globe, although some months are a better option to travel to this great park. The dry seasons (June–September and January-February) are the best times to see wildlife because there is less foliage, animals congregate near water sources, and tracking is simpler. The wet seasons (March–May, October–November) are great for birding from late May to September and for migratory species, but they can also have slick roads and rain. They also offer lush green scenery and fewer tourists.