Queen Elizabeth National Park safari in the low season: During Queen Elizabeth National Park’s low season, there aren’t a lot of people. March, April, May, October, and November are the park’s off-peak months. The park has few tourists during the off-season, and the lodges are never completely booked.
The park receives a lot of rainfall during the low season, and it’s said that some visitors decide not to go there to avoid the unfavorable weather. In comparison to the high season, the park attracts fewer visitors during the popular summer months in Europe and the United States of America.
During the rainy season, all activities are possible, yet they are not well done since the game tracks and walking trails are muddy and slippery, rainfall disrupts some activities, and the foliage is all with unclear views of the animals. From November to April, when migratory birds are in the park, bird viewing is the most popular pastime.
Discounted lodging options are only one of the numerous advantages of doing a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park during the off-peak months. Since they are aware that there are just a few visitors in the park, all of the lodges lower their rates in an effort to get those few guests to their accommodations. You may be able to get a safari at a lower cost if you schedule your trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park during the off-peak months.
The low season in queen Elizabeth national park
The rainy months are Queen Elizabeth National Park’s low season. It was given that name because several tourists, particularly those on a tight budget, come to the park. The park receives a lot of rainfall during the low season, which runs from March to May and October to November. Some tourists come to the park since their safari there includes the exception of birdwatching; most park activities are not as popular during the low season. The low season is ideal for birdwatching because it is when migrating birds are present in the park and there is an abundance of food. Because game tracks and paths are muddy and slick during the wet season, activities like nature walks and game drives are not particularly enjoyable. You have to leave them with unpleasant recollections.
With the exception of birding, the majority of park activities are not as popular during the low season. The low season is ideal for birdwatching because it is when migratory birds are in the park and there is an abundance of food. Because game tracks and paths are muddy and slick during the wet season, activities like nature walks and game drives are not very enjoyable.
Activities to do in Queen Elizabeth during the low seasons
Birdwatching
Birdwatching is the best thing to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park in the off-season. Birdwatchers will find a wide variety of bird species in the park during the rainy season, which runs from November to April. Birdwatchers will be able to spot birds even from their lodges because there is an abundance of food for birds throughout the park.
African thrush, grey woodpecker, green wood hoopoe, wire-bibbed swallow, yellow-billed barbet, African golden oriole, blackcap puffback, velvet-mantled drongo, red-billed paradise flycatcher, crested malimbe, lesser stripped swallow, olive sunbird, brown-capped weaver, plain green bull, fawn-breasted waxbill, and magpie manikin are just a few of the birds that visitors can see during the off-peak.
Game drives
Because there are fewer tourists in Queen Elizabeth National Park during the off-peak months, game drives are less crowded. During the game drives, guests will be able to reach all the park regions without any traffic, and this shall provide them an opportunity to see enough wild creatures. The park hosts game drives in the morning, evening, and night.
Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park give tourists an opportunity to see tree-climbing lions only in the Ishasha sector, lions, buffaloes, elephants, spotted hyenas, sitatungas, giant forest hogs, Defassa waterbucks, Uganda kobs, Nile crocodiles, hippos, aardvarks, topis, monkeys, and olive baboons, among others. Bird-loving tourists will be able to witness several of them on the game drives.
Chimpanzee trekking
Because not as many people visit Queen Elizabeth National Park during the low season, chimpanzee trekking is less crowded. With the assistance of armed guides, a few tourists will be able to hike among the endangered chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge. The trails are muddy and slick during the off-season, but it won’t take long to locate the apes because the valley is small.
Because there is an abundance of food in the forest, chimpanzees don’t roam around the park excessively during the low season, making it quick to encounter them. While looking for chimpanzees, tourists can spot birds, primates, and other forest species. When tourists spot chimps, they get an hour to spend with them, observe their daily activities, learn about their habits, and snap pictures.
Boat cruise
Visitors can participate in a boat excursion across the world’s widest water canal during a low-season safari in Queen Elizabeth Park. The two-hour boat ride from Lake Edward to Lake George takes place in the morning and evening. The water levels are usually higher during the off-season, but visitors may still clearly see birds and aquatic life.
Large groups of hippos, crocodiles, and birds like the pin-tailed whydah, yellow-backed weaver, diederik cuckoo, lesser masked weaver, black-headed gonolek, grey-capped warbler, African shoebill, and pygmy kingfisher can all be seen during the low-season boat cruise on Kazinga Channel. Elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and monkeys are among the animals that will be present around the water channel.
Nature walks
Every visitor to Queen Elizabeth National Park should participate in nature walks as part of their safari. Because of the muddy and slick trails caused by heavy rains, nature treks are less enjoyable during the rainy or low season than they are during the dry season.
While exploring the park on foot with armed ranger guides, nature walks allow visitors to work out their muscles. A variety of features, such as Lake Edward, Lake George, explosion craters, and plant species, will be visible to visitors on the nature walks. Nature walks are the finest method to witness a variety of bird species, including buffaloes, sitatungas, topis, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, elephants, olive baboons, and monkeys, among other animals.
Items to bring for a low-season Queen Elizabeth National Park safari
We’ll look at a few must-have items for a low-season safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park. During the low season, there is lots of rainfall, which means travelers will need waterproof hiking shoes, a pair of gaiters, long cotton stocks, long-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved pants, and a rain jacket. Additional items include, but are not limited to, binoculars, a camera, a hat, sunscreen, toiletries, insect repellents, sanitizer, a first aid kit, a light backpack, a bottle of water, and energy-boosting snacks.