Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most popular and ecologically diverse national park, located in the southwestern region of the country, stretching across the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri. Covering an area of about1,978 square kilometers, the park lies within the Albertine Rift Valley and is bordered by the Rwenzori Mountains to the north and Lake Edward to the south. It was established in 1952 and renamed in 1954 to honor a visit by Queen Elizabeth II.

The park features a stunning variety of landscapes, including savannah plains, tropical forests, wetlands, and crater lakes, making it a haven for wildlife and birdlife. It is home to over 95 mammal species, including elephants, lions (notably the tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector), leopards, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, and various antelopes. One of its standout features is the Kazinga Channel, a natural waterway connecting Lake George and Lake Edward, which supports one of Africa’s densest concentrations of hippos and is ideal for boat safaris.

Queen Elizabeth is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with more than 600 bird species—one of the highest of any protected area in the world. The Kyambura Gorge, located within the park, offers guided chimpanzee tracking in a lush underground forest, while the Katwe Crater Lakes and salt mining areas provide scenic and cultural attractions.