Elephants and buffalo are very common, and lions are surprisingly easy to see. You can find interesting antelope species like Uganda kob, topi, and bushbuck. Hippos and crocodiles are often seen in the Kazinga Channel. A group of chimpanzees can be tracked, and there are nine other types of primates, including black-and-white colobus monkeys. Giraffes and zebras are not present. The Victoria Nile and other reliable water sources are nearby.

In the Ishasha area of the park, you can find tree-climbing lions relaxing in large fig trees. It's also easy to spot giant forest hogs during drives and boat trips. Buffalo are interesting to see, especially because they often have a reddish-brown color from mixing with forest buffalo from the nearby Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). You can go chimp trekking in the warm, tropical forest of Kyambura Gorge.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to over 600 bird species, making it the top spot for birds in East Africa. This is mainly because the park has many different habitats, including savannahs, forests, and wetlands. Some birds here are unique to East Africa, attracting bird watchers. The swamps in the Ishasha area are great for spotting the rare shoebill stork, and you can see migratory birds from November to April.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

You can visit Queen Elizabeth National Park any time of the year, but the best times for seeing wildlife are during the Dry seasons (June to July and January to February) when animals gather near rivers and lakes. Be aware that some roads can be hard to navigate after heavy rain.