This 5 days Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari takes you to the most popular national park in Uganda for an amazing encounter with Africa’s famous wildlife. Queen Elizabeth National Park is not just about wildlife, it is a park with unique scenery, landscape and physical features. From the sprawling savannah grassland, majestic views of Mount Rwenzori to beautiful crater lakes, Queen Elizabeth will satisfy people who love nature. Queen Elizabeth is the most visited national park in Uganda. The park is home to 4 of the big 5 mammals.
The key attractions in the park are the tree climbing lions, the Kyambura gorge, chimpanzees and the boat cruise at the famous Kazinga channel. How is it difficult from the Masai Mara or Serengeti? Queen 
Elizabeth National Park remains green all year round and stands out because of the incredible scenery. The landscape is different and offers variety which is difficult to find in Kenya or Tanzania.
The park has savanna woodlands but also forests like Maramagambo and the amazing Kyambura gorge. The park has wetlands, 10 crater lakes, Lake Gorge and Lake Edward. Tourist leave the place not only impressed by the wildlife but also the beautiful scenery. Queen Elizabeth is also very close to some of the best primates destinations in the world – Bwindi, Mgahinga, Kibale, Mount Rwenzori, the Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park. It is therefore possible to go for amazing wildlife and primates safari involving mountain gorillas without have to take expensive flights from country to country. What animals will I expect to see in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Expect to see lions, elephants, cape buffaloes, leopards, chimpanzees, the Uganda Kob, other antelope species and much more.
Our 5 days Queen Elizabeth safari starts and ends in Entebbe or Kampala. If you are interested in a shorter safari, you can check out our 4 days Queen Elizabeth safari or our 3 days Queen Elizabeth National Park safari package. We even have a 2 days Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari package. To spot all the big five mammals, check out our 6 days Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls tour package.
Highlights of the tour
- Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Boat cruise along the Kazinga channel
- Viewing tree climbing lions of Ishasha
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe
Day 2: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth – Afternoon game drive
Day 3: Morning game drive – Afternoon launch cruise
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge – Visit the Katwe Salt Lake
Day 5: Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha – Transfer back to Kampala
Full Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe
A Guide from our company will pick you up from Entebbe international airport and transfer you to a hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. If you arrive early, the driver could take you for a tour of either Entebbe or Kampala city. Entebbe is small but very scenic town with amazing attractions like the Uganda Wildlife and Education Center (zoo), botanical gardens and Lake Victoria. The driver will brief you about the tour, what to expect and traveling arrangements for day 2.
Dinner and overnight will be at Papyrus Guesthouse Entebbe, Gately Inn Entebbe and Anderita Beach Hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Afternoon game drive
The tour starts on day 2 with a transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. Wake up early because the driver will be setting off at 6:00am. Expect to stop at the equator crossing to take photos and buy 
souvenirs before proceeding to the park. Uganda is a naturally beautiful country and you will find out why as you travel towards the park. The journey will take you through parts of the East African rift valley, amazing tea plantations, great views of the Rwenzori mountains, peasant farms, small towns and so much more. You should ask the driver to stop at any interesting point of interest or a few of the local markets to check out some of the fresh fruits. On arrival, you will check in to your hotel and have lunch before being taken for an afternoon game drive in the Kasenyi sector of the park. Expect to see Waterbucks, Lions, Kobs, Hyenas, Giant forest hogs, Elephants, Bush bucks and Buffaloes among other mammal. If you are a keen birder, you should look out for Pelicans, Jacana, herons, egrets and Cormorants.
Dinner and Overnight at Simba Camp or Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge for budget accommodation. The luxury lodges are Jacana Safari Lodge and Mweya Safari Lodge
Day 3: Morning Game drive – Afternoon Launch cruise at the Kazinga Channel
Wake up early and go for a morning game drive at the Kasenyi sector. This game drive will target early morning risers and predators heading back to their dens after hunting in the night. Expect to have more encounters with Buffaloes, Bush bucks, Elephants, Giant forest hogs, Hyenas, The Uganda Kobs, Lions and Waterbucks. After the morning game drive, you will be taken back to the lodge for relaxation and lunch as you wait for the afternoon launch cruise.
The afternoon launch cruise at the Kazinga Channel is one of the most anticipated activities while on a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The 
channel connects Lake Albert to Lake George and has one of the highest concentration of wildlife in Africa. Many of the park animals come to the channel at some point for a drink or bathing. You will see buffaloes, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, antelopes and predators like prowling leopards or hyenas coming for a drink. The Kazinga channel is one of the greatest birding destinations in Africa. Among the bird species to look out for are Cormorants, egrets, herons, Jacana and Pelicans.
Dinner and Overnight at Simba Camp or Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge for budget accommodation. The luxury lodges are Jacana Safari Lodge and Mweya Safari Lodge
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge – Visit the salt and crater Lake Katwe
Wake up early and head for the briefing point for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge. The drive takes you through long stretches of savanna grasslands until you suddenly approach the amazing gorge. The gorge is home to an underground forest which is home to birds, chimpanzees, smaller primates and other mammals. After the briefing, you will descend into the gorge to begin searching for the primates. Although chances of seeing the chimps in the gorge is lower than in Kibale National Park, a walk in the underground forest exposes you to amazing scenery and incredible biodiversity.
After spending enough time with the chimps, you will be taken for lunch and then transferred to Lake Katwe in the Mweya peninsula. Lake Katwe is one of the leading producers of salt in Uganda. The lake is 
too salty to support wildlife but is a great source of livelihood for communities in the area. The practice of salt mining has been in place since the 16th century with mining skills passed on from generation to generation. Unfortunately, the locals still rely on rudimentary methods to mine the salt and this could be a danger to their health in the long run. The salt is sold to traders from within Uganda and the nearby countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. After interacting with the local salt miners and learning about their trade, you will be driven back to the lodge.
Dinner and Overnight at Simba Camp or Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge for budget accommodation. The luxury lodges are Jacana Safari Lodge and Mweya Safari Lodge
DAY 5: Tree climbing lions of Ishasha – Transfer back to Entebbe or Kampala
After breakfast, the driver will start the journey back to Kampala but through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park for an opportunity to see the tree climbing lions of Uganda. The Ishasha 
sector of Queen Elizabeth is not as rich as the Kasenyi plains or Mweya Peninsula in terms of game but it is the only sector with tree climbing lions. The lions spend most of their afternoons on top of fig and acacia trees. About 4 prides of tree climbing lions can be found in the area but visitors can also see about 1000 elephants, Uganda Kobs, Topis, other antelopes and warthogs. After spotting the lions, you will leave the park and begin the journey to Entebbe via Mbarara. In fact, lunch will be in Mbarara town. If you never had the opportunity to stop at the equator on day 2 of the safari, this will be the day to do so. The driver will ensure that he drops you at the airport or in Entebbe town if you are having a flight the next day.
Tour Inclusion and Exclusions
The 5 Days safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park includes: –
- Park Entrance
- 3 Game drives
- Chimpanzee Permits
- A boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel
- Visiting Lake Katwe
- Transport in a standard tour van
- An experienced English speaking Driver/Guide
- Full-board Accommodation for 4 nights
- Food and water throughout the trip
- Airport transfers
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary
The 5 days Queen Elizabeth tour excludes: –
- Accommodation on the last day of the tour
- Flights and visa fees
- Expenditures of a personal nature such as alcoholic drinks, cigars and wines
- Medical insurance
Lodges and Hotels
Anderita beach Hotel: Anderita Beach hotel is a budget Hotel built on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe. It is one of the most popular hotels in Entebbe because of the atmosphere and quality at a reasonable price. The lodge offers easy access to the airport and proximity some of the key attractions in 
the town including, the Entebbe zoo and the Entebbe botanical gardens. How are the rooms? They offer single, double, twin and family rooms. Each room is self-contained with a bed, a bathroom and clean toilets. Meals are served at the beach restaurant on the lake shores. What makes it special from others? The hotel is built close to the lake shores, frequented by expatriates and has arguably the best prepared pizza restaurant in Entebbe. This pizza outlet is located outside the hotel and right on the lake shores. The beach restaurant also serves other continental dishes and vegetarian meals. Anderita Beach hotel has conference and meeting facilities with high quality projectors, public address systems and free Wi-Fi. The hotel offers free airport transfers.
Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge: Bush Lodge is built in the middle of a forest, an area with remarkable scenery. The intention of building it in the forest was to offer guests that unique feeling of being out in the African wilderness. The lodge is very close to the Kazinga channel and offers great views of the park and the Rwenzori mountains. One can actually spot park animals during the day or hear the beautiful sounds of hyenas and hippos late in the night.
Bush Lodge was built with local material so that it blends with the natural surroundings. The Lodge offers rooms in form of 12 bandas, self-contained tents and basic tents. The basic tents are not self-contained. They are furnished with only a bed, a table and power outlets for charging. Toilets and bathrooms are shared. The 12 bandas, and self-contained tents have their own bathrooms, showers and toilets. All rooms offer clients great privacy and arrangements are in place to set up campfires every evening where residents can interact with others under the beautiful African sky.
