KAMPALA – An article titled, Best animal adventures for families published by Lonely Planet, a large travel guide book publisher ranks Uganda‘s Queen Elizabeth National Park among best places to visit for real-life geography lessons.
“Tree-climbing lions? Tick! Healthy numbers of hippos and elephants? Tick! Over 600 different bird species? You’ve got it…” reads in part the article
The same article outlines key features such as tree-climbing lions that can only be found in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
“This is the place to come for guaranteed sightings of a huge range of African wildlife, a real-life geography lesson in the difference between savannah, wetlands and forest and the chance to do all this without having to share it with too many of your fellow humans.”
“You can also take a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel, giving your family a unique perspective on the many mammals, birds, and reptiles coming to drink here.”
Queen Elizabeth spans the equator line; monuments on either side of the road mark the exact spot where it crosses latitude 00.
The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II.
The park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.
The Katwe explosion craters mark the park’s highest point at 1,350m above sea level, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes, and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for the classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds.
Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains, whose fig trees hide lions ready to pounce on herds of unsuspecting Uganda kob.
As well as its outstanding wildlife attractions, Queen Elizabeth National Park has a fascinating cultural history. There are many opportunities for visitors to meet the local communities and enjoy storytelling, dance, music and more. The gazetting of the park has ensured the conservation of its ecosystems, which in turn benefits the surrounding communities.
Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly a Medley of Wonders!
Other destinations on the list include Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Chengdu, China; Yellowstone National Park, USA; Goats in trees, Essaouira, Morocco; Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Ostional, Costa Rica; Bat flights, Carlsbad Caverns, USA; Walkabout Wildlife Park, New South Wales, Australia, and Monkey rescue, Pretoria, South Africa.
Other places include Galápagos Islands, Ecuador and Watching birds of prey, UK
