Travel and Leaisure Worlds Best Awards for number 1 tour operator in the world 2024 and number 2 tour operator in the world 2025
We're one of the World's Best Tour Operators!
Voted No.1 in 2024 and No.2 in 2025 by Travel+Leisure
Experiences

What to do in Queen Elizabeth

The most popular ‘safari’ destination in Uganda, game drives are firmly on the menu in Queen Elizabeth. Most lodges offer two drives a day – one in the early morning with the rising sun, and one later in the afternoon usually at around 4pm. Wildlife-wise, the park is famous for tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha Sector, but you may not know that four of the Big Five are present (sadly no rhino) and enormous herds of buffalo and elephant can often be spotted on the open plains. Interestingly, giant forest hogs, elusive in many other areas, are relatively easy to see too. Away from four wheels, there’s plenty going on. Boat trips down the Kazinga Channel are excellent for bird-watching (and G&Ts and sunsets if birding isn’t your thing), and walks to spot the chimpanzee in Kyambura Gorge are always lively! At some lodges, there are community visits to the local coffee plantations and even dawn hot air balloon trips, making for a full Ugandan experience.

Spot Chimpanzees in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Hidden deep within Queen Elizabeth National Park, visit the 'Valley of the Apes', so named for its impressive menagerie of primates. Most notably are the chimpanzees who live in troops of 30 - 80, almost all of which are habituated. Join your experienced guide as they take you on a journey to find the cheeky, animated chimps as they chatter from their nests, swing from the vines and forage. Seeing them scoop out a line of termites with a stick to snack on is rather memorable. Your guide will share the secrets and social dynamics of these inquisitive primates as you watch them in their natural abode. As it is with many of central Africa's forests, rain is frequent, but the dry season months are from June to July, and January to February.

Spot the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha

At dawn or dusk, you'll jump in a 4x4 and be driven to the Ishasha region of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It's here that you'll search the landscape for tree-climbing lion, who drape themselves over the branches of giant fig trees. Watch them scramble with agility to a suitable spot, doze beneath the dense leaves or poise ready to hunt for an unlucky topi. The reason for doing so is still undiscovered, it could be to escape the pesky tsetse flies or the heat of the day, but it makes them easier to see. As one of only two places where lions have developed this rare and fascinating habit, it's worth a trip to Ishasha just to see it.

Visit the community run coffee plantations

Join the women of Omwani's Cooperative on a tour of their organic coffee farm. Walk amongst over 1500 Arabica and Robusta coffee plants, see them harvested and processed by hand, then sip on a cup of the finest Ugandan coffee. Learn all about the female-empowerment opportunities this project is offering and what makes their roasts so, so good.

Go on a hot air balloon safari in Queen Elizabeth

Just before sunrise, you'll rise silently above the plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park in a hot air balloon, getting the ultimate view of the sweeping landscape and its herds of buffalo and elephant, prides of lion and furtive leopard. From brushing the tree tops to rising a heady 2500 feet, your flight will be filled with photo opportunities, unbelievable views and plenty of gasps. You'll float wherever the wind takes you for a memorable hour, before landing where you'll enjoy a glass of bubbly and a full English breakfast in the bush.

Enjoy a sundowner boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth

A vast ribbon of water and wildlife, the Kazinga Channel is one of Queen Elizabeth National Park's highlights. And with good reason, it is home to 60% of Uganda's known species of birdlife and one of the world's largest population of hippos - there are over 2000! Enjoy a scenic cruise down the channel on a double-decker boat where your eyes will be pulled in every direction by birds flitting over the water and the endless parade of wildlife that stops to drink along the banks. There is also the option of a private cruise with tea served on board.
Where To Go
Pin Icon

Namibrand, Namibia