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Uganda’s beauty is packed in Queen Elizabeth National park, a safari haven located in western Uganda. The size of Queen Elizabeth national park is 1,978 km². It is positioned across the floor of the rift valley, between 910m and 1350m above sea level with her lowest point being in Lake Edward and the highest on the Katwe eruption basins.
Queen Elizabeth national park is filled with splendors in the great scenery, the multitudes of wildlife, and the gentle rolling hills over the combination of extensive savannah, wetlands, lakes and forests. The fascinating green rolling hills are interlocking with the lakes George and Edward at the opposite ends of the kazinga channel. The escarpment generously offers the views of this wonderful habitat. Overlooking the Rwenzori Mountains and connected to the great Congo ecosystem in virunga national park, Queen Elizabeth holds one of the richest and most diverse ecosystems you will find in Uganda.
From the park, one can visit other surrounding attractions including the Kalinzu forest, Kyambura underground forest with chimps, the crater lakes in kichwamba and the various cultural encounters. With the largest number of communities living in the park, it is a model of communities successfully living with wildlife.
An assortment of interesting activities await every visitor to queen Elizabeth National Park. The activities you can do during your visit to this park include;
On the wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth national park, you will be looking for these and many more mammals. Explore the list and make it longer during your safari. The total list is 95 mammals species. tell us if you find more than 95 and we shall celebrate with you at the Elephant home.
Remember to book your stay with us. The elephant home is located at the starting point of your safari.
If you need cheap accommodation near Queen Elizabeth national park, please look no further. The Elephant home is a lodge of priority for the guests who want to explore Queen Elizabeth national park on low budget. It is a cheap but high value accommodation.This camp offers three options of accommodation from self-contained twin rooms, none self-contained cabin and a camping ground. From our restaurant, guests can order meals, buy crafts from the curio shop that sales locally made hand crafts. The staff have been trained to provide a high level of hospitality, delicious meals and well managed guest rooms. This is why our staff pay very close attention to hygiene hospitality and clients demand allowing the visitors to have a memorable stay.
The lodge is located within the queen Elizabeth national park ecosystem, neighboring area close to the paradise of elephants who are regular visitors to the camp during the nightly visits. At the lodge, the brave baboons or buffaloes may be spotted in the broad day light . The elephant home is a favorite of birds and other wildlife crossing from the park and this is why the bird life at the camp is immense. you will also witness resident birds nesting within the property. During the stay, Sleep to the sounds of the hyena laughing in the Savannah of queen Elizabeth national park and wake up to the calls of the birds every morning. From the hilly side, view wildlife grazing in the park on the edges of lake George. The wildlife here include buffalo, hippos, antelope and elephants.
The elephant home is located 393km from Kampala city, 96km from fort portal or 132km from Mbarara. It can be accessed from fort portal town via Kasese (north) or from Mbarara town via Katurnguru (south). It is situated apposite the national park, on Kasese Mbarara highway, 22km from Kasese town. It is accessible by any means of transport (public and private) the taxis can be got from Kasese town and it will take you about 15 minutes to arrive. From Kampala, you will take a bus going to Bwera, from Kisenyi bus terminal, downtown and travel through Fort portal. Tell the bus to stop you at the elephant home, before Kikorongo junction. For those coming from Mbarara, you will take a taxi in Mbarara taxi park and tell them to stop you at the elephant home, past Kikorongo junction.
Every day is a birding challenge to explore the 600 bird species found in and around queen Elizabeth national park. To take the birding challenge, contact us for your booking and lets see how many of these you will be able to see. the list can go up to 600+ depending on the hard work, season and luck of the day.
The elephant home camp is within the Queen Elizabeth national park ecosystem and will be happy to provide you accommodation, meals and other services during this memorable trip.
One will likely see these and more birds, during the birding tours around Queen Elizabeth national park;
Queen Elizabeth national park is the most preferred safari destination of Uganda. It is a true safari paradise that stands out in Uganda. During the visit to this park one has unlimited chances of exploring the nature and culture of Uganda. Queen Elizabeth national park is the second oldest national park of Uganda. It was named after Queen Elizabeth 11 when she visited Uganda in the year 1957. The park is crossed by the equator, creating one of the richest habitat for wildlife in the Kasenyi plains on the shores of Lake George. In total coverage, the park is estimated to cover an area of 1,978km² bisected by the equator.
In this park, you will find a cross section of wildlife wonders that include the highest number of bird species and a rich representation of mammal species, thanks to the diverse ecosystems that range from wetlands, forests, Savannah and lakes. The major water bodies of this Park Range from wetlands, fresh water lakes to salt water lakes that attract seasonal visitation of flamingos from Kenya. The main water bodies include; Ishasha river, lakes George and Edward inter-joined by Kazinag channel, lake Katwe and kasenyi salt lakes and many other craters and wetland ecosystems. The flora ecosystems include; Maramagambo forest, Kyambura gorge and Kigezi wildlife reserves, Ishasha sector and other extended Savannah. The park also touches Kibale national park to the northeast and the Virunga national park to the west in Congo as the two major contributors to her rich habitat.
Wildlife in the park include; up to 600 bird species and 95 mammal species. Birders find a rich list covering woodland and forest dwellers, over 50 raptors, water birds, and various migratory species in certain season of the year. Visitors have a chance to spot East and Central African bird species due to the park connection with the Congo habitat. The bird list includes these sixteen as the common site;
1) Martial Eagle, 2) Bar-tailed Godwit. 3) Shoebill, 4) Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, 5) Black Bee-eater, 6) White-tailed Lark, 7) White-winged Warbler, 8) Papyrus Gonolek, 9) Papyrus Canary, 10) Corncrake, 11) Lesser and Greater Flamingo, 12) Black-rumped Buttonquail, 13) African Skimmer, 14) Chapin’s Flycatcher, 15) Pink backed Pelican, 16) African Broadbill,
The list of mammals in queen Elizabeth include the big game, 10 species of primates, the big cats and other small game. The commonly viewed species include the tree climbing lions and other cats, elephants, buffallos, hippopotamus, antelopes, warthogs and other wildlife. With abundance of water bodies and wetlands with both fresh water and salt water ecosystems, Queen Elizabeth national park boasts of one of the richest aquatic lives in Uganda making it a potential stop for water ecosystem seekers and searchers. The reptile list include crocodiles, monitor lizards, black-necked Agama, Montane Side-striped Chameleon, Speckle-lipped Mabuya, African Striped Skink
The landscape of Queen Elizabeth national park is rich and amazing. It is made up of the rolling hills, extensive spans of savanna, the escarpment and breathtaking craters. The location bellow the Rwenzori gives visitors an opportunity to view the snow at the equator or the virunga ranges during clear mornings when the sun rises.
The park has abundance of culture since it is a human biosphere with the biggest numbers of human communities that live within the park. The park has a representation of up to 99% of Uganda’s 56 tribes at Lake Katwe salt mining community. Other human communities are found at the fishing villages on Lake George and Edward or Katuguru community that doubles as a fishing and commercial community. Other human communities reside on the peripherals of the park hence influencing the parks ecosystem or providing the cultural encounters for tourists to queen Elizabeth national park. these are such as Kikorongo, Muhokya, Kichwmba and others,
Having a representation of Africa in this small space, makes Queen Elizabeth national park a wonder world of nature and culture. Take your wildlife safari at the equator, choose Queen Elizabeth national park, a Medley of Wonders!
Ruboni community camp gives you an opportunity to explore the Rwenzori Mountains and foothills like a local. During the visit, you have a chance to participate in the village walk, the hill trek, the forest nature walk or the trek to the high mountain peaks in side Rwenzori mountain national park. Each of the village walk takes an estimate of 3-4 hours but you can extend it by joining two walks or even going for the overnight hill trek on the top of a 2400m high hill within the village. Besides the unique culture, the visit also give you an opportunity to experience this mountain ecosystem to be able to understand why it is called the largest water catchment in Uganda that feeds the Nile River.
All community walks take you through the rustic villages over the hills and valleys as you experience the local way of life. Agriculture is the main economic and household activity done in this rural setting. You will be meeting the local people on their way to or from the mountain farms. To enjoy the experience, you can ask your guide for chances to participate in the different activities that may catch your eye, and you will never forget the smiles offered by the locals when you interact with them. You can participate in the farming tour with one of the local household. Carrying the basked on your back with a fresh harvest of beans from the mountain farm makes you understand the real life in Africa.
The village walk takes you to five homes showcasing the different activities people in this mountain community do in their daily life. The experiences include a black smith making local tools from recycled iron, a basket weaver making different types of handicrafts, a farmer tending to the animals and crops around their home, a traditional story teller sharing the hidden cultural secrets behind the life of Bakonzo people through traditional stories in the local dialect while your guide translates and the traditional healer telling you how to treat the local ailments using the traditional power from God that is believed to come from the mountains.
Ruboni community is located at the base camp only 48km from Queen Elizabeth national park, making it possible to visit for a day or to spend a night. For those who have just one day, this is how you will add it to your wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth national park. Set off from Queen Elizabeth national park in the morning and participate in the walk of your choice, retire to lunch and return to Queen Elizabeth national park or the next destination on your plan. Spending a night is even a better experience since you will be able to interact more with the community through the various activities that may allow you to view margarita peak from the various locations of the hill top in the mornings and evenings. Ruboni community camp and other lodges in the area provide perfect accommodation with beautiful mountain views.
You may also want to take a bigger challenge of trekking the mountains. This is a world class mountain challenge that you will find nowhere else in east Africa. The journey to the higher peaks can be four categories. 1). Taking a nature walk that gets you back in the community within the same day after trekking up to 2650 meters at the first camp. 2).The second category is taking the three days two nights trek on Mahoma trail that takes you up to 3300 meters high. 3).The third Category is taking the seven days central circuit trail that takes you up to 4023 meters as the highest point. 4).The fourth category is spending eight days up to margarita peak that takes you to mount sanely at 5109 meters high.
To take the unbeaten path and explore the Rwenzori mountains before, during or after your visit to Queen Elizabeth national park. You can book through the elephant home or book Ruboni community camp directly here.
Travelers to Uganda have continuously found the elephant home to be a suitable accommodation for exploring Queen Elizabeth national park. Here I share what one client wrote after their one week stay at the elephant home;
I arrived by public taxi from Kasese town and my colleagues arrived by bus from Kampala to start our one-week stay at this wonderful location. The elephant home campsite is definitely the perfect base for exploring Queen Elizabeth and the environments of this wonderful national park. The camp is very strategic as it is located a few kilometers to the gate where the wildlife safari starts, on a good – tarmacked road. You can arrive to the camp by any means of transport ranging from bicycle, public taxi, bus or private transport.
From the elephant home, we were able to visit a whole lot of places including villages and other natural landmarks near Queen Elizabeth national park. We travelled to Katwe to witness the flamingos on lake munyanyange and the traditional salt mining experience, Kyambura chimp tracking, escarpment and creator lakes, Ishasha looking for tree climbing lions, Kilembe copper mines, the Congo boarder to compare the life in Uganda and that in the democratic republic of Congo and to the fishing communities on lake George. During the spare times or whenever we didn’t want to travel out, we selected from the long list of community activities around the lodge or leisurely relaxed on the hill walk viewing the elephants and buffalos grazing besides the lakes in the pains of Queen Elizabeth national park. One full day was spared for the wildlife safari activities inside the park where we saw multitudes of wildlife, birds and great scenery during the boat cruise on Kazinga channel and two separate wildlife safaris in Kasenyi plains and Mweya peninsular.
You may have less days but you will also find the elephant home useful due to the great food, good hospitality, clean spacious self-contained room with proper flushing toilets and the jungles surrounding the lodge. The camp offers the lowest price for wonderful services.
I would like to recommend the camp to the long staying visitors such as families, students and those travelers that want to explore deeper into nature and culture I and around Queen Elizabeth national park. The closeness to the park means you will be able to explore at your relaxed pace. Since the camp is located outside the park, no park entrance fee for every night you stay. Besides, you share boundaries with the park and you can even chose to sit on the hilly side to view wildlife in the park or sometimes they will visit the camp themselves. The camp has a small binocular to take the views from the self-guided walk on the facility but I encourage you to come with a better one if you can, to get a better experience.
Thanks to Jason for the wonderful job of making us comfortable during the stay!!