5 Best Queen Elizabeth Tours for 2026/2027

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s most famous national parks and is well worth more than just a casual observation. Our Queen Elizabeth National Park tours take you to remote and wild sectors that are a bucket list destination for the adventurous.

It’s for those who want to feel the raw pulse of Africa on a journey that tests your grit but rewards you with visceral encounters. Our expeditions are built for the bold.

This is where the savannah meets the rainforest, creating a rugged playground for an authentic, high-impact adventure. Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most popular and biodiverse safari destination, often referred to as a Medley of Wonders.

It spans 1,978km² in western Uganda and is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with a unique balance between thriving wildlife populations and long-standing human communities. Geographically, it straddles the equator and is set against the majestic backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains.

Expect to push your limits as you navigate its diverse ecosystems. Our private tours of Queen Elizabeth National Park take you deep into the Ishasha sector, where you’ll track the legendary tree-climbing lions. Although not a guaranteed sight, these big cats have claimed the old fig trees as their own, surveying the world and searching for prey from their tree perches.

There are 95 mammal species found in the park, including 20 species of carnivores and four of the Big Five (there are no rhinos). There are also ten primate species, including chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the few places where savannah and forest primates, such as chimpanzees and black-and-white colobus, coexist in such close proximity.

The Kazinga Channel is a different kind of intensity. Others might see a boat cruise, while the adventurous on Queen Elizabeth National Park tours see an opportunity to navigate one of the highest concentrations of hippos and elephants in Africa. Herds of elephants and buffaloes frequent the reedy banks.

Twitcher alert: Queen Elizabeth has one of the highest bird diversities in Africa and the world, with more than 600 bird species recorded. Birding tours at Queen Elizabeth National Park are an opportunity to spot vibrant African finfoots in the park’s swamps and craters. There are also African fish eagles, flamingos, and papyrus gonoleks. And if you’re lucky, you might spot a rare shoebill stork in the Lake Edward marshes or Ishasha.

The park’s scenery is a dramatic mosaic of vast savannahs, humid forests, fertile wetlands, and crater lakes. The flora is equally varied, with nearly 30,000 hectares covered by medium-altitude semi-deciduous forest in areas like Maramagambo. On the plains, the vegetation transitions from open grasslands to thorny woodlands and dense candelabra shrubs, particularly along the Kazinga Channel and Kasenyi Plains.

You can also explore 72 explosion craters on Queen Elizabeth National Park tours, which offer a lush, forested oasis of life that contrasts with the area’s tumultuous volcanic history.

We believe in maximum impact, not just pampering. We offer luxury Queen Elizabeth safari lodges and tours, but also prioritise locations that keep you connected to the wild. Think remote camps where the bush is your only soundtrack and your footprint is light.

Immersive experiences take you beyond traditional game drives. Try chimpanzee trekking in the deep, forested Kyambura Gorge, known as the Valley of Apes. It’s also the primary location in Uganda to offer a lion-tracking experience, and you can help researchers in monitoring prides using telemetry.

Other activities include scenic boat cruises on the Kazinga Channel, guided nature walks, and cultural tours to engage with the Bakonzo and Basongora communities.

Uganda is an equatorial destination with rain possible year-round, but it’s generally drier from June to early October and from December to early March. The heaviest rainfall is typically in April and May.

Our Queen Elizabeth National park safari tours are designed for the experience-hungry traveller who wants to return home awestruck and fully inspired by the wild. We’re the enablers of your next epic story, ensuring every ridge crossed and every predator tracked is managed with expert precision and a deep respect for the land.

Ready to earn your next great story? Reach out to one of our safari experts today to begin planning your bespoke Ugandan expedition on a Queen Elizabeth National Park tour.