Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited and most biodiverse national park — a vast mosaic of savannah, wetlands, crater lakes, and forest stretching across western Uganda near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is famous for its tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector, the spectacular Kazinga Channel hippo boat cruise, enormous elephant herds, and over 600 recorded bird species. Uganda Car Rentals offers 4×4 car hire for self-drive and chauffeured safaris to Queen Elizabeth National Park, serving all sectors from Entebbe Airport and Kampala. Contact us to book your Queen Elizabeth safari vehicle today.
About Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers 1,978 square kilometres of southwestern Uganda, bordered by Lake Edward to the west and the Rwenzori Mountains to the north. Established in 1952, the park contains an extraordinary range of ecosystems — open savannah, papyrus swamps, acacia woodland, and tropical forest — supporting 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species, making it one of the most biodiverse parks on the African continent.
Tree-Climbing Lions of Ishasha
The southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park is world-famous for its tree-climbing lions — a rare behaviour observed in only two places on earth. The lions of Ishasha regularly climb large fig trees and rest in the branches, creating one of Africa’s most unusual and photogenic wildlife sightings. The Ishasha sector is approximately 2 hours south of the main Mweya peninsula by road.
Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
The Kazinga Channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and is home to one of the highest concentrations of hippos in Africa, along with large numbers of crocodiles, buffalo, and waterbirds. The afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel is the single most popular activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park and should be booked at the park gate or through Uganda Wildlife Authority in advance.
Wildlife and Game Drives
Queen Elizabeth National Park offers superb savannah game drives on the Kasenyi Plains — the best area for lion and elephant sightings in the main northern sector. Buffalo, Uganda kob, warthog, hyena, and leopard are all regularly encountered. The park road network is well-maintained and manageable in a Land Cruiser Prado or RAV4 during dry season.
Driving to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Driving Time from Entebbe
Queen Elizabeth National Park is approximately 5 hours from Entebbe Airport via the Fort Portal road — one of the most scenic drives in Uganda, passing through tea plantations and the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. The main park roads are tarmac to the gate and well-graded murram inside the park.
Best Vehicle for Queen Elizabeth
The Land Cruiser Prado is the most popular choice for Queen Elizabeth — strong enough for park tracks, comfortable for the 5-hour drive, and available with a pop-up roof for elevated game viewing. The RAV4 is suitable during dry season on main game drive circuits. Browse our full safari fleet.
Self-Drive Queen Elizabeth Park
Self-drive Queen Elizabeth is well-suited for independent travellers — the park road network is clearly signposted, game drive tracks are accessible in a Prado or RAV4, and the Mweya peninsula campsite and lodge area offer easy orientation. A park map is available at the gate.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Sectors
Mweya Peninsula — Main Safari Hub
The Mweya Peninsula is the main hub of Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to the UWA headquarters, Mweya Safari Lodge, and public campsite with rooftop tent facilities. All boat cruises depart from the Mweya jetty. This sector offers the best all-round combination of game drives, boat cruises, and accommodation options.
Ishasha Sector — Tree-Climbing Lions
The Ishasha sector is in the far south of the park, approximately 2 hours from Mweya. Most travellers visit Ishasha on the way to or from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, making it a natural addition to a combined gorilla and wildlife safari itinerary.
Kyambura Gorge — Chimpanzee Trekking
The Kyambura Gorge on the eastern boundary of Queen Elizabeth National Park is an underground forest carved into the savannah floor — home to a habituated chimpanzee community. Chimp tracking here is less crowded than Kibale Forest and can be combined with a morning game drive on the same day.
Combining Queen Elizabeth with Other Parks
Queen Elizabeth Park sits at the centre of the most popular Uganda safari circuit. It is most commonly combined with:
Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi
The classic Uganda gorilla and wildlife safari — game drives and boat cruise at Queen Elizabeth followed by gorilla trekking at Bwindi. Ishasha is passed en route between the two parks making the combination highly efficient. Minimum recommended time is 5 to 6 days.
Queen Elizabeth and Kibale Forest
Kibale Forest National Park is approximately 2 hours north of Queen Elizabeth and is the best chimpanzee trekking destination in Africa. The two parks are almost always combined on western Uganda safari circuits — 4 to 5 days covers both comfortably.
Queen Elizabeth Cross-Border to Rwanda
Queen Elizabeth is the last major park before the Rwanda border at Katuna — approximately 3 hours south. Many travellers end their Uganda circuit at Ishasha and cross into Rwanda for a Volcanoes National Park gorilla trek before flying home from Kigali. Our one-way car rental covers this full route.
Book Your Queen Elizabeth Safari Vehicle
Browse our 4×4 car hire fleet, choose self-drive or with a driver, and contact us with your travel dates, group size, and planned itinerary. We confirm your vehicle and departure logistics within a few hours.
