The best way to book your accommodation at Tabingi Safari lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park is through a reliable local tour operator like Realm Africa Safaris™. We have an ongoing business partnership with the owners & managers of Tabingi Safari Lodge, which makes even last-minute bookings possible…..of course, subject to availability.
A little about Tabingi Safari Lodge
Located in wildlife action spots of the great Queen Elizabeth National Park, Tabingi Safari lodge is a boutique family-themed midrange Safari lodge tucked away in pristine thorny & shrubby environs of the park reserve. The lodge is located only 15 minutes way from the Main Kasenyi plains entry point a Place most visitors go to on safari drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
How many rooms does Tabingi Safari lodge offer?
As we write this article, Tabingi Safari lodge has 06 fully functional en-suite cottages. Three (03) of these face the Park and have private verandahs facing the reserve. These are designed to comfortably accommodate a family of two (father, mother and two children). The other three are low-decked cottages that are well placed within the shrubby vegetation that surrounds the lodge grounds.
Booking Tip: When booking your accommodation at Tabingi Safari Lodge, always ask for the cottages facing the Park (pictured above). These three (03) cottages each have a private Balcony that is ideal for watching wildlife both in the evenings and mornings.
Things to see & do while staying at Tabingi Safari Lodge
Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park: It’s common practice for most visitors staying at Tabingi Safari Lodge to drive to the Kasenyi area for a Safari drive. The game drives typically start as early as 06:30 am, departing from your lodge, and getting to the Kasenyi Entry gate for permit verification, which could easily eat up 30 – 40 minutes depending on the queue. Its a culture for the guides to have a chat on where wildlife was last sighted so bear in mind, that they might stop just a few times to have what you can easily mistake as an unoficial/casual talk…..it does increase your chances of getting to spot some wildlife especially the elusive cats (lions, leopards etc). While the drives could go on for as long as you wish, the standard time is 7:00 am – 10:30 am. After this time, it begins to get warm and uncomfortable for one to be driving around.
Boat trip on the Kazinga Channel: This trip is not to be missed. There are two places to start this tour: In Katunguru or Mweya. The trip starting in Katuguru is run by the community members and is characterised by crowds and large school groups. The Mweya trip, although somewhat crowded during the peak/high season months of June-August and December-February, will offer a fruitful experience. One other important thing about choosing the Mweya Experience is that you get to drive in the park for about 40 minutes, which means you will have an added advantage of getting to encounter more wildlife on both your trip to/and back from Mweya. Some of the amazing sightings on this drive include: leopards, lions, Elephants, buffalo and more.
Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge: Kyambura Gorge is fast becoming a favourite spot to visit for most visitors staying at Tabingi Safari Lodge. Chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura gorge is exhilarating….. it’s here that you get to walk down into an actual gorge, with a river flowing below to track Chimpanzees. Although the chimpanzee sightings stand at about a 70% success rate, the walk into the gorge is worthwhile.
Learn more about Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge.
Visit the Kikorongo Equator Point: During your stay at Tabingi Safari Lodge, please make arrangements to drive about 25 minutes on the route to Kasese. You can’t miss the well-signed decorative Equator point at Kikorongo. Here you will have the chance to have photos of yourself taken at the equator line in Western Uganda. At this same location, there are local tour guides willing to take you through the Equator line water experience for a fee of about $3.
Visit the Queens Pavilion at Kikorongo: The Equator Line at Kikorongo, and the Queens Pavilion can be visited on the same day, as they are just a stone’s throw from each other. The Queen’s Pavilion is the point where Queen Elizabeth II, and the Duke of Edinbrough stood glancing at the beautiful scenery of the present Queen Elizabeth National Park (which was originally Kazinga National Park) only renamed to commemorate the Queens Visit in 1954. Learn more about the Queen’s Pavillion in Queen Elizabeth national Park.
Go on the Katwe Explosion Crater Drive: This drive combines well with a visit to the Equator Line in Kikorongo and the Queen’s Pavilion. The drive through the explosion craters of Queen Elizabeth National Park is an off-beat experience, not many tourists get to enjoy, as many of them are on short day trips that don’t allow for ample time to explore the entire park. Please ensure you have a reliable vehicle with its 4×4 working, as this route is rugged. The duration for this drive is approximately 02 hours.
Visit Lake Katwe: Lake Katwe is located approximately 05 Km from the main Kabatoro gate into Queen Elizabeth National Park. This lake is popular for the salt mining that
Learn more about the Katwe Explosion Crater Drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
When is the best time to visit Tabingi Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
The long dry season months of June, July, and August are the best times to go on a safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park while staying at Tabingi Safari Lodge. The short dry season, starting from mid-December into January and ending around late February, is also a very good time to visit.
However, the long wet season in Queen Elizabeth National Park begins its rains in March, peaks in April and goes through the end of May. The short rains, on the other hand, begin sometime in September and continue right up to the middle of December. The peak happens in parts of October and all of November. Few discerning safari vacationers choose to visit the reserve during these green seasons because of its sheer natural beauty. The rains bring a marvellous burst of fresh vegetation, though you may find that locating wildlife in the greenery takes longer. Further, since water is readily available, the animals will lessen their visit to the lakes or the Kazinga Channel to drink as there will be plenty of rainwater available in the interior waterholes. Navigating roads does take longer, but you can expect discounted prices on the room rates.
Learn more about when to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park.
How to get to Tabingi Safari Lodge
Tabingi Safari Lodge is approximately 404 km/251 mi from Entebbe, a journey that might last 6 – 7 hours of driving. Alternatively, you may consider asking us to book you on a flight, out of Entebbe to Kasese (1hr 30 mins), where you’ll find our Realm Africa Safaris™ vehicle to transfer you to Tabingi Safari Lodge (40 minutes drive to get to Tabingi Safari Lodge).
Learn More about the best way to get to Tabingi Safari Lodge.
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