Queen Elizabeth National Park covering approximately 2000km²- Uganda’s second-largest safari park – located 375km /233 miles from Entebbe is the capital for lion sightings on any Uganda Safari. In this park, one can choose to either track lions in the Kasenyi Plains or drive further south – 119km/73 miles from the Mweya Peninsular to the remote Ishasha plains. Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park – sector by Sector
Kasenyi Plains
Situated on the northern side Of Queen Elizabeth National Park – overlooking the Rwenzori Mountains also popularly known as the Mountains of the Moon, the Kasenyi plains are known to offer the best lions sights on any Uganda Safari visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park. On this side of the Park, the Uganda Carnivore organisation runs a popular Lion tracking experience in the company of researchers who use radion collar trackers to locate a pride of lions. The lions are collared for their own safety against poachers from within the communities neighbouring the Park – it is these communities that continue to pose a lasting threat to lion populations in this park with the most recent being an awful incident that occurred on 10th/April/2018 in which 11 lions, eight of them cubs and the other three adult lionesses were poisoned by members from the fishing and pastoral community of Hamukungu (See: 8 Lion Cubs Killed in suspected poisoning). The struggle to conserve by protection the remaining lion Population in the Park continues – you too can be apart of this cause. Feel free to directly contact the Uganda carnivore Program for donations.
Visitor intending to track, see, photograph or even film lions in Kasenyi have a wide range of accommodation options to choose from. We like to stay at Kasenyi Safari camp (our favourite), Buffalo safari lodge (Ugandan owned) or the pocket-friendly Bush Lodge.
Ishasha Plains Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park
This is perhaps the remotest region of the larger Queen Elizabeth National park – located further south on your way to Bwindi Forest National Park – making it an ideal places worth considering to stop for an opportunity to track, see, photograph and or film lions In Uganda. The sector of Queen Elizabeth is popular with sightings of the rare tree-climbing lions – there are not many places in Africa where lions do climb trees – Ishasha is the best place to track, see and film tree-climbing lions In Uganda. The best time to catch a sighting of the tree-climbing lions up in a tree is at about 10 am – 5 pm when they’re not hunting. My observation having guided and photographed the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha plains is that, if it’s wet, the lions generally won’t climb.
For travellers visiting the Ishasha sector, we recommend spending at least two nights as opposed to one night – the longer you stay the more chances you have to spot the tree-climbing lions – remember this is not a zoo but rather a national park where animals are free to go about their own business and neither our guide nor Realm Africa Safaris™ can guarantee any sightings – its all just luck – bring some with you on your trip to Uganda
Recommended accommodation for visitors to ishasha regions include; Ishasha Wilderness camp (our favourite), BullBush river camp (low budget including basic camping) or the fairly priced Ugandan owned Topi Lodge
