Birding in Queen Elizabeth national park and chimpanzee trekking. Queen Elizabeth is located in western Uganda, spanning the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Bushenyi, and Rukungiri which is 1,978km2 big with the bigger percentage of 50% in Bushenyi, 33% in Rukungiri and 11% in Kasese and 376km in distance by road from Kampala.
Queen Elizabeth National Park also spans the equator line; monuments on either side of the road mark the exact spot where it crosses latitude 00 and is Uganda’s most visited park. The park offers a mix of savannah, forests, wetlands, and lakes, making it a hotspot for biodiversity.
Kalinzu Forest Reserve is a lush tropical forest in western Uganda, near Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bushenyi. The forest is a protected area covering 137km2.
It is known for its diverse wildlife, vibrant birdlife, and stunning scenery, making it a favorite destination for nature lovers, primate enthusiasts, and adventurers. The reserve has 414 tree species, 378 bird species, and mammals including the desired chimpanzees, butterflies, reptiles, and vegetation.
Combined expect to see birds like the pink-backed pelican, African skimmer, papyrus gonolek, black and white casqued hornbill, black bee-eater, Ayres’s hawk-eagle, black-headed gonolek, Ludwig’s bastard, double-toothed barbet, red-chested sunbird, great blue turaco, black-billed turaco, crowned eagles, African broadbill, green breasted pitta, yellow-billed barbet, red-faced cisticola, barn swallow, black-billed weaver, and many more, mammals like lions, buffaloes, elephants, hyenas, chimpanzees, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkey, baboons, waterbucks, duikers, antelopes, and many more with stunning sceneries.
Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park and chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu Forest offer an exciting blend of wildlife experiences in Uganda:
Birding in Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a birding paradise with over 600 bird species, making it a birder’s haven with areas like Kazinga channel, Maramagambo forest, Ishasha sector, Mweya peninsula, and Lake Katwe, offering multiple trails for one to spot the birds. One can either take a boat cruise, a drive or a guided nature walk all providing close-up views of the beautiful different bird species.
Expect to spot birds like African fish eagle, African spoonbill, great and long-tailed cormorants, pied and malachite kingfishers, open-billed stork, black-bellied bustard, grey kestrel, martial eagle, African wattled lapwing, black bee-eater, blue-throated roller, white-napped pigeon, African Finfoot, lesser flamingos, pied avocet, black-tailed godwit, common greenshank, African skimmer, swamp nightjar, collared pratincole, white-winged warbler, and many more depending of the trail chosen.
Birding can be done all through the year at Queen Elizabeth National Park however the best time for birding is during the dry season in the months of May-September as there is less rainfall in the park ensuring more birds for viewing and other wildlife. One can also bird watch during the wet season of April-May or October-November giving you a chance to view migratory and colorful birds. Ultimately, the choice of when to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park for birding depends on your preferences and priorities as one gets the best of both worlds.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu Forest
This is an incredible opportunity to experience an exciting primate encounter. Kalinzu forest is beautiful and known for its population of about 300 chimpanzees with 50 habituated, along with other wildlife and birds. The trek will take between 30 minutes to 4 hours and once the chimpanzees are located, you are given an hour with them to observe how they are and their behaviors in their natural element.
One also spots other primates like baboons, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys; birds like the black and white cuckoo, great blue turaco, crowned eagles, African broadbill, green-breasted pitta, yellow-billed barbet, red-faced cisticola, barn swallow, black-billed weaver, and many more; butterflies, plants and tree species.
Experienced guides and trackers will accompany you as they are knowledgeable about the forest and skilled at locating the chimps. Trekking is best done during the dry seasons of June-August or December-February as the trails are not muddy easing the process and also offer clear skies to spot wildlife and navigate.
Kalinzu Forest is just a short drive from Queen Elizabeth NP, making it convenient to incorporate both activities in a single trip. One will enjoy a mix of birding, primate trekking, and other wildlife sightings, such as elephants, hippos, and lions in Queen Elizabeth NP as birding and chimpanzee trekking can be paired with game drives, boat cruises, and guided nature walks.
