Kazinga channel is an intermediate waterbody that that joins Lake Edward and Lake George. Kazinga channel stretches to about 40 kilometers long. It is found in Queen Elizabeth national park in the southwestern Uganda. Queen Elizabeth national park is Uganda’s second largest national park covering an area of about 1,978km2, it is the second largest after Murchison falls national park and it is the savanna national park in Uganda with various wildlife, birdlife and plant-life.
Kazinga channel is one of the tourist attractions in Queen Elizabeth national park and if you are on a safari in Uganda, a boat cruise on Kazinga channel should not miss on your itinerary because enjoying a launch cruise on the calm waters of Kazinga while seeing both aquatic life and terrestrial animals with your camera in hands capturing every moment is so soothing.
The large water expanse of 40km is a home to several animals for example hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, birds for example pelicans, geese, kingfishers, African fish eagles, and you will have a chance these animals up close. Kazinga channel is an incredible waterbody that pulls Lake Edward in Democratic Republic of Congo and joins it with Lake George in Uganda. Lake George is drained by tributaries from Rwenzori Mountain since it is on the foothills of Mountain Rwenzori.
You can explore Kazinga channel during a boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth that will either start from Katunguru fishing village or Mweya peninsular and both boat cruises will give you the same reward. Boat cruise on Kazinga channel lasts for about 2 to 3 hours and this time will give you the best experience.
Quick facts about Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Kazinga channel is about 420km away from Kampala the capital city of Kampala. To get to Kazinga channel, you have to pay for a park entry fee to Queen Elizabeth national park management 40 USD for foreign non-residents, 30 USD for foreign residents and 20,000 UGX for East African residents. For children, 20 USD foreign non-residents, 10 USD foreign residents and 5,000 UGX for East Africans.
How much is a Boat Cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
A boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park takes place on Kazinga channel and it is charged as follows; 30 USD for foreign non-residents, 25 USD for foreign residents and 30 UGX for Est Africans and these boats are operated by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), however, there are luxurious private boats for example Sunbird and Kingfisher which charge between 100 USD to 200 USD.
During the boat cruise on Kazinga channel, you expect to encounter hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, kobs, birds, waterbucks, the giant monitor lizards, bush bucks and so many birds that will be at the shores.
The boat cruise fees are separate from the park entry fees, so when choosing an itinerary that has a boat cruise on Kazinga channel, you have to keep it in mind.
What to do at Kazinga Channel?
While you decide to take a visit on Kazinga channel, be excited for having chosen the best thing ever, this is because on your visit, you will enjoy a boat cruise which is an amazing experience itself, engage in wildlife viewing since Kazinga channel is a collection center for hippos, buffaloes, elephants, to mention but a few, also during your visit at Kazinga channel, you will enjoy birding in Queen Elizabeth national park and this is another rewarding experience to any traveler. You will spot over 70 bird species on your boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park since Kazinga channel is known as a birding paradise and some of the birds you expect to encounter during the boat cruise are; African fish eagles, kingfishers, yellow billed storks, African skimmers, falcons, great cormorants, black crakes, jacanas, long-tailed cormorants, shoebills, marabou storks, black-winged stilts, collared palm-thrush, spur-winged lapwings, saddle-billed storks, pelicans to mention but a few.
How to get to Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
You can get to Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park, you can use a road transport either via Fort-Portal-Kasese highway or Kampala-Mbarara-Bushenyi highway and you will drive for about 6 to 7hours on both routes, and you will end up in Queen Elizabeth national park. You can also use a domestic flight from Entebbe international Airport or Kajansi airfield, you will either land at Kasese airfield or Mweya airstrip or then get a van to your booked hotel.
What is the best time to do a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel?
You can do a boat cruise on Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park all year around. A boat cruise on Kazinga channel happens twice a day that is morning game drive that takes starts at 11am ending at 1pm. The second boat cruise on Kazinga channel starts at 3pm and ends at 5pm, you should also note that both boat cruises last for 2hours. However, if you are on a private boat cruise, you can prolong the cruise to 3hours or 4hours depending on your arrangement.
What to park for a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
If you are to engage in a boat cruise on Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park, it is recommended to park the following items with you;
- Cameras and binoculars
- A wide brimmed hat
- Light weight clothes
- Insect repellent
- Waterproof bag
- Rain jacket
- Sun cream
What else can I do in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
Queen Elizabeth is a complete gem itself and when you decide to visit this park, you will be consumed by a number of activities as listed below.
Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth national park is a home to high concentration of wildlife where you will be to explore the beauty of the park and the wildlife therein. Queen Elizabeth national park is a home to Africa’s big 4 animals which are; lions, leopards, elephants and buffaloes. The park also stomachs other wildlife which are seen during game drives and these are; kobs, bushbucks, waterbucks, hyenas, tree climbing ions to mention but a few.
Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth is a birding paradise therefore, birders can thrive in this park. The park has a number of recorded bird species to be over 600 bird species and this makes Queen Elizabeth the best birding destination in the whole of Uganda.
Therefore, bird watching in Queen Elizabeth national park is an independent activity while you are in the park.
Chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth National Park
This is another beautiful activity that Queen Elizabeth national park has to offer. There are 2 places in Queen Elizabeth national park where you can track chimpanzees. You can do Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth and Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Sport Fishing on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park
This is another adventure where you will engage in a 40km journey on water exploring different types of fish that Kazinga channel has to offer. Here, the catalog of fish you expect to come across are; Nile perch, tilapia and catfish. The best time to engage in sport fishing on Kazinga channel is early morning or in the late evening since this is when the fish are so active thus giving you the best advantage to catch them.
If you are planning a safari to Uganda, I highly recommend Queen Elizabeth national park to be on your bucket list. You can combine Queen Elizabeth national park with Bwindi impenetrable national park for gorilla trekking experience in Uganda, you can combine Queen Elizabeth national park with Murchison falls national park on 5 Days Murchison falls national park combined with Queen Elizabeth national park safari. You can combine Queen Elizabeth national park with National Parks in Rwanda as well. For example Nyungwe forest national park, Volcanoes national park or Akagera national park.
Where to stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
Queen Elizabeth national park has a range of accommodation and it will depend on your budget. The park has luxury lodges, midrange lodges and budget lodges or campsites.
If you are a luxury traveler and you want to visit Queen Elizabeth national park to engage in a boat cruise on Kazinga channel, you can sleep at Elephant Plains Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, for midrange travelers intending to visit Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park, you can choose to sleep at Engiri Game Lodge, Enganzi Game Lodge, Buffalo Safari Lodge and for budget travelers intending to visit Queen Elizabeth national park you can sleep at Entale Safari Camp, Pumba Safari Cottages.
