Game drives are one of the major activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Tourists are able to explore the park in comfortable pop-top safari vehicle with a professional driver guide who will help you to spot different wildlife species.

Queen Elizabeth National park is the second largest national park in the western part of Uganda located in four districts namely Rubirizi, Rukungiri, Kamwenge and Kasese. The national park covers a total land area of 1,978 square kilometers which comprises savannah grassland, forest, wetland and lakes that act as a habitat for different wildlife species including elephants, buffalos, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, lions, leopards, topi, hyenas and over 600 bird species.

Game drives can either be done very early in the morning when the animals are still active or in the evening when the animals are heading back to their resting places. Game drives are best done in Kasenyi plains, Mweya peninsula and Ishasha sector in the southern part of the park.

Tourists can also have night game drives where tourists will be able to explore the park at night with spotlight torches in order to view nocturnal animals. Night game drives are done in the Mweya peninsula because the Kasenyi plains are usually flocked with frequent visitors during the day therefore night game drives are prohibited as a way to minimize stress on the animals.

Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be done anytime throughout the year though they are best done during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January, February. During the dry season, less rainfall means access roads to the national park are passable compared to the wet season when the tracks are muddy. Vegetation is also thin during the dry season which means it’s easier to view different animals clearly and take beautiful pictures.

How to get to Queen Elizabeth National Park?

Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in the western part of Uganda and can be accessed by road. You will drive from Kampala or Entebbe through Masaka- Mbarara road or Mubende-Fort Portal road which takes about 7 – 8 hours’ drive