Ultimate Boat Safari Guide to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
A boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park is an impressive experience done on the popular Kazinga Channel that connects to Lake Edward and Lake George. The boat cruise activity in Queen is done in two sessions in the day; the morning session starts at around 11 am and the afternoon session starts at 2 pm, local time.
The boat offers 20 seats for the visitors; it takes 2 to 5 hours while exploring the beauty of the channel with rewarding views of water species like hippos and Nile crocodiles and also viewing wildlife along the shores of the channel such as herds of elephants and buffaloes as well as sightseeing quadric bird species such as the shoebill stork, papyrus canary, greater flamingo, bar-tailed black bee-eater, white-tailed lark, white-winged warbler, and African broadbill, among others.
However, visitors are accompanied by a professional guide who provides the necessary information required about the cruise tour in Uganda. You should feel free to ask questions about the history of the Kazinga Channel. Additionally, the experienced guide will point out any wildlife species which you might have missed noticing.
Furthermore, a boat cruise is a lifestyle experience that involves living for an extended time while sailing on a water vessel, travelling from one place to another for leisure. The Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park is the highlight stopping location for those wishing to enjoy a boat cruise on a Uganda tour. Tourists who visit the park have a high chance of enjoying photography and the natural beauty around. More so, the channel supports a large population of hippos in the entirety of Africa. Facts about hippopotamuses: They do not swim because of their huge weight and usually stay underwater to safeguard their rather sensitive skin. They do not stay in water at night; they just graze on land.
The Kazinga channel boat cruise is carried out twice a day, morning and afternoon. Note that boat cruises tend to be done 3 times a day in order to serve the demand of the visitors. Expect to enjoy the Kazinga Channel boat cruise on the unique, luxurious Kingfisher ferry of Mweya, which offers coffee and tea to the guests. Take some drinks while having the cool breeze on the water vessel.
During the boat cruise, you will have an impressive viewing of crocodiles that have spent decades there, though they were removed from this lake because of a volcanic eruption. But recently, they were returned to the lake all the way from the River Semliki. They are best seen along the shores of the channel during morning hours. The afternoon boat ride rewards with a great spot of herds of elephants and buffalo within the water, which were once abandoned by one for the herds, thus getting better protection from the predators. The predators can be seen in the late afternoon; just like nocturnal animals, they come along the shores to drink water. Also, a large number of antelopes can be seen quenching their thirst along the shores of the channel, like the kobs and waterbucks.
The Kazinga Channel is not only a unique place to enjoy a boat cruise experience but also a great site for birders because it is a haven for colourful bird species such as martial eagles, cormorants, African skimmers, pelicans, papyrus gonoleks, African spoonbills and the rare shoebills. Ideally, the boat launch experience along the Kazinga Channel shouldn’t be missed while on Uganda safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Accommodation Facilities.
Travellers who are visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park for boat cruise tours along the Kazinga Channel shouldn’t get worried about where to stay. It’s because the park boasts comfortable accommodation with good amenities, including lodges such as Mweya Safari Lodge, Park View Safari Lodge, Jacana Lodge, Elephant Hab, Elephant Plains, and Queen Elizabeth Safari Lodge, among others.
Other activities to engage in at Queen Elizabeth National Park include game drive viewing, birding, chimpanzee tracking, nature walks, and community visits, among others.
Generally, Queen Elizabeth National Park is known as the top-visited destination on Uganda wildlife safaris, especially for the unique tree-climbing lions. The park was established in 1952 to protect vast wildlife species: over 95 mammals, crater lakes like the Mining Katwe salt lake, Lake Edward, Kazinga Channel, swamps, and vegetation. More than that, the park covers an area of about 1978 square kilometres, located in the western Ugandan region and approximately a 5-to-6-hour drive from Kampala or Entebbe.
Lastly, travellers are advised to always include a visit to Kazinga Channel on their tour packages on Uganda Tours in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Get started now!
