Uganda the pearl of Africa is the best destination for tree climbing lions in the whole world. Ishasha sector is located in western part of Uganda in Queen Elizabeth national park. the park is known as the second largest park from Murchison falls national park which are 1,978 square kilometers (764 square miles) and 3,893 square kilometers (1,503 square miles) respectively. Queen Elizabeth national park covers several districts like kasese, Rubirizi, kamwenge, and Rukungiri.
Tree Climbing lions are always spotted in fig trees in the park due to some reasons including,
- Tree climbing lions find shed in the trees.
- Lions climb trees to spot preys on the ground.
- Lions run away from flies on the ground.
Besides tree climbing lions, what are other activities to do while in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Game drive.
Queen Elizabeth national park offers the amazing experience of game drive which involves searching mammals using 4WD vehicles into the park. Game drive takes about 2-3 hours and this activity is always led by guides who knows what is best for visitors. Game drive can either be done in early morning or in the evening. The park is a home of 95 mammals’ species and these include elephants, buffalos, kobs, warthog, waterbucks, lions, leopards, Topi and many more.
Boat cruise.
Despite the fact that the park is is covered by water bodies including kazinga channel, lake Edward and lake George. The park is the best destination for boat cruise which takes about 2-3 hours. Boat cruise can be done in morning hours or evening hours depending on the visitor’s itinerary. During boat cruise, visitors will be about to spot mammal species like water bucks, hippopotamus, crocodiles, kobs, elephants, buffalos along the lake side and over 600 bird species will be spotted along mweya lower side including shoebill stork, double-toothed barbet, and red-faced woodland warbler, Great Blue Turaco, Gray-crowned crane, Long-Crested Eagle, and Black-and-White-Casqued and many more.
Nature walks.
The park offers nature walks which involves footing with a guide to either in the park or to the community. The activity takes about 2-3 hours and visitors will reach where the vehicles couldn’t reach during the game drive. Visitors doing nature walks in the park will offer them various mammal species and various bird species. Where visitors are in a community, they are entertained by locals through traditional dances, will visit traditional doctors who use herbs as medicine, visitors will get a chance to know how local foods are made and many more.
Culture encounters.
Despite the fact that the parks cover various areas, it makes it the best destination for cultural encounters. The park derives some of its parts in Kasese district, Rukungiri, Rubirizi and kamwenge which are different cultures. visitors may visit kasese kingdom to know more about kingship and their history, may interact with locals in their language, may visit local markets and are entertained through traditional dances and many more.
Bird watching.
Queen Elizabeth national park is a birding paradise of over 600 bird species. Birders always takes a full day in the field and they are advised to pack binoculars, cameras, comfortable hiking boots, rain coat, glasses, caps, long trousers, long t-shirts and water &snacks. While in the park, visitors mostly spot various bird species at around the lower side of mweya. Some of bird species spotted there include Shoebill, Great Blue Turaco, Gray-crowned crane, Long-Crested Eagle, and Black-and-White-Casqued, the Grey Kestrel, Helmeted Guineafowl, African Crake, flamingos and many more.
Salt mining.
Queen Elizabeth national park is the only best destination for salt mining in Katwe. When visitors visit katwe, some will spot flamingoes when it is their season since they fly seasonally from Lake Nakulu. Salt mining is a trading place for local communities. While in katwe, visitors will spot various mammals along the way like hippopotamus, buffalos, mongoose, elephants, and many more.
Chimpanzee tracking.
Chimpanzee tracking is done in kalinzu forest and Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park. chimpanzees tracking in the park is done morning hours and evening hours however visitors are advised to pack cameras, binoculars, comfortable hiking boots, hiking sticks, water &snacks, long trousers, long t-shirts, and many more.
Where to stay while in ishasha?
Embogo safari lodge.
Embogo safari lodge is located in the heart of the park which means buffalo. Embogo Lodge has three rooms with wooden floors, volcanic stone finishes, and grass-thatched roofs. After a strenuous day in the forest, guests can relax on the private balcony found in each room. The rooms are self- contained with flushing toilets, delegents, toilet papers, and many more.
The lodge facilitates restaurant where international meals are served and prepared by professional chefs, well stocked bar with soft and hard drinks, laundry, free wifi, free parking, and many more.
While at the lodge, visitors will do game drive in ishasha sector, bird watching, nature walks and cultural encounters and many more.
Ishasha jungle lodge
Ishasha jungle lodge is located in Kihihi subcounty, along Kameme road at the edge of the protected national park. Ishasha Jungle Lodge is an eco-friendly lodge, entirely made with local materials and African art, with its raised en-suite wooden deck cottages, grass thatched roof, spacious rooms all finished with canvas and a private balcony. The lodge room are all self-contained with flushing toilets, tables, chairs, showers, toilet papers, and many more.
The lodge facilitates restaurant which is a main enclosed hall and an upper floor open veranda for tea or coffee experience while observing the surroundings, well stocked bar, laundry, free wi-fi, free parking and many more.
How to access Ishasha sector?
Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth national park can be accessed either by road or air transport. visitors may use private or public vehicles to reach Ishasha sector in the park through road transport. visitors from Kampala may use mupende-fort portal route which takes about 8-9 hours to reach. however visitors entering Uganda via Rwanda boarders may enter via kihihi district.
whereas by air transport, visitors may fly from kajjassi or Entebbe International airport to kihihi aistrip or mweya airstrip to reach Ishasha sector. Flying will take about one hour and 30 minutes.
