Lion tracking is one of the most exhilarating tourist activities for travelers to Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park. Unlike Rwanda, Uganda offers lions that can climb trees, and they can be found in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park in the southern sector of the park. You can only be certain to see tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park if you sign up for the lion tracking program.

 

Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park has a radius of 1,978 square kilometers and is the country's second-largest national park. Queen Elizabeth National Park protects more than 95 mammal species, and over 651 bird species can be seen in the national park. Queen Elizabeth National Park protects animals such as the Uganda Kob, impala, cape buffalo, waterbuck, bushbuck, savannah elephant, giraffe, warthog, zebra, hippos, and Nile crocodile.

 

Lion tracking encounters in Queen Elizabeth National Park are conducted in the southern sector of the park along the Kasenyi Plains. The Kasenyi Plains are a popular spot for the park’s game drives because they have the largest concentration of wildlife.

 

In addition to spotting lions in the wild, the lion-tracking experiential safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park is a very interesting and educational activity. You will learn a lot about this species in particular, such as their feeding habits and how crucial it is for Uganda to conserve lions for generations to come.

 

The Uganda Carnivore Program works in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to conduct a lion tracking experience in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park. It was initially a research program before becoming accessible to everyone. The main goal of the Uganda Carnivore Program is to monitor, research, and conserve the predator species present in Uganda, including hyenas, lions, and leopards.

 

Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park takes place twice a day, starting at 8 a.m., and in the late afternoon, lion tracking encounters are available in Queen. It takes two to three hours to complete the task.

 

How is lion tracking conducted in Queen Elizabeth National Park?

Travelers have the opportunity to radio-collar some lions and leopards in Queen Elizabeth National Park with a group of knowledgeable researchers from the Uganda Carnivore Program and a park ranger from the Uganda Wildlife Authority in order to track their movements, territories, perilous encounters, and, particularly, their incursions into conflict areas and territories where they run the risk of running into people and their livestock.

 

Travelers should make sure they check all the trees as they look for lions in the park because these big cats often spend more time relaxing on treetops to escape the oppressive heat in the area.

 

Number of participants allowed to do lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth

Lion tracking can be done in a small group of 4-6 individuals only given the fact that travelers are accompanied by a team of guides and researchers. Lion tracking limits the number, which makes it easy for the team to be handled, and everyone’s safety is assured by the Uganda Wildlife Authority park ranger.

 

The Cost of Lion Tracking in Uganda

Lion tracking experiences are both for foreign residents and non-residents. Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park costs $100 per person for foreign residents and foreign non-residents, while East African citizens only pay UGX 100,000 per person. Due to the high demand for this activity year-round, tourists are advised to make reservations at least six months in advance.

 

The Best Time to do Lion Tracking in Uganda

Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be done at any time of year, but the best times are between December and February and between June and September, which is the dry season. The national park's game drive trails are able to be traveled during this time. In addition, you will be able to see a wide range of wildlife in the Kasenyi plains, such as African elephants, hyenas, leopards, Cape buffalo, bushbucks, impala, duikers, antelopes, waterbucks, and many others.

 

Besides lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park, there are other activities where visitors can participate, such as a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, a guided unlimited game drive, guided nature walks, chimpanzee trekking encounters in the Kyambura Gorge, mongoose tracking, and cultural experiences are other activities that can be combined with lion tracking encounters in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

 

Explore Rwanda! with a reputable travel agency like Devine African Safaris that can help you plan a safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, one of the best savannah national parks in the "Pearl of Africa."