Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise-Queen Elizabeth National Park

Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise-Queen Elizabeth National Park

Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel -Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is about 389 kilometers from Kampala, Uganda’s capital. The park is in the southwestern part of Uganda near the Kasese district. The park stretches from the Rwenzori ranges crater foothills in the north along Lake Edwards’ shores to the remote Ishasha River in the south. This is the famous park of Uganda with its lush savannah holding several animal species. These include the pride of climbing lions, buffaloes, elephants, numerous antelopes, and over 600 bird species. These are for you to explore on your adventurous safari to Uganda

Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Enjoying a 2-3 hour boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. It is a water channel about 40km long beneath the popular Mweya peninsular linking Lake Edward to George. You can take the boat cruise in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Then, it gets you closer to the wildlife of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This includes a variety of water birds, and reptiles, plus many more

The morning shift of the boat cruise at the Kazinga channel starts at 9:00 am and ends at 11:00 am. Then, the afternoon boat cruise follows from noon ending at 2:00 pm. Lastly, the late afternoon or evening boat cruise follows from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Therefore, get ready to enjoy your boat ride just a few meters from the fascinating wildlife. The wildlife includes hippos which spend the night grazing. Then later, they find their way back to the water before the sun rises where they spend the whole day. The Kazinga channel has the highest concentration of hippos in the world. Also, do not miss out on crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, sitatungas, bushbucks, antelopes, and many more.

Birding International recognizes the Kazinga Channel as an important birding area. It attracts over 612 bird species and during your boat cruise you stand a high chance to see many birds. These include African spoonbills, fish eagles, skimmers, great cormorants, and pelicans. Also, expect to see kingfishers, shoebills, the Goliath heron, and many more. Not forgetting the role of the binoculars that will help you in seeing the distant birds.

What to Carry for the Boat Cruise

On your boat cruise, there are some essential things that you have to carry with you to make the ride memorable. Firstly, you should carry the camera. This will help you to take pictures of your desired wildlife, bird species, and any other features. Also, don’t forget the hat that will shelter you from the sun especially when you climb to the upper deck. Then, after securing your ride with those requirements, leave the rest to the professional guides.  They will take you through the boat cruise with safe and reliable information. They’ll thus offer you the best plus giving you a chance to ask questions.

Affordability of the Boat Cruise

The boat cruise is just 30$ per person for foreigners and 30,000 Ugandan shillings per person for nationals and East African citizens. Private boats may require you to pay 40$ for foreign nonresidents.

Additional activities to do after a Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

In addition to your boat cruise, there are other activities that you can do in Queen Elizabeth National Park. For example,  you can go in for the exploration of the park’s expanse on game drives. You’ll enjoy the tree-climbing lions, buffaloes, topis, elephants, and many more in the Ishasha sector. Queen Elizabeth National Park has also the grasslands of the Kasenyi plains with the present Uganda kobs and lions that prey on them.

Chimp trekking

The activity takes about 3-4 hours in the kyambura gorge which is in the eastern part of the park. You can do chimp trekking in the morning and the evening hours. Thus, you will be able to spend a full hour with the chimpanzees. On your trekking, you stand a chance of seeing many more primates. These include the blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and more.

Bird watching

Queen Elizabeth National Park offers the best memories to the birders as it has several birding hotspots. These include the Kasenyi area,  Mweya peninsula, Maramagambo forest, and Kikorongo lake. Also, you can see birds in the Ishasha sector, Lake Munyanyange, Katunguru plus Katwe. Nevertheless, expect to see over 612 bird species including the martial eagle, Chapin’s flycatcher, and black-rumped buttonquail. Also, expect to see the African skimmer, pink-backed pelican, the verreaux’s eagle owl, African broadbill, and the black bee-eater. Then, you’ll also encounter white-tailed lark, white-winged warbler, papyrus gonolek, papyrus canary, corncrake, lesser and beater flamingo, shoebill, and bar-tailed godwit to mention but a few.

Hiking and nature walks

The Mweya peninsula, Maramagambo forest, and the Ishasha River of Queen Elizabeth National Park offer savannahs, woodlands, and beautiful rainforests suitable for nature treks. Thus, likely to see different mammal species and birds, hippos, bold warthogs, and many more wildlife.

When is the best time for a Kazinga Channel Boat cruise

No one is ready for a boat cruise as the rain is pelting down in the wet seasons. Thus, the best time for the boat cruise is the rainless months of December to January and June to August.

No matter how wet it is in the rainy seasons, the boat cruise can be fascinating. This is so because you grab a chance to see the wild animals in multiplicity. This gets me to a conclusion of assuring you that the boat cruise at Queen Elizabeth National Park is comfortable throughout the year

Accommodation in the park

The budget travelers we have Simba Safari Camp, Engiri Game Lodge, Topi Lodge, Ishasha Pride Lodge, and many others.  The luxurious travelers can stay at  Mweya Safari Lodge, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, and Elephant Plains Lodge. Lastly, the mid-range traveler has Enjojo Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge, Marafiki Safari Lodge, and Park View Safari Lodge.

Not forgetting that the budget lodges range from 40$ – 120$ the mid-range lodges range from 150$ to 299$ and lastly the luxurious lodges range from 300 us dollars and above.

Plan for your boat cruise safari on the Kazinga Channel

Safari Vacations and Travel Services usually adds the boat cruise to your itinerary once you visit Queen Elizabeth National Park. This gives you the best relaxation and fascinating visit in Uganda, taking nature walks, game drives, watching the different birds plus chimpanzee trekking.

In whichever way you would like to explore Uganda our local safari experts are ready to take you through memorable holidays and trigger your Kazinga boatcruise wildlife imaginations of Africa. Just contact us, and your thirst for a fantastic wildlife experience will be quenched.