Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha in Uganda
Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha in Uganda
The Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha in Uganda are part of the wider lion family – The largest cats still roaming the African wild. Lions in general help balance the ecosystem by maintaining the population of herbivores animals like Buffaloes and the different species of antelopes. Lions also prey on weaker and sicker animals helping reduce the spread of diseases and parasites. Unfortunately, the overall population of lions in Africa has reduced considerably with about 25,000 individual lions still living in the wild. Over 1 million lions roamed Africa’s savanna just a century ago.
One important fact about lions is that the main cause of their massive reduction in number is human interference. Lions have also fallen victim to poaching and new diseases brought by more domestic animals within their vicinity.
Uganda is one of the last strongholds for lions in Africa. Lions can be sighted in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Kidepo Valley National Park. Of the about 400 lions in Uganda, 130 are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park – the most visited park in Uganda. The park receives good rains and retains its scenic beauty for most parts of the year unlike say the drier Maraa in Kenya. The park also stands out because of its amazing landscape (Maramagambo forest, Kazinga Channel, craters, and Kyambura gorge), birding population, and wildlife – especially the rare tree climbing lion which is one of the leading tourist attractions in Uganda. You might want to read about the best places to see lions in the world.
Where to see tree-climbing lions in Africa
Adult Tree climbing lions are very rare. Most lions keep away from trees once they reach a certain size, except when surrounded by say a herd of buffalo, and climbing a tree is the only safety option. Tree-climbing lions are mainly found in the Ishasha sector of Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. Individual lions have also been sighted climbing trees in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Kruger National Park in South Africa. However, these are rare sightings and cannot be compared to those in Queen Elizabeth National Park or Lake Manyara. In Ishasha, a whole pride can be spotted on a tree making Queen Elizabeth National Park the best place to spot tree-climbing lions.
The tree-climbing lions in Lake Manyara are more difficult to locate and finding them is not guaranteed. Please check out our Congo safari packages for more information about visiting one of Africa’s last remaining true wildernesses. We have also put together Rwanda tour packages with information about the land of Mountain gorillas, volcanoes, and beautiful hills.
Why do some lions climb trees?
Most lions prefer staying on the ground and leave tree climbing for their cubs or other smaller cats like Leopards. The lions in Lake Manyara and Queen Elizabeth National Parks have however deviated from usual behavior and can be seen lazing around acacia and fig trees in the early afternoon. Why do they do this yet they are not a unique sub-specie? Several theories have been proposed to explain this unique behavior. Some people believe that lions have a natural ability to climb trees like all cats. Others believe that the lions in Ishasha have adapted this behavior from countless generations of lion pride before them.
Some lion researchers believe that lions climb trees to avoid bites from pests and insects like Tse Tse flies and mosquitoes that live on lower ground. The researchers also believe the lions climb trees to escape the midday heat on the ground, especially during the dry season. The leaves and tree branches offer a cool breeze and relief from the great afternoon heat. Whatever the reasons for the intriguing habit of climbing trees, the lions attract more and more visitors each year to Queen Elizabeth and Lake Manyara National Park.
The Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
The remote Ishasha plains are remarkably different from other sectors of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The plains consist of mainly savanna grasslands and riverine forests. It is a testament to the variety of attractions in Queen Elizabeth National Park that few visitors go to see the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. Most visitors to the Park visit the Mweya and Kasenyi plains where they can easily go for game drives, boat cruises along the Kazinga channel, chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, or take a nature walk in the Maramagambo forest. One reason for the fewer visitors could be the lack of information about the existence of these unique cats. Many of the park’s visitors only get to know about them when they are already on a planned safari. Squeezing time within a planned safari to go and see the tree-climbing lions can be difficult.
There are four prides of lions living within the Ishasha plains. The lions love climbing the common acacia and large sycamore-fig trees in the plains, especially during the dry seasons. Because feelings of pride spend their day on top of trees, the chances of seeing the lions in Ishasha are very high. The park authorities monitor their movements and can easily track them on request. Visiting the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha can be arranged alongside an overall safari of Queen Elizabeth National Park and other nearby parks like Bwindi’s impenetrable forest and Lake Mburo. You can read more from our 3-day Uganda gorilla safari or the longer 12-day Uganda safari package.
How to reach the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park
By road
Driving directly from Kampala will take at least eight hours along a tarmac road. There are two routes from Kampala, via Mbarara to the east of the park (covering a distance of 250 miles), or Fort Portal to the north (slightly longer at 260 miles). Most visitors choose to include stops at other parks along the way rather than driving directly from Kampala to Queens. For those on their way to gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queens is a natural stop on the journey from Kampala or Entebbe to Bwindi. From Queens, you can drive south from the Mweya Peninsula to Buhoma, the entrance town in northern Bwindi. This drive is roughly four hours along a gravel road. Semliki National Park and the Rwenzori Mountains are also within driving distance from Queens.
By Air
Queen Elizabeth National Park can be reached by air from both Entebbe International Airport, the country’s international airport and your most likely starting point, and the Kajjansi Airfield near Kampala. The closest airports to Queens are Kasese, Mweya, and Ishasha. Uganda’s domestic flight network offers a range of scheduled direct flights, and aircraft can also be chartered. The flight time is generally an hour or two.
The best time to visit Ishasha
Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Ishasha sector are open to visitors on a Uganda safari throughout the year. This season is perfect for a safari because the park is less muddy and the lions are easier to locate. The months of April, May, October, and November are the rainy seasons and are ideal for bird-watching. Please check out our 11-day Uganda Wildlife safari package if you want to combine a game drive in Ishasha with other activities like the gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi or even Rwanda safaris.
Other things to do within the Ishasha sector and Queen Elizabeth National Park
Cultural Visits
While in Ishasha, one can request a tour of the local Bakiga community. The Ishasha community uplift program introduced a tour opportunity led by a lady Agartha. Agartha and her female friends will share with you information about the Bakiga culture and way of life. You can go with the women to their gardens and help harvest millet, grind it into flour, and turn it into a ready meal. Agartha and her group of women will share with you what it means to be a wife among the Bakiga and how to take care of the husband. By the end of the tour you would have learned a lot about the Bakiga culture and even tasted some of their potent local brews.
Game drive to see other animal species
The Ishasha plains are home to the Topi (type of antelope) Kobs, warthogs, buffaloes, elephants, baboons, leopards, other smaller antelopes, and birds like the black coucal, compact weaver, herons, and storks. You can arrange for a game drive to see some of the beautiful wildlife within the Ishasha sector. If you have more time to spare, you can decide to go for a game drive at the Kasenyi plains/sector to see more lions (do not climb trees), the beautiful Kyambura gorge is for chimpanzee trekking or the Maramagambo forest for nature walks.
If you have time, do not fail to take a boat tribe around the Kazinga Chanel for one of the largest collection of wildlife and birds in the world. You might want to check out our 10-day Uganda tour package which includes a gorilla safari and visiting the best national parks in Uganda.
Launch trip on Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Relax on a 3-hour return launch trip while sailing on the Kazinga channel. Along the way, you may spot animals like herds of elephants, waterbucks, bushbucks, leopards, cape buffaloes, and other animals that love quenching thirst from the showers of the channel. From the launch trip, you enjoy the best view of Rwenzori ranges that stand up straight almost as though to touch the sky. Watch the sun set behind the horizon on a bright new day.
Crater Lakes visit in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The wet and dry craters on the floor of the Rift Valley in Queen Elizabeth National Park are adorable. You may notice outstanding lakes like Lake Nyamunuka, which has a putrid smell all year, Lake Katwe, Uganda’s ancient salt mining industry, and Blue Copper Lake, among others.
Forest walk in Maramagambo forest in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Taking a walk in the Maramagambo forest of Queen Elizabeth National Park is incredible. You may have an opportunity to spot primates like the black and white colobus, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, and several others. Look out for several birds that linger in the forest. The depth of the Maramagambo forest contrasts starkly with the sunny plains around the Kazinga channel. It is one of Uganda’s tracts of tropical forest. As you emerge from the forest, you spot Lake Nyamusingire where you may find many wild animals often.
Tips for Watching Tree-Climbing Lions in Uganda
So, you’re ready to venture on a lion safari and see the spectacle of tree-climbing lions in their natural habitat in one of the safest destinations in Africa. But how can you increase your chances of spotting these elusive felines? Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your Ishasha adventure:
Time Your Visit Right: The dry season, from June to October, is generally the best time to visit Ishasha. During this time, the vegetation is less dense, making it easier to spot wildlife. The lions also tend to climb trees more frequently during the dry season to escape the heat and biting insects.
Choose the Right Game Drive Times: Early morning and late afternoon game drives are typically the most rewarding for wildlife viewing. The lions are more active during these cooler hours, and the light is ideal for photography.
Be Patient and Observant: Spotting tree-climbing lions requires patience and a keen eye. Scan the fig trees carefully, looking for any signs of movement or the distinctive outline of a lion perched on a branch.
Trust Your Guide: Your experienced safari guide knows the park intimately and will do their best to lead you to the lions. Trust their expertise and follow their instructions.
Respect the Wildlife: Remember you’re a guest in the lions’ home. Maintain a safe distance, avoid making loud noises or sudden movements, and never approach the animals on foot.
Bring the Right Gear: Binoculars are essential for spotting lions in the trees, and a camera with a good zoom lens will help you capture those magical moments.
The Future of Tree Tree-climbing Lions in Ishasha
The tree-climbing lions of Ishasha are in danger of extinction. The greatest threat to the lions comes from humans living near the park. The communities living near the park sometimes lead their animals into the park during the dry season in search of water and grass. Lions and other park animals also frequently wander outside park boundaries eventually coming into contact with human communities. The big cats find domestic animals very attractive and easier to catch, especially during the dry season and when thrown out of the pride. When they lose an animal to the lions, some individuals within the communities have resorted to setting up traps/snares and poison for the big cats.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has tried hard to ensure that there is a harmonious relationship between the communities living near the park and the park animals. UWA strives to ensure that the communities benefit economically from tourism through direct employment and giving back 20 percent of the money earned from tourism to the community. The park also compensates the locals whenever they lose their livestock to the lions and arranges for community sensitization meetings about the importance of the lions to the people and posterity. The Uganda Carnivore Project introduced lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park to help raise funds for lion conservation. You might want to find out more about our Uganda gorilla tour packages and how to make a booking from our Contact Us page.
Where to stay while visiting the tree-climbing lions
Although there are several good accommodation facilities available for visitors within Queen Elizabeth National Park, the ones in Ishasha are few. Let’s look at two of the more popular lodges in Ishasha.
Ishasha Wilderness Camp
This facility is suitable for travelers who desire to be close to nature and experience what it is like to live in the wild bushes of Africa. The camp is built on the banks of River Ntungwe – an area that is quite remote and relatively unspoiled. The camp offers 10 luxury tents with beautiful interiors, warm showers, clean toilets, and new mosquito nets. The tents face the river enabling one to see some of the park animals (elephants, hippos, antelopes, and small primates) come to bathe and drink by the river banks. Residents have an opportunity to meet by the campfire in the evening as they share stories about their adventures in Uganda.
Enjojo Lodge
Enjojo Lodge offers both mid-range and luxury facilities. The cottages offer enough comfort to allow you to relax as you look forward to the next day’s activities within the sector. While at the lodge residents can spot animals roaming freely inside the 40-acre property. Among the activities available for residents in Enjojo Lodge are fishing (tilapia, catfish, and lungfish) at Lake Akanyanza.
Bull Bush River Camp.
The camp has 3 bedrooms accommodating over 8 individuals, having toiletries, bathrooms with hot and cold showers, a flushing toilet, mosquito nets, drinking water, wooden chairs and tables, and slippers for each guest.
During your stay, you can enjoy the dining areas filled with delicious meals, a well-stocked bar with hard and soft drinks, laundry services, and free WI-FI helping you connect with the outside world.
Game drives that enable you to see tree-climbing lions, bird watching, game viewing where you spot animals like buffalos, zebras, elephants, leopards, and impalas, boat cruise at Kazinga Channel and visiting the locals, that is what you can engage in creating unforgettable memories of your stay.
Topi Lodge.
Located just five minutes from the southern gates of the Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park is Topi Lodge, this place makes you feel comfortable within the true wilderness and breathtaking landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Each of the rooms has a sofa where you get to sit and relax, private verandahs, flushing toilets, free toiletries, mosquito nets, and a bathroom with hot and cold showers.
Free parking space, free WI-FI, free breakfast, a restaurant serving local and international mouthwatering dishes, and a well-stocked bar that plays cool slow music that helps you meditate and enjoy every bit of your stay.
