Wildlife in Ishasha sector

 The Ishasha sector is among the places to visit in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is located in the southwestern part of Uganda. The sector is famous for tree-climbing lions, but you can see many other wildlife species during safaris in the Ishasha sector. The sector is in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It consists of woodland, savannah plains, and acacia trees.

Tree-climbing lions of Ishasha are known to come down and hunt their prey in the savannah plains. There are many other reasons that wildlife researchers have stated about their nature.

Reasons for lions’ behavior of climbing trees

One of them is that the lions use these trees as their viewpoints to locate and spot prey.

Another reason for the tree-climbing nature of the Ishasha lions is that they climb to avoid insects on the ground. The lions also use the trees for shade from the sun in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Most people know the lions in the Ishasha sector for climbing the fig trees and the acacia trees. There are many other wildlife species in Ishasa. These include Uganda kobs, leopards, elephants, buffalo, topi, bushbucks, colobus monkeys, waterbucks, and also hyenas.

Different parts of Ishasha are explored during the search for the wildlife species. For example, southern Ishasha is made up of fig trees, making it the best place to see the lions resting.

Another part of the sector to explore when searching for wildlife species is the northern part of the Ishasha sector. It consists of the Edward flats, where wildlife species like buffalo can be seen during a safari. Different bird species can also be seen around this part of Ishasha. These include egrets, Wattled Starlings, and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers, among other birds.

The Ishasha sector is used during drives between Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is home to mountain gorillas in Uganda.

Wildlife Activities to do in the Ishasha sector

There are also different activities that tourists can undertake during safaris around the Ishasha sector, and they include the following;

• Game drives

Game drives around the Ishasha sector are a major activity that tourists go for in the area, involving the search for different wildlife species.

During game drives in Ishasha, tourists look out for the tree-climbing lions among the acacia trees. Tourists do the activity in the morning or the afternoon. You can sometimes spot the lions on the ground in the shade of the trees when exploring the savannah plains.

The Ishasha sector provides an opportunity to watch predators like lions in action as they hunt their prey in the savannah plains. Catching the predator action in Ishasha is exciting. Many antelopes attract predators in the sector.

The uniqueness of the Ishasha game drives

Due to the remote nature of the Ishasha sector, tourists get to enjoy a more private wildlife viewing experience. This is because fewer tourists engage in game drives in this part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Most game drives are in the Kasenyi plains.

The best vehicle type to use during game drives in the Ishasha sector is the 4×4 safari vehicle. Safari Vacations and Travel Services has many such vehicles, and we can assure you of safe safaris. When driving in areas around the Ishasha River, tourists can spot hippos and also enjoy views of the forests in the surrounding areas.

Another destination where you can see the tree-climbing lions during wildlife safaris is Lake Manyara National Park in the northern part of Tanzania.

• Bird watching

Apart from seeing the different wildlife species in the Ishasha sector, one can spot many bird species in the area.

Some of the bird species you can see around the Ishasha sector during safaris include the Grey Woodpecker, Broad-billed Roller, Martial Eagle, Great Blue Turaco, and many others.

Other activities to take part in when visiting the Ishasha sector include guided nature walks along the Ishasha River. Visitors can encounter buffalo, see hippos, and also spot buffalo in the surrounding area.

One can also do Community tours around the Ishasha sector for a chance to experience the way of life of the locals.

Other parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park

Apart from visiting the Ishasha sector for wildlife viewing,g including the Kasenyi plains, the Kazinga channel, the Kyambura gorge, the Kalinzu forest, and the Mweya peninsula, among others.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to four of the big four,r including lions, leopards, buffalo, and elephants. It is also the second-largest national park in Uganda. This makes it an ideal place to look out for various wildlife species.

Safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park also involve engaging in game drives in the morning or afternoon around the Kasenyi plains. Tourists go for Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge, boat tours to the Kazinga Channel, hiking, bird watching, and also community tours.

Best time for wildlife viewing in the Ishasha sector

You can best undertake Wildlife safaris in the Ishasha sector during the dry season in June, July, August, and September. December to February is also dry. Hence, the road conditions are favorable for easily spotting the lions due to the thin vegetation. This is in contrast to the rainy season, when vegetation is lush and the roads get messy, making the search for the different wildlife species difficult.

How to get to the Ishasha sector

You can access the Ishasha sector by flights to Kasese airstrip or by driving for about 5 to 6 hours from Kampala to Kasese. You just need to book a safari with us, and you’ll experience the best of Uganda’s tourism resources.