Queen Elizabeth National Park, located in the Southwestern part of Uganda is one of the most visited Uganda National Parks and has got a variety of animal and bird species. The Ishasha sector, South of the park is especially popular for Tree Climbing Lions that often times are spotted lurking about in fig trees in the park.
The landscape of Ishasha sector is mainly Savannah grasslands and riverine forests, quite distinct from that in other parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Although the Ishasha sector does not receive as many visitors as the Mweya side of Queen Elizabeth National Park, it non-the-less provides great wildlife encounters during game drives, notable among which are;
Tree Climbing Lions:
About three prides of the Tree Climbing Lions live in Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park and are often times seen lurking around in trees in the park. Although not definitively clear why these lions like to climb trees, locals believe that the lions climb to get a clear view of their unsuspecting prey and to steer clear of the Tsetse flies on the ground. The lions usually climb trees during the wet season.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is also known for; antelopes, hyenas, big herds of buffaloes, elephants, hippos near the Ishasha River among many other animal species.
Bird Watching:
Uganda’s year-round conducive climate, vegetation cover and abundant water sources are partly why it is one of the best places in Africa for bird watching tours. Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to lots of bird species including herons, black coucal, storks, compact weaver among many others. This makes it a good destination for bird watching tours in Uganda. Lake Edward and Ishasha River support birdlife and wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park up to the Ishasha sector in the South.
How to get to Ishasha
Booking with a tour company in Uganda is the best way to access Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. African Pearl Safaris for example will provide you with a reliable 4×4 safari vehicle to make sure that you reach even the hard to reach parts of Ishasha safely. The route via Kihihi and Ishaka is quite dependable whereas the road from Katunguru to Ishasha is seasonal and may be unreliable during the wet season.4567m
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