Tree Climbing Lions in Uganda

Uganda harbors tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park with this particular area known for its open savannah and fig and acacia trees. Queen Elizabeth is located in western Uganda, spanning the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Bushenyi, and Rukungiri, which covers an area of 1,978 km², with the largest percentage in Bushenyi (50%), followed by Rukungiri (33%), Kasese (11%), and a distance of 376 km by road from Kampala. The park is the oldest and was gazetted in 1952.

Lions are not natural climbers. Unlike leopards, which are well-adapted to tree life, lions are large and heavy, and climbing can be difficult. However, in Ishasha, lions have adapted this behavior, and it's become a defining trait of the local population. The sector is known for its open savannah and fig and acacia trees which is ideal for this rare behavior as entire prides can often be seen lounging in the branches of fig and acacia trees, especially during the day when it is hot. Although tree-climbing lions have also been spotted in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania, they are seen more frequently and consistently in Ishasha, making Uganda the best place to observe this phenomenon. The habit appears to be learned and passed down from adults to cubs, which suggests a cultural component to the behavior which is rare among wild animal populations and indicates a level of behavioral adaptation to the local environment.

Away from the famous tree-climbing lions, Queen Elizabeth is home to 95mammals like lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, hyenas, antelopes, hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, oribis, chimpanzees, black and white colobus, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, giant forest hogs, warthogs, red-tailed monkeys, and many more; 600 bird species like pink-backed pelican, black-headed gonolek, African skimmer, African finfoot, black bee-eater, red-chested sunbird, saddle-billed stork, papyrus gonolek, double-toothed barbet, grey-crowned gonolek, martial eagle, African fish eagle, white-tailed lark, and many more. It also has a diverse ecosystem, which includes a sprawling savanna, humid forests, sparkling lakes, and fertile wetlands making it the perfect habitat for wildlife.

Activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park

These are some of the activities that can be enjoyed by visitors while at Queen Elizabeth National Park which shows tree-climbing lions together with other mammals and birds that call the park home.

Lion Tracking

This is different from the normal game drives as it targets lions both ordinary and tree-climbing lions. Queen Elizabeth is famous for having the largest population of tree-climbing lions in the world, these are found in the Ishasha sector. Queen Elizabeth is the only park that offers lion tracking as an activity and this is only done in Kasenyi plains sector and tourists get close to the lions in their habitats, learning about their behaviors, feeding habits, and hunting skills. This is led by experienced and knowledgeable researchers from the Uganda Carnivore Program and it’s either done early in the morning or evening and lasts between 1-3hours. Tracking requires prior booking through African Pearl Safari.

Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park has one of the best spots in Uganda for game drives. The Kasenyi plains in the northeast of the park are especially popular for animal spotting as a tourist can find a variety of notable creatures like lions, tree-climbing lions, elephants, leopards, spotted hyenas, jackals, buffaloes, kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, and forest hogs. The game drive circuits not only offer the scenic views of animals and birds but also the natural beauty of the open savanna tropical rainforests and myriad of crater lakes and all this is done with a game ranger or guide.

Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge

This is an activity where a tourist will take a stroll through the forests in order to experience the site of primates. This is mainly done in the ‘Valley of Apes’, Kyambura Gorge and this gorge shows off a unique world to the tourist. The vegetation is perfect for primates and here a tourist must see or meet chimpanzees which is not the case in other parks like Kibale National Park. When tracking a tourist will see the chimpanzees in their comfort, swinging, eating, and playing, the tracking takes about 2-4hours with a guide and other primates like vervet monkeys, black and white monkeys, blue monkeys, Mona monkeys, olive baboons, grey checked mangabey monkeys, l’hoest’s monkeys and red colobus monkeys can also be sighted.

Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Birding is an experience truly enjoyed as the park has more than 600 species of birds with some internationally recognized by the International Birding Association. Spots like the Maramagambo forest and Kalinzu allow the presence of birds, most of the birds can be seen along the Kazinga channel like cormorants, kingfishers, flycatchers, and fish eagles. Migrating birds can be seen from November-April and an observatory was created in 1997 to study migratory and resident birds in the parks. The different species include finfoots, yellow bills, robin chat, warblers, flamingos, shoe bills, green pigeons, martial eagles, martins, black crake, and many more with the best time for viewing is in the mornings.

Boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park

This happens at the Kazinga channel section of the Queen Elizabeth National Park where tourists are exposed to a 40km long stream of water that connects Lake George to Lake Edward and is located beneath the Mweya Peninsula close to Mweya safari lodge. This boat cruise is the highlight of Ugandan safaris and is a 3-4-hour-long activity conducted by professional guides with information and history needed by a tourist and it’s done twice a day. However, exceptions are made when the need arises and the cruise is launched thrice a day. Animals like hippopotamus, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, antelopes, and bushbucks with birds like spoonbills, fish eagles, kingfishers, herons, and shoebill stocks can be sighted during the cruise.

Guided nature walks in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Nature walks are another exclusive way to explore the scenic views and ecosystems of the park with a guide who will in detail give information to the tourists about the importance of wildlife. These walks can be done in the morning or evening and take about 2-3 hours with a trained armed ranger to ensure the tourists' safety. The famous trails are Maramagambo Forest, Kyambura Gorge, Mweya Peninsular, and Ishasha. Birds like robin chart, chest-nuts, African finfoots, and bats with animals like elephants, buffaloes, hyenas, leopards, warthogs, and forest hogs with primates like chimpanzees, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and red-tailed monkeys can be sighted.

Community tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Cultural experiences in Queen Elizabeth National Park are very exciting to get involved in and tourists almost always have it added to their planned activities. Tourists are fully involved and immersed in the community to understand and appreciate their ways of life. Activities like dance, drama, music, fire making, crafting, harvesting, and salt mining are available for tourists to partake along with other activities like lion tracking, bird watching, and chimpanzee tracking. Some of the known communities are the Kikorongo women communities, omwani coffee plantation, leopard village, nyanzibiri cave community, kabatoro community, and katwe salt lake community.

The best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park depends on personal preferences and the type of experience you are seeking, however, the best time to consider is the dry season which is June-September and December-February which ensures easy navigation, spotting of the wildlife and clear skies, especially for the birders.