2-day Queen Elizabeth National Park safari from Kampala

Tree-climbing lions hunt in the savanna alongside buffaloes and elephants on the same stretch of ground.

A 2-day safari tour from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park combines a morning game drive through the park with a boat ride on the 36-kilometre Kazinga Channel, where wildlife gathers on the banks. You travel by private vehicle, stay overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge, and return to Kampala the following afternoon after breakfast. The tour includes all transport, meals and a live English or French-speaking guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park

• Drive from Kampala to park
• Arrive at Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Check in at Mweya Safari Lodge
• Lunch and dinner at lodge

Day 2: Morning game drive and return

• Early breakfast at lodge
• Morning game drive in park
• Check out of park
• Stop at Equator for photos and shopping
• Lunch at Drum makers village
• Boat ride on Kazinga Channel
• Drive back to Kampala

The experience

The drive from Kampala covers roughly 400 kilometres southwest to the park, passing through cultivated farmland and stopping at the Equator for photos before reaching the Drum makers village near Mbarara for lunch. You arrive at Queen Elizabeth in the afternoon and board a boat on the Kazinga Channel at 3 o'clock, where kingfishers, crocodiles, buffaloes and elephants gather along the water's edge. Overnight accommodation is at Mweya Safari Lodge.

Day two starts before dawn with an early breakfast, then a game drive through the park in search of tree-climbing lions, leopards, hyenas, warthogs, Uganda kobs and other wildlife. After the drive ends, you check out and return to Kampala or your chosen address, retracing the route through Mbarara and stopping again at the Equator if you wish.

Private transportation means you travel in your own vehicle rather than sharing with other groups. Bottled water, breakfast and dinner are included throughout. Lunch on day one is at the Drum makers village. The guide speaks English or French and travels with you both days.

What’s included

• Private vehicle transport from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park and back.
• overnight accommodation at Mweya Safari Lodge (or alternative on request).
• breakfast and dinner both days.
• lunch at the Drum makers village on day one.
• morning game drive through the park on day two.
• afternoon boat ride on the Kazinga Channel on day one.
• bottled drinking water throughout.
• live guide in English or French.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (4 to 85 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 44 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by African Adventure Travellers

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or French, so you can follow the commentary comfortably if you speak either language. Private transport means your group travels alone rather than joining other visitors in a shared vehicle.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What wildlife will I actually see on the game drive at Queen Elizabeth?

The game drive targets tree-climbing lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, Uganda kobs, hyenas and warthogs. Sightings depend on where animals are on the day you visit. The guide knows the park and drives in search of them, but wildlife presence is never guaranteed.

What happens on the Kazinga Channel boat ride?

The boat ride on the 36-kilometre channel takes place at 3 o'clock on day one. You watch for kingfishers and other bird species, and spot buffaloes, elephants and crocodiles on the banks and in the water.

How long is the drive from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth National Park?

The park sits approximately 400 kilometres southwest of Kampala by road. The journey on day one includes stops at the Equator and the Drum makers village for lunch, so the full travel day is longer than driving time alone.

What meals are included in the 2-day tour?

Breakfast and dinner are included both days. Lunch on day one is at the Drum makers village during the drive to the park. You eat there as part of the itinerary.

What is Mweya Safari Lodge like, and can I choose a different hotel?

Mweya Safari Lodge is the standard overnight accommodation. Other lodging options are available. You can request an alternative when you book.