Lion Tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park : Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second largest and one of the most visited safari destinations in Uganda and it’s located in the western region in Kasese, Kamwenge, rubirizi and Rukungiri districts. The national park is a home to 95 mammal species including the big five which include buffalos, lions, elephants and leopards. Other animals include waterbucks, warthogs, Uganda kobs, and bushbucks, primates such as chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, and l’hoest monkeys as well as over 600 bird species.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the only destination in Uganda that offers an adventurous lion tracking experience where lion tracking experience is carried out and thus tourists drive around the park with a researcher allocated by Uganda carnivore project who will help them spot the lions. Lion tracking experience is carried out in Kasenyi plains and it’s done in the morning around 8:00 am or in the evening with radiation trackers which will help them to find lions that have radio collars placed around the neck. While on the lion tracking experience in the national park, it takes 1 to 3 hours where you get a close drive to the lions, monitor and learn more about their behaviors among others.
The lions are spotted lazily hanging up in the candelabra tree branches of acacia trees and sycamore trees in the savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. These lions are territorial meaning they make territories and they have to respect this rule or else the worst can happen between the two males of different prides. This might be the reason why they are called the king of the jungle thus two kings can’t rule one kingdom. Marking of territories is done in different ways as follows;
The male rubs its hind feet in the ground about 20cm deep. Such a serious sign to show that the owner of the territory is mean to his territory.
The male lions make territories by rubbing their mane in the shrubs to mark their territories. The mane of the male lion is black in color and the hair is different from the hair of the female lion.
The lion king goes on urinating on the tree stems around his territory to protect it from being taken by another pride.
All in all the lions are rulers and conquerors as shown in their ways of marking territories above. The male lions are mean and don’t want to be interrupted.
COST OF A LION TRACKING PERMIT
A lion tracking permit within Queen Elizabeth National Park costs 110 USD per person for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents and 140,000 UGX per person for both East African citizens. Lion tracking experience allows a limited number of people so as not to interrupt or interfere with the peace of the lions as well as enable tourists to take clear photos of the lions. Therefore tourists are advised to book in advance to enjoy the amazing experience.
BEST TIME TO GO FOR A LION TRACKING EXPERIENCE
Lion tracking experience within Queen Elizabeth National Park can be done all throughout the year but the best time is during the dry season which is known as the peak season within the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season there is less rainfall in the park thus vegetation will be thin and it helps to have a clear view of the lions as well as other wildlife species.
Besides lion tracking experience within the national park, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers other amazing activities such as game drives, bird watching, boat cruise, chimpanzee trekking within Kyambura Gorge and nature walks among others. All these activities make the safari within the park very enjoyable and memorable.
