Situated in the western region of the Great East African Rift Valley, Queen Elizabeth National Park covers an area of 1,250 square miles and includes a remarkable variety of ecosystems from semi-deciduous tropical forest to green meadows, savanna, crater lakes and swamps. It is home to a vast array of wildlife such as elephant, buffalo, hippopotamus, leopard and the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. It has been designated a Biosphere Reserve for Humanity under UNESCO auspices. Along the shores of Lake Edward and the Kasinga Channel are over five hundred bird species, including the shoe-bill stork, black bee-eater, eleven different species of kingfisher and several eagles and other raptors. Many of the crater lakes are home to spectacular flocks of flamingos.
The Kasinga Channel runs laterally through the park, joining Lake Albert with Lake George. Mweya Lodge is situated on a peninsula overlooking the estuary of the channel on Lake Edward, and from here one can take a launch trip along the channel to experience, at very close quarters, the day-to-day activities of the animal and bird inhabitants of the park. Camping and lodge accommodation are available on the Mweya Lodge on the peninsula and camping facilities are available at Ishasha in the south.
