Safari with Rob and Lou - 4 Queen Elizabeth National Park

After Bwindi we drove down steep mountain roads to the southern, Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth NP and then north-east to our home for the next four nights - QE Bush Lodge.  Soon after we were settled into our tents I was startled by a huge Forest Hog that wandered past.  I’m not sure how dangerous these are but it was a massive male and I read later that they weigh up to 235 kg and are typically twice the size of a Warthog - so I didn’t challenge his right to pass through our campsite.

Giant Forest Hog

The helpful team at Bush Lodge removed our car’s roof rack which by now had another two broken struts.  It was sent into the nearest town on the back of a motorbike taxi to get welded up and returned a few hours later better than new.  It gave us no more trouble and the repairs cost only $Aus 28 which was reimbursed by Roadtrip Uganda.

Kazinga Channel near Lake Edward

Sunset over Kazinga Channel from Bush Lodge.

Over the next few days we took a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel that drains water from Lake George into Lake Edward (which in turn connects with Lake Albert and the Nile River) and drove the trails on the northern side of the channel.  Rob took one morning off to tempt birds with his mealworms (brought all the way from Australia) around the camp.  He missed out on a nice sighting of a somewhat dusty Papyrus Gonolek in roadside papyrus near the bridge over the channel.

Nile Monitor

Palm-nut Vulture

Egyptian Goose

African Elephant

Marabou Stork and Nile Crocodile

Pink-backed Pelican and White-breasted Cormorant

The drives were excellent with lots of mammals including distant, well hidden lions, a Zebra Mouse, abundant Kob, Warthogs, Buffalo, Elephants and a Uganda Grass-Hare.  Birding was similarly rewarding with many new species and great photo opportunities and light conditions.

Cape Buffalo with Western Cattle Egrets in attendance

Kob

Kob

African Elephant

Common Warthog

Hippopotamus

The park is spectacular with the diverse habitats and good network of trails.  We particularly enjoyed the Katwe Explosion Crater section with its deep crater lakes surrounded by lush acacia forest.  Bush Lodge was an excellent place to stay and could only be improved with a swimming pool.  Jenny and Lou enjoyed a swim at the very high-end Mweya Safari Lodge one afternoon.  

Crowned Lapwing

Senegal Lapwing

Temminck's Courser

Grey-backed Fiscal

Ring-necked Dove

Marabou Storks like to look their best

Common Buttonquail

African Paradise Flycatcher

The only negative was the condition of the access roads.  This is the most visited park in Uganda and the roads in are dreadful.  From Kampala you can either enter via the southern Ishasha section with its long stretch of dusty corrugations or via Mbarara into the central section.  This has about two hours of the most potholed bitumen imaginable.  Either access route is an embarrassment to the people of Uganda.  The contrast with the road conditions leading to Murchison Falls or Kidepo Valley National Parks is stark.

We did enjoy a couple of signs...

I think "Check for mongooses before starting your car" should be a motto for life.

Sometimes it's obvious what they mean...