Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the most impressive and major attractions that one does not want to miss out on, visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is a must do activity. The Kazinga channel connects two of the biggest water bodies in Uganda, thus Lake Edward on the West, border with Dr. Congo and Lake Gorge on the East, and its 32 Km stretch. The Kazinga channel is well known for boat cruises with the boarding point being at Mweya area, next to Mweya Safari Lodge, downstream at the channel.
The Kazinga Channel
The Kazinga channel is well known for the thousands of hippos and large Nile crocodiles, that is a must size on a boat cruise along the channel.
The look of the Kazinga channel, from Mweya peninsula at the Mweya Safari lodge of Mweya restaurant, is very impressive, just staring at the boats and wildlife from that cliff angle, is very attractive, before one goes down the gorge where the boat dorks to take a boat ride, you will be already filled with great imagination and satisfaction of the boat cruise.
You may opt to drive down the gorge, or take a walk to stretch and enjoy the wonderful cliff road down the tunnel to the boat dork point, as your driver drives down. Monitor lizards, birds and some wildlife are often encountered as one walks down the gorge.
The view is spectacular, and breathtaking, for the photographers, you can get a great shot from here, and wildlife can be sighted from a distance. If you have a pair of binoculars, you’re sorted out and if you have a great lens camera, you will get the best of the channel photos from the peninsula.
Boat Cruise at Kazinga Channel
2 hours on Kazinga Channel scenic boat cruise, bring you very close to elephants, hippos, waterbucks and water buffaloes. Also crocodiles and birds cross your way as you enjoy the ride. These are often found at the riverbank, soaking themselves into the mud, as they cool off and sun bath. There is array of wildlife that stretch endlessly along the water banks you will watch closely as they are used to the boat movements.
The boat ride is for 2 hours, and there are a number of scheduled boat trips, from Marassa group of Companies and Uganda Wildlife Authority. Both offer magical experience, depending on who you book with. The boats are scheduled for 11 am, 1pm, 3pm, up to 5pm. Depending on your interest and itinerary, you’re free to choose which you would wish to go for.
Smaller lighter private boats can be hired out, at a reasonable cost, for those who want a private treat, to avoid the big crowded boats, and those who have special interest like bird watching and photography, we recommend you take a private boat, to get close to the choice of interest.
There are also community boats available towards the bridge that do run boat trips along the channel as well.
Bird life at Kazinga Channel
Those who would like to go bird watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and are in love with the winged ones, this is a must visit place for your birding excursion, as Queen Elizabeth is known for harboring over 600 bird species, majority being spotted at the channel. A number of water birds are often seen during the boat ride. However, if you’re keen with birds, take a special boat with a private bird guide, who will fuel your interest.
There is a fish village local market at the channel bridge, towards the main road, where one can as well have a great interaction with the local community, who meets the fishermen early morning as they return from their night catch. You will catch up with great heated jazz, observing the interaction. You can as well opt to buy out fish and have some prepared for you. The most delicious salty fish are caught here.
A boat cruise on Kazinga channel on your Uganda Safari itinerary, is highly recommended, to make you encounter what you missed out on your game drive at Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Other than boat cruise at the Kazinga channel, tourists visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park, can as well do game drive in in the park, both at Kasenyi side and Ishasha sector, one can have a nature walk, primate and wildlife trek experience, lion tracking experience, visit to numerous crater lakes, nature walk, visit to Maramagambo forest reserve, visit to Kyambura gorge for nature walk and chimpanzee trekking, bird watching excursion, fishing at the lakes, visit to Lake Katwe salt mines and community encounter experience, to mention but a few.
A game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park is great, but boat cruise on Kazinga Channel is phenomenal, very successful and rewarding at the end. It’s always the highlight of a visit to Queen Elizabeth in addition to the tree climbing lions of the Ishasha, in case one adds a visit to Ishasha.
