Our People
  • Amy Waters snow biking Our Team

    Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.

  • William Dalrymple Our Tour Experts

    We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.

  • Liz Bonnin Heroes and Heroines

    The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.

A group of female kob antelopes, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Uganda’s most popular and accessible park and with good reason.

Uganda’s most popular and accessible park and with good reason. Most famous for the tree-climbing lions, the park is also home to most of the big game found in the more famous East African parks, but without the crowds.

Kyambura Gorge is home to a small chimpanzee population and an afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga Channel offers a different wildlife perspective. Herds of elephant come to drink at the water’s edge, whilst colourful water birds wade in the shallows alongside fishermen tending their nets in the setting sun.

Crater, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

A little more about Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in the western arm of the Great East African Rift Valley and encompasses Lake Edward and Lake George. The park is split into two areas, the northern sector in Mweya which has more game but more people, and the remote southern sector at Ishasha. The journey along the Kazinga Channel from Mweya is one of the most interesting for game viewing, as it is said to hold the world’s largest concentration of hippo.

Young male lion in tree, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

Why visit Queen Elizabeth National Park

  • Great game drives and a genuine East Africa safari experience without the crowds on our Highlights of Uganda holiday idea
  • Take a sunset cruise along the Kazinga Channel for birding, hippos and great photos
  • Head into the steep Kyambura Gorge to search for the seasonal troop of chimpanzees
  • Keep looking at those fig trees for lions lounging in the branches
  • Satisfy that sweet tooth with a local beehive tour and try some of the freshest honey around.

Experiences

A selection of activities and experiences you could consider including in your holiday to Uganda.

Lion Tracking

Join lion researchers on a game drive through the park, tracking collared lions. Benefit from being in the only vehicle allowed to drive off-road.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Cruise the Kazinga Channel

Spot hippos and crocodiles basking in the waters of the Kazinga Channel.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Chimps of Kyambura

Head into the steep Kyambura Gorge to search for the seasonal troop of chimpanzees.

Suggested lodge

Wildlife Safari

Take game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park for a genuine East Africa safari experience without the crowds.

Suggested camp

Need Inspiration?
Browse our Uganda holiday ideas.

Our Uganda experts have created and curated these holiday ideas to get you started. Take the time to search through them and find something to spark ideas for a unique adventure.

Where to stay

Some of the wonderful places to stay that we frequently recommended.

Kyambura Gorge Lodge £££££

  • Uganda
  • Safari and Wildlife Lodge

Colourful, bright and contemporary, this great little lodge feels like a Mediterranean garden home, livened up with coloured glass and even more colourful fabrics. The airy and light rooms, make clever use of light bamboo and simple furnishings to combine comfort and style. Huge, open living spaces in the main area, incorporate weathered pieces collected from around the site of the lodge in its former life as a working coffee plantation.

View Property

Ishasha Wilderness Camp £££££

  • Uganda
  • Safari and Wildlife Lodge

Ishasha Wilderness Camp is situated inside the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe River. The only upmarket accommodation in the area, it is an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness. Each of the camp’s ten spacious Meru tents is situated in a wooded area beside the river. All are comfortably furnished and have private en suite facilities.

View Property

Meet our experts

A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.

Illona Cross

Born in a small South African town, I have always followed my passion for nature and discovery. After studying Nature Conservation in Pretoria, I was one of the first women to complete a very tough cadetship in the Natal Parks Board. It was here where I cut my teeth in African wildlife management.

Talk with our experts
  • 01285 880 980

Chris Johnston

25 years ago, my first trip to Africa took on a life of its own. I planned for three months, I stayed for two years. Whilst there, I was mistaken for a priest, attacked by sharks and arrested. Yet the countless, clattering journeys opened my eyes to the beauty of the landscapes and the grace of the people. My recent trips are undoubtedly more comfortable, but the welcome is as warm as ever and the best experiences are still those I never see coming.

Talk with our experts
  • 01285 880 980

Start planning your trip


Send us an enquiry

Complete our enquiry form and start your next journey.

Enquire

Communication was particularly good and helpful when flight changes occurred during trip, and we needed support through an unplanned connection city

Uganda

Why Choose Steppes?

Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.

Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?


More about Steppes

F L E X I B I L I T Y P R O M I S E B O O K W I T H C O N F I D E N C E