About this Experience

This experience, managed by Kikorongo Rest Camp, focuses on leveraging Queen Elizabeth National Park's phenomenal biodiversity, particularly around the wetlands of Lake George and the rich waters of the Kazinga Channel, which is a major birding hotspot. 🐦 The Birding & Boat Cruise Experience: The core of this tour is a combination of savanna and aquatic birding, offering two distinct habitat perspectives: 1. Morning Savanna & Crater Lakes Birding: Utilizing the diverse habitats near Kikorongo and the Kasenyi plains, which are rich in grassland and raptor species. The nearby Lake Kikorongo and Katwe/Munyanyange crater areas also host unique waterbirds. 2. Afternoon Kazinga Channel Launch Cruise: A relaxing and highly productive 2-hour cruise along the 32 km Kazinga Channel, the natural waterway linking Lake Edward and Lake George. The slow, eye-level perspective from the boat offers unparalleled viewing and photography opportunities for water-associated birdlife. Notable Bird Species and Encounters: Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts a checklist of over 600 bird species, one of the highest of any protected area in East Africa. 1. Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise Encounters: The Kazinga Channel is the main stage, offering close-up encounters with both aquatic birds and large mammals coming to the water's edge. Waders & Waterfowl Pink-backed Pelicans and Great White Pelicans often gather in large rafts on the channel. You'll see them fishing or resting in large groups. Kingfishers: Sightings of the brilliant Malachite Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, and Grey-headed Kingfisher perched on low branches or diving for fish are common and spectacular. Raptors: The iconic African Fish Eagle will be seen and heard, often perched on large acacia trees or soaring overhead. Unique Water Birds: Look out for the scarce and migratory African Skimmer (seasonal, with its unique lower-bill scooping technique), White-winged Tern, and the large Saddle-billed Stork. Mammal Encounters: Hippos in large "bloats" (pods), vast herds of Cape Buffalo wallowing in the mud, and Nile Crocodiles basking on the banks are guaranteed, often just meters from the boat. 2. Kikorongo & Kasenyi Plains Birding Encounters: Kikorongo Rest Camp is situated near the Kasenyi plains, offering open grassland and crater lake birding. Raptors & Vultures: Searching for large raptors like the Martial Eagle and various vultures (Rüppell's Griffon Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture) soaring above the savanna. Grassland Species: Key sightings include the Grey Crowned Crane (Uganda's national bird), Black-rumped Buttonquail, and colorful species like the Black-headed Gonolek and various weavers (Northern Masked, Slender-billed). Kikorongo Area Birds: Birding around Lake Kikorongo for water-associated species like Common Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, and Knob-billed Ducks.

Pricing & Capacity