What is Kazinga channel boat cruise?

Kazinga channel boat cruise is a water boat activity that show cases across section of wildlife in Uganda. it is one of queen Elizabeth park tours that excites most visitors, and added on most Uganda safari packages. The 40km fresh water channel flowing west between lake George and lake Edward, dissects this conservation area into to; the southern and northern sectors. This is a shared or private two hour return trip that showcases wildlife on both journeys.

Why choose this experience?

The boat cruise ranks number one on things to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Anyone who wants to see a big variety of wildlife at close range would never miss to choose the Kazinga channel boat cruise This experience is a medley of wonders. You will be able to see almost everything in queen Elizabeth during this cruise. During the day, wildlife pours from north and south to cool off. Here you will find elephants, buffalo, water bucks, variety of birds, primates and the aquatic game such as the hippos, crocodiles, birds, and sometimes the cats coming to hunt. The big five safari in Uganda comes live on this boat experience.

While on the boat, you will ride past fishing communities. Here you will observe the life of some of the many communities that make queen Elizabeth qualify as a biosphere. With a ranger or guide aboard the boat, everything will be interpreted, leaving you conversant with the wildlife and people around the park and other nature reserves in uganda.

What is required to do the cruise?

It is so easy. this is how to do a boat cruise on Kazinga easily and cheaply. Pay the boat cruise fee, pay the park fee, arrive to the boat starting point in time 30 minutes before it starts. the park entrance fees help to facilitate Uganda wildlife conservation activities and it is paid once every 24 hours. If you have paid the park entrance fees to do any other activity in the park before and after the boat cruise (within 24 hours) then this entrance fee will cover the boat cruise and you wont have to pay an extra fee. Better keep your receipt well and close to you.

It is important to note that, there are two different popular boat cruise starting points. one is a community boat cruise and the other is for Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA). UWA is in charge of all Uganda’s national parks and wildlife reserves

What are the differences between the two options of boat cruises?

The community boat cruise starts from Katunguru bridge on Kasese Mbarara road, while the UWA boat cruise starts from Mweya peninsular inside the park. some factors depreciate the two boat cruises as you will see bellow.

• The Katunguru community boat cruise can be accessed by public means as it starts near a transport highway. Mweya boat cruise will require a private transport means to bring you to the starting point inside the park
• The Katunguru community boat cruise can go any time of the day based on availability of the clients. the Mweya boat cruise will only go two routes on specified times unless it has been hired by a party to go on any other time.
• The community boat cruise is smaller and takes a smaller number of people, with a minimum of 2-3 people for the cruise to start. Mweya cruise is huge and can take a large number of people with a minimum of 10 people for the trip to start.
• UWA boat is paid cashless while the community boats can be paid either cashless or with cash on arrival. different providers have different conditions.

The factors that equally apply to both boat cruises are;

• Both cruises require that you have paid your park entrance fees.
• boat cruises go on the same channel on a two hour return journey from opposite direction.
• both treks have interpretive guides on board. the community guide on the community boat and the park ranger on the UWA boat
• The boats are a popular trip for bird watching in Uganda, and ideal for wildlife photography in Uganda as they bring photographers at close range.
• Both cruises are at the same prices. one price for the Ugandan citizens and the other for the foreign foreign guests.
• both cruises see the same wildlife on the waters.
• both cruises require that you book in advance and arrive 30 minutes before the starting time

Is it easy to find local guides in the area?

Wildlife seekers have many options of finding local guides for their safari adventures in Uganda. Kazinga channel location at Katunguru tourism town has access to the local hub of guides and cars for hire. Most Uganda safari lodges have cars or guides attached to them. You will easily find guides at Katunguru if you didn’t find one in your hotel or with your Uganda travel company. In case both options don’t work, you can find a ranger guide from the local park office. Besides every boat tour goes with a guide who interprets nature during the cruise. If all options have not worked, you can contact the elephant home to arrange for you the transportation, and safari guide that is experienced, fully registered by government and professional.

What is the location of the cruise?

Queen Elizabeth national park, the home to Kazinga channel, is located in western Uganda. the parks total area size is around 234 miles and touches 4 different districts of Kasese, Rubirizi, Rukungiri and Kamwenge. The channel itself is located between Kasese and Rubirizi as a boundary of these two districts. Another key feature is that, the Kazinga channel connects the two major fresh water lakes; Edward and George both making a unique habitat for wildlife in Uganda

What else can you do before and after the cruise?

Before and after the boat cruise, you have a range of optional activities you can add to your trip. these include both community experiences outside the park and safari activities inside the park.

Activities you can do inside the park include;

• Wildlife safaris. this can be done on various routes that allow the guest to choose their preference.
• The lion tracking experience. this involves moving with the researchers to look for the colored lions.
• The chimp tracking experience in Kyambura,
• Tree climbing lion experience in Ishasha (southern sector)

Activities outside the park

• Katwe salt mining experience,
• Kikorongo village tour,
• The crater lakes tour in Bunyaruguru,
• The Kikorongo youth bodaboda safari,
• The equator stopover experience,
• Visiting the fishing villages,
• Vanilla and cocoa farming experience
• Migratory Flamingo viewing on lake Munyanyange between October and April every year.