2023-2024 Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise Safari Experience : See the wonders of the Kazinga Channel from the best vantage points by booking a Kazinga channel boat cruise safari. Discover the grazing hippos and bathing buffaloes as a knowledgeable ranger leads you through the breathtaking vegetation and fauna of the canal.
One of the things to do when on a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park is take a boat tour through the Kazinga Channel. The southwestern region of Uganda is home to Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the most well-known safari locations in the country. Boat tours in the Kazinga Channel are available where Lake Edward and Lake George converge.
A 32-kilometer-long attraction in Queen Elizabeth National Park is the Kazinga Channel. The Kazinga Channel is a naturally occurring channel that can be located in the Mweya Peninsula.
Lake Edward is located on the western side of the channel, and Lake George is on the eastern side of the Kazinga waterway. Locals call Lake Edward Rwitanzige; it is the smallest of Africa’s great lakes, a rift valley lake, and is also known as Lake Edward.
Another lake where the Kazinga Channel boat excursion is conducted is Lake George, a shallow lake located on the western side of the rift valley. Together, Lake Edward and the lake that it flows into create the Kazinga waterway.
Many elephants, buffalo, schools of hippos, Nile crocodiles, sitatunga, and other wildlife species can be spotted along the lake banks when taking the Kazinga channel boat tour. It is easy to spot these wildlife species while on a boat ride because they are known to congregate along the water’s edge to drink, especially during the dry season.
When visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Kazinga experience is a thrilling activity to partake in since the boats get close to the wildlife species and visitors may see and study the wildlife up close.
Bird lovers can observe a variety of bird species on the Kazinga Channel Boat ride, including fish eagles flying in the distance, cormorants, and storks beside the lake, bee-eaters, woodpeckers, kingfishers, and grey-crowned cranes, among others.
While some of the fishermen in the Katunguru fishing hamlet also fish on the Kazinga channel, tourists can also get a glimpse of local life while on a boat tour of the Kazinga channel.
Locals who live close to the Kazinga channel and the Katunguru region also run the boats used for the boat tour. These boat rides can be taken at your own pace and on your own schedule.
Tourists can also select the Uganda Wildlife Authority boat, often known as the UWA boat, when booking a Kazinga Channel boat cruise. This boat runs in the morning and afternoon. This boat is scheduled, with prices for foreign nonresidents of 30 USD, foreign residents of 25 USD, and East Africans of 30,000 Ugandan shillings.
The boats utilized for the Kazinga Channel boat excursion have a range of capacities as well. Some of the boats can accommodate over 40 people, while others can only accommodate 10 to 12. During safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park, these boats on the Kazinga Canal also provide both individual and group experiences.
While some of the boats are run by residents, tour companies, and resorts also own boats that offer the boat cruise activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the cost of the Kazinga Channel boat trip varies.
The Kazinga Channel Boat Ride is one of the resorts offered by Mweya Safari Lodge, which is situated close to the activity’s starting location. Tourists can enjoy a wildlife adventure as they approach the lodge because various wildlife species are known to frequent the Savannah Plains.
The Kazinga Channel boat cruise is a memorable experience because, in addition to being a safari activity, holidaymakers also plan weddings and anniversaries there.
During safaris to Queen Elizabeth National Park, the 2–3-hour Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise is conducted in the morning or the afternoon. A game drive or another activity in the national park can be added to the boat ride. Before the activity begins, the team providing the Kazinga canal boat trip gives a briefing to the participants, explaining the safety precautions and providing life jackets.
The dry season, which runs from June to October and also in the months of December, January, and February, is the ideal time of year to take a boat tour of the Kazinga Channel. This is due to the pleasant weather and the lack of precipitation. Booking the activity in advance is advised because the dry season is also a hot season and large numbers of visitors are anticipated to go on safari at that time of year.
Other activities in and near Queen Elizabeth National Park include game drives, bird viewing, cultural tours, chimpanzee trekking, lion tracking, and visiting the Katwe explosion craters, in addition to the Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise. For an amazing safari when visiting Uganda, reserve a Kazinga Channel boat tour with Focus East Africa Tours.
BOAT RIDE OPERATORS
The Mweya Safari Resort and the Uganda Wildlife Authority are the two independent boat tour providers. These journeys take two hours and cost about $30 per person. Visitors at Mweya Safari Lodge can choose between the elegant Kingfisher, which has twelve seats, and the Sunbird, which has ten comfortable seats.
Both boats have knowledgeable captains and crew members, but the Kingfisher lets you cruise in luxury by offering beverages and canopies to block the sun.
WILDLIFE IN THE KAZINGA CHANNEL
Many animals and birds can be seen in the canal, including a sizable population of hippos (around 2,000) and innumerable Nile crocodiles. Following your guide’s instructions is crucial since hippos, the third-largest terrestrial mammal in the world, may be hostile. More than 100 kinds of water birds, including the African Skimmer, as well as elephants, buffaloes, and other wildlife are also common.
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT THE KAZINGA CHANNEL BOAT CRUISE EXPERIENCE?
The finest way to view wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park is unquestionably on a boat tour through the Kazinga Channel. Due to its year-round green condition, the Kazinga Channel habitat is a true wilderness teeming with life. Between two well-known lakes in this park, Lake Gorge and Lake Edward, the channel stretches for 40 km. By the cross-border Lake Edward, the connection between these two bodies of water feeds this waterway into a larger ecosystem that stretches from the Kibale forest to the huge Virunga in the Congo. So, during this two-hour boat ride, guests get the chance to get a broad view of the environment of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Families can get together on the boat ride and relax together while in distinctive natural surroundings. When you take in the sights of this magnificent area and the wildlife during the trip, you’ll notice that your souls as family or friends will grow closer to one another. This will help you to reestablish your connection to both nature and your loved ones, 2023-2024 Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise Safari Experience
You will see that Kazinga Canal is a real example of coexistence in the ecology of Queen Elizabeth National Park during the boat ride. A diverse range of creatures will be visible all at once. When the animals cool off, you may come across herds of buffalo, hippos, and other creatures close to the channel’s border. Depending on the time of year, big flocks of terns and gulls that migrate to Europe cluster here. If you look closely, you might be able to see some crocodiles lying in the sun by the channel’s edge.
You have the option of ascending to the rooftop, which is secured by side rails, and seeing the ecology from the top of the boat. From here, you can get up close and personal with the big five and get unparalleled views of fishing eagles. The boat may occasionally sail by fishing canoes anchored to the coast or pass by fishermen in canoes engaged in usual fishing operations. The scenes of canoes on or off the water with the backdrop of the fishing villages will make for beautiful photo opportunities as you travel.
HOW TO BOOK A BOAT CRUISE EXPERIENCE ON THE KAZINGA CHANNEL IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
Booking and participating in the boat trip experience on Kazinga Channel have been made simpler for visitors. It will all be customized to your interests, whether you want to do it as part of your main wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park or at a different time outside of the typical timetable.
Sending us an email with the names, ages, and desired time of your boat cruise will serve as the straightforward booking process. The rest will be handled by us. Although we advise making the reservation at least a day in advance, you can always try your luck and book anything on the spot. Everything will be ready to take you on this unforgettable safari within a maximum of one day of the time of booking.
