A safari in Uganda is all about sights and sounds. And these are never disappointing. Some sights are widely known and expected, others you come across and are surprised by the beauty of it all. The Kazinga Channel is one such place.
There are a number of places to visit in western in the Queen Elizabeth National park area. The kazinga channel is one of those places. Although rarely talked and raved about, it is an experience of nature that shouldn’t be missed.
A boat ride on this channel is quite the experience. You will be treated to an awesome sight of elephant herds, buffaloes, antelopes, and thousands of birds. Not forgetting that the channel has the highest concentration of hippos in Uganda. This short channel of water is a tapestry of nature. The slow boat ride from Mweya into Lake Edward is an experience that many who have been there, would like to repeat. This boat launch has been in existence since 1952, and is quite popular with visitors to Queen Elizabeth national park and the Mweya area.
What are some of the sights on the Kazinga Boat safari?
The two hour boat ride along the channel gives you the opportunity to see the hippo population of QENP, large herds of elephants- some herds are as big as a hundred elephants. Watching these huge mammals frolic and bathe in the water is quite a sight.
In kazinga channel you do not see one species of wildlife alone and then travel for miles before you see another species, they are all intermingled in the same space. So you will see antelopes, buffaloes, crocodiles, and monitor lizards, all enjoying the environment in and around the channel.
For about 8 to 10 years there were no crocodiles in kazinga channel, in the middle of the last century, however, crocodiles reappeared in the channel as paths were opened for them from River Semiliki, Lake Edward and beyond.
For the avid bird watcher, the kazinga channel is a prime place for bird watching. While on the boat safari you can see up to 60 different species of birds. Many of these are water birds. Some of the birds you might see on the boat launch along the kazinga channel include: the Great White and Pink-Backed Pelicans, African Shoebill, Yellow Billed Stork, Great and Long Tailed Cormorants, Open-Billed Stork, Saddle Bill Stork, Darters, Black Crake and Jacana.
All in all, the kazinga channel is a beautiful work of art everywhere you look. You will want to capture every moment on camera so you do not forget how beautiful the scenery is.