The Kazinga Channel boat cruise safari is a must do activity in the Queen Elizabeth National Park – one of Uganda’s prime safari destinations that is home to a variety of big game. The boat cruise safari supplements the wildlife tour to Queen Elizabeth National Park with plenty of animals and birds along the channel as well as lovely views all around. In fact, you can miss the game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park but the boat cruise cannot be missed as it offers such up-close views of a number of wildlife that you may not get when on a game drive. The huge concentration of wildlife along the Kazinga Channel also makes this one of the best boat safaris in Africa.
The boat cruise tour is two hours long, enough time to watch as much wildlife as possible and enjoy relaxation
But what is the Kazinga Channel?
The Kazinga Channel is a large stream of water that joins two lakes George and Edward. The channel is 32 km (20 miles) and the waters flows east to west, from George to Edward.
The channel is an important eco system in the park as it harbors and attracts a plethora of wildlife. It is also a source of livelihood for the communities providing fish and water.
Animals to see during the Kazinga channel boat cruise
The channel provides great views of a number of animals and some of the animals commonly seen in and along the channel include:
- Buffaloes
- Elephants
- Hippos
- Crocodiles
- Warthogs
- Waterbucks
- Uganda kob
- Gian forest hog
- Warthogs
Common birds to see during the Kazinga Channel boat cruise
The Kazinga Channel is a birding paradise. The banks of the channel attract lots of water birds. Birdlife on the channel is at its best during the migration season from October to May/June when many Palearctic migrating birds make the channel their home.
The channel is one of the best places to see the African Skimmer.
Some of the birds at the Kazinga Channel include:
- African Skimmer
- Yellow-billed Stork
- Spoonbill
- Knob-billed Duck
- Egyptian Goose
- African Jacana
- Spur-winged Lapwing
- Water Thick-knee
- Pied Kingfisher
- Grey Heron
- Black Crake
- Cattle Egrets
- Goliath Heron
- Pelicans
- Gulls
- Terns
- Cormorants
- Fish eagles
- etc…
Where to take a boat cruise from?
The Kazinga Channel boat cruises are available at two places. At the Katunguru bridge where locals run wooden motorized boats on the channel. These are more affordable.
Another place is at Mweya peninsula adjacent to Mweya Safari Lodge. At Mweya the boat trips are provided by Mweya Safari Lodge and the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The boats here are more upmarket and slightly more expensive. If you would like a big executive boat then proceed to Mweya. Boats start at 2pm prompt.
What is the best time for the Kazinga Channel boat cruise?
Boat cruises are arranged at different schedules throughout the day. The afternoon cruise that starts at 2pm provides best big game sightings as elephants, antelopes and other animals move to the channel to drink water and cool off the heat.
Meanwhile the morning is the nature time for birdwatching.
The fishing villages on the Kazinga Channel
The Kazinga Channel accommodates both man and animal and it is such a phenomenon to witness, man and beast side by side. A woman fetching water from the channel while an elephant drinks from the same in few meters. You will see the Katunguru fishing village and watch as local people utilize the channel unbothered by the hippos and crocodiles a few meters away.