Ruwenzori National Park was formerly known as Queen Elizabeth II National Park. It covers 1,000 km² (386 sq mi) in the southwest of Uganda. The park is bordered by the Rwenzori Mountains in the north and Lake Edward (Lake Rutanzige) in the west.

Most of the wildlife in the park was wiped out by the retreating troops of Idi Amin and Okello, but there are still buffalos, elephants, gazelles, leopards, lions and above all hippos. There are few places in Africa where you can see so many hippos. There are also numerous bird species.

A trip up the Kazinga Channel to see the hippos is very interesting. The area around Ishasha in the south of the park is especially scenic. The forests there are excellent for hiking.

There are several lodges around the park and near Ishasha there are some basic camp sites. The main entrance gate to Rwenzori National Park is on the Kasese-Katwe road. Another gate is at the town of Katunguru, on the Kazinga Channel. The park is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park ©Flowcomm