Uganda’s tree Climbing lions are among the wider lion family; lions are the largest cats still roaming the African jungle. Lions help balance the ecosystem by maintaining the population of herbivore animals like buffaloes and different antelope species. Lions also act as prey on sick and weaker animals, helping reduce the spread of parasites and diseases. Click here to view mountain gorilla trekking tours 

Uganda is among the last strongholds of lions in Africa. Lions can be spotted in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park. Uganda is estimated to be accommodating about 400 lions; approximately over 130 can be sighted in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda's most visited national park. Click here to see our recommended mountain gorilla trekking safaris 

Queen Elizabeth National Park receives enough rain fall that helps retain its scenic beauty for most parts of the year. Queen Elizabeth National Park stands out because of its wonderful landscape, including Maramagambo Forest, Kyambura Gorge, Kazinga Channel, and craters. Birding population and wildlife species, mostly the rare tree-climbing lion, which is one of the key leading tourist attractions in Uganda.

Where to sight tree-climbing lions in Africa

Adult tree-climbing lions are so rare. Most lions stay away from trees once they are a certain size; once they are surrounded by a herd of buffaloes, climbing tree branches is the only option. Queen Elizabeth National Park tree-climbing lions are mainly scattered in the Ishasha sector of the park, and tree-climbing lions can also be seen at Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.

The Ishasha sector offers a whole pride of tree-climbing lions that can be spotted on a relaxing tree branch, making Queen Elizabeth National Park an ideal place to sight tree-climbing lions. Please check out our Uganda and Rwanda safari packages for more quality information about visiting one of Africa’s last surviving true wildernesses. We put together Rwanda safari packages with all the information about the home of the endangered mountain gorillas, volcanoes, and rolling hills.

Why do some lions climb trees?

Many lions keep staying on the ground and leaving tree-climbing issues for their cubs or other smaller cats, such as leopards. The lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Manyara have, however, deviated from their normal behavior and can be spotted lazing around acacia and fig trees either early in the morning or in the afternoon.

Tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park have made some people believe that lions have the ability to climb trees like all other cats. Lions climbing trees should not be a surprise, given the fact that most cats do, since lions also have sharp claws. Many believe that the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector have adapted such behavior from countless generations of lion prides.

Many lion researchers think that these lions climb trees in order to avoid bites from pests and insects such as tse-tse flies and mosquitoes that are on the lower ground. while researchers also believe these lions climb trees to run away from midday heat on the ground, especially in the dry season. So they climb tree branches to enjoy the cool breeze and relieve themselves from the great afternoon heat.

Lions also climb trees to get uninterrupted rest while monitoring their entire territories for prey and other competitors, such as leopards and hyenas. Tree-climbing lions can be seen in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.

The ishasha sector is located remotely in remarkable Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Ishasha sector consists of mainly savanna grasslands and riverine forests. The Ishasha sector is attached to a variety of attractions in Queen Elizabeth National Park when visitors actually go to experience the tree-climbing lions. Most travelers to Queen Elizabeth National Park visit the Mweya and Kasenyi plains for unlimited game drives, boat cruises on the Kazinga channel, chimpanzee tracking within Kyambura Gorge or Kalinzu Forest, and taking nature walks in the Maramagambo forest. Travelers are usually satisfied after spotting the lion prides within the Kasenyi sector.

How to reach the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park

Travelers always reach the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth by road or flight. There is an airstrip in Ishasha, giving tourists who are interested a chartered flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield directly into the park. Tourists who wish to explore the Ugandan countryside and small towns leading to this magical national park can join our drive from Kampala or Entebbe to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Mbarara in an exceptional journey that may take approximately six hours.

The Ishasha sector can also be reached from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park after your mountain gorilla trekking. The journey for mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi takes between 2 and 3 hours from the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha sector is open to visitors on a Uganda safari all year round. The dry season (June, July, and August) is regarded as the peak season for travelers in Uganda. This season is the best for a safari because the park roads are less muddy and less forested, and the lions are easier to locate.

The months of April, May, September, October, and November are considered a low season due to a lot of rain, but more ideal for bird-watching. Please look out for our 11-day Uganda Wildlife Safari Package if a traveler wants to combine a game drive in the Ishasha sector with other activities such as the gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Forest, Mgahinga, or even Rwanda safaris.

What other activities can a traveler do within the Ishasha sector and Queen Elizabeth National Park?

The Ishasha sector and Queen Elizabeth National Park are famous for the tree-climbing lions, but there are other endless activities that travelers can participate in while there. The Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park cultural visits: while in Ishasha, a traveler can request a local tour for the Bakiga community. They can also engage in the chimpanzee at Kyambura Gorge, Kalinzu Forest, enjoy a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel, and visit the Katwe salt mining site.

Queen Elizabeth National Park and Ishasha Sector Game Drive takes tourists to see many animal species, such as Topi, Kobs, bush bucks, warthogs, water bucks, buffaloes, lions, elephants, baboons, leopards, and bird species like black coucals, compact weavers, herons, and storks.