The Lion King

Our next stop was the Queen Elizabeth National Park. In four hours we left the rainforest and were back in the hot savannah with big game.  Enroute we came upon on elephant family of about eight trying to cross the busy road. They were amazing and so close!

We swung off the highway and passed through an extremely poor village before reaching our next lodge, Katara, on the edge of the national park.  The breathtaking views provided the true Lion King experience.  The mesmerizing beauty stretched as far as the eye could see. Our room was extravagantly appointed, but of course very little lighting and no blowdryers allowed.  There seems to be a bad hair conspiracy in Uganda.

After an evening of listening to the local farmers make noise (including gun fire) to scare elephants out of their garden, we were up watching the sunrise over the Rwenzori Mountains and looking for lions. Richard's tracking skills are the best and we saw a lioness and her cubs on the move, two males resting extremely close to our path and another lioness sleeping in a tree. They were beautiful and so peaceful.  It's good to be the top of the food chain.

We skipped our afternoon boat ride in favor of happy hour and the lovely Katara Lodge view. This evening's excitement included an earthquake.  My first I believe, and Carrie and I thought it was just elephants again.

On our way to Bwindi, we visited Ishasha, the southern part of Queen Elizabeth Park.  This area is known for lions who like to sleep in trees. We found one perched in a fat fig tree.  This was the perfect lion sighting with no other safari vehicles around.  It was time to leave the savannah and head to the rainforest in search of gorillas!