Mweya Peninsular

Mweya Peninsular is located on the Northern bank of the Kazinga Channel at the convergence of the channel with Lake Edward and Lake George, this is where Lake George joins Lake Edward.

Mweya Peninsular is historically the main tourist attraction and a focal point in Queen Elizabeth National Park – the most visited national park in Uganda for wildlife safaris. The area is 10 square kilometers covers part of the Kazinga Channel track, Katunguru gate and then the Kabatoro gate and a distinct vegetation mainly dominated by Candlestick thorn. The thick plans within the Mweya Peninsula make it and ideal area for game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Mweya Peninsular is located within Kasese district, Rwenzururu sub – region in western Uganda about 5 to 6 hours drive from Kampala capital city, from Kasese to Mweya Peninsula is about 66 kilometers’ drive southwest and 400 kilometers southwest of Kampala – the capital city of Uganda.

  Mweya Peninsula is one of the most exceptional areas for visitors to start their game viewing safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park and takes visitors from Nyamunuka Crater Lake, this area boasts of its remarkable game trails offering a great opportunity for visitors to spot variety of savannah wildlife including cape buffaloes, warthogs, waterbucks, hyenas, giant forest hogs, leopards, elephants and birds such as black – bee- eaters, malachite kingfishers, verreaux’s eagle owl among others.

Visitors on a tour in Mweya Peninsula can also take 2 hours’ boat cruise along Kazinga Channel which is conducted in the morning and afternoon. Visitors first register at Queen Elizabeth National Park head offices in Mweya, the boat ride begin at the landing platform beneath Mweya Safari Lodge.

The Mweya Peninsula’s proximity to Kasenyi and the North Kazinga plains means it is an ideal place to experience wildlife – filled game drives in the morning or evening.

In the peninsular there are a number of tracks for game drive which are followed and these are well maintained, following the signposting may be challenging from time to time and chances are that at one point you may lose track of your way. The major road within the park plus the Channel Track are both noticeable features to which the different tracks for game drives merge with at some point.

Majority of the visitors to the Mweya Peninsular also do the two-hour launch cruise on the impressive Kazinga Channel, the park operates a twenty – seater motorized vessel which runs two ride a day one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. However, time to time there are three cruises on a single day basing on the number of visitors interested in taking this fascinating tour.

Mweya Peninsular boasts splendid views over the water with sights stretching all through the Rwenzori Mountains.

History of Mweya Peninsula

The first evidence of existence of humans at Mweya actually dates back to close to 50,000 years back and this area has perhaps been occupied for the last thousand years. The first not so old account of this place was provided by an explore Stanely who arrived on the rim of the Mweya Peninsula in the month of July in 1889, however he recorded that he couldn’t see anything but only a “formless void” most probably due to the smoke from the bush – clearing fires.

At the time, Mweya only had 81 huts and had plenty of sheep and goats. However, in 1891 when Lugard reach this peninsula, the village was actually deserted possibly prior to Lugard’s part. As the century went by, the peninsula as well as the surrounding places were abandoned after epidemics of sleeping sickness plus rinderpest.

Legitimately the peninsula stayed closed to all human settlements until it was later declared a section of Queen Elizabeth National Park in 1952, although by that declaration several people had started settling within the Mweya. The Mweya Village today has an estimated population of 400 people and is today the main hub for tourist activities within the park.

What to do in Mweya Peninsular

Game Viewing

The main activity to do in Mweya Peninsular is game viewing, the area offers the best sights of several wildlife species including elephants, warthogs, waterbucks and many more.

The best time for game drives are early in the morning or late in the day when the animals are most active, the Mweya Peninsula’s thick foliage makes game drives a bit challenging. But with competent guides, you will have an incredible experience.

Mongoose Tracking

Tracking the mongoose is a unique experience, the banded mongoose are small animals that can grow to be between 30 and 45 cm long and weigh between 1.5 and 2.25 kg. There are around 400 mongooses living on the Mweya Peninsula in colonies with complex social structures.

You will work with a guide and a group of scientists who will utilize their knowledge to find the mongooses, your guide will share fascinating insights about the banded mongoose’s behavior and traits while you monitor the animals for around three hours.

Birding

Mweya Peninsula is a great destination for bird watching, some of the birds to look out for include malachite kingfishers, black bee-eaters, sunbird, swamp Nightjar, red – capped lark, swifts, swallows, tailed nightjars, lesser masked weaver and other.

Community walks

Mweya Peninsuala offers visitors a chance to interact with the local residents especially around the Mweya Safari lodge, you will have opportunity to learn about their lifestyles, traditions and unique cultures.

Best time to visit Mweya Peninsular

Mweya Peninsular can be explored at anytime of the year, but is best visited during the dry season running from June to September and from December to February. However, you can also visit during wet or rainy season which occurs from March to May and from October to November.

Where to stay

There are many accommodation options in and around Mweya Peninsular for visitors to stay, these include

• Mweya Safari Lodge
• Mweya Hostels
• Jacana Safari Lodge
• Park View Safari Lodge among others

How to get to Mweya Peninsular

Mweya Peninsula is situated in Queen Elizabeth National Park about 20 kilometers in the western side along Mbarara route from Kasese town, by road it is a drive of approximately 5-6 hours to Mweya Peninsula.

Alternatively, you can fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Mweya Airstrip or Kasese Airstrip.