Journalists from Hii5 Radio and Radio Kinkizi today joined a delegation on a familiarisation tour of Queen Elizabeth National Park as part of the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s (UWA) 2026 Open Park Days, a three-day free-entry initiative running from September 25th to 27th ahead of World Tourism Day.
The tour brought together Kanungu District Tourism Officer, Madam Loyce, and Abdul Muhiire, Chief Executive Officer of Wild Run Uganda, alongside the visiting media team. The group toured several attractions inside the park, including Rweshama, and recorded sightings of a variety of wildlife during the excursion.
UWA launched the 2026 Open Park Days to waive entrance fees at select national parks and wildlife reserves , including Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Kidepo Valley, and reserves such as Ajai, Katonga, Toro-Semuliki, and Pian Upe , from September 25th to 27th.
The offer is open to Ugandan citizens and foreign residents, while international non-resident tourists pay standard fees. Visitors remain responsible for transport, accommodation, and optional activities such as boat cruises and guided game drives.
Speaking at the launch of this year’s World Tourism Day activities, UWA’s Acting Commissioner for Tourism and Business Development, Dorcus Rukundo, urged Ugandans to explore their own country before the national celebrations, saying, “Before we celebrate World Tourism Day, let us first explore Uganda.” She added that tourism is best understood through firsthand experience, calling on citizens to become active ambassadors for the country’s attractions and share their stories with the world.
This year’s global World Tourism Day theme is “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” highlighting the growing role of technology in how destinations are marketed and managed.
Established in 1952 and later renamed in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit, Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited savanna park, covering roughly 1,978 square kilometres between Lake George and Lake Edward.
It is best known for the rare tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector , one of only two lion populations in the world known to rest in trees , as well as the Kazinga Channel, a 32-kilometre waterway teeming with hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and birdlife. The park hosts over 600 recorded bird species and around 95 mammal species, making it one of the most biodiverse protected areas in Africa.
Journalists on the tour praised the initiative, noting that it gives ordinary Ugandans ,many of whom have never set foot in their own national parks due to cost the chance to connect with the country’s wildlife heritage firsthand.
