Fodor's Expert Review Explosion Crater Drive

A stunning three-hour diversion along rocky tracks in northern Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Explosion Crater Drive runs between the Queen's Pavillion (turn off the Kikorongo-Katunguru highway at the Equator Markers) and the Kabatoro Gate (AKA the Main Gate) on the Katwe public road. You don't need a guide but a competent 4x4 driver and vehicle are a must. The drive is known for its scenic vistas rather than wildlife-viewing (though elephants are relatively common, lions are not unheard of, flamingos can be spotted seasonally and the crater environment is great for spotting birds of prey), the drive traverses the Katwe crater field. This area of the park is littered with steep-sided volcanic craters, each containing its own microhabitat, from ancient rainforest to a sulfurous lake. It's enough to make geologists of us all.