Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth Safari
Uganda’s two finest savannah parks reward different instincts — one built around a thundering Nile gorge, the other around fig-tree lions and a hippo-choked channel. A Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth Safari pairs both in a single week: Rothschild’s giraffe and shoebill storks in the north, then tree-climbing lions and the Kazinga Channel in the west. Two signature boat cruises, two landscapes, no primate permits required.
This guide covers realistic day counts, the road corridor between the parks, UWA fees, and a day-by-day shape that keeps you on wildlife tracks rather than transfer roads. For a park-by-park comparison, see our Murchison vs Queen Elizabeth guide.
Why combine Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth
Murchison Falls National Park spans roughly 3,840 square kilometres along the Victoria Nile — Uganda’s largest protected area. Game drives on the northern Buligi Peninsula produce elephant, buffalo, lion and Uganda kob, and the park holds the world’s strongest population of Nubian giraffe, numbering over 1,500 animals. The UWA launch cruise from Paraa runs 17 kilometres upstream to the base of the falls, where the entire river is forced through a seven-metre gorge.
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers 1,978 square kilometres of crater lakes, savannah and papyrus wetlands beneath the Rwenzori Mountains. UWA records 95 mammal species and more than 600 bird species. Its exclusives are the tree-climbing lions of the southern Ishasha sector and the Kazinga Channel — a 40-kilometre waterway linking Lakes Edward and George where hippos, crocodiles and elephants crowd the banks almost continuously.
Both parks hold four of the Big Five. Murchison adds giraffes and pairs with Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary — 176 kilometres north of Kampala — for on-foot white rhino tracking. Together they form Uganda’s strongest pure-savannah week.
Suggested itinerary: six to eight days
Most well-paced safaris run six to eight days. Shorter trips sacrifice either Ishasha’s lions or a second game-drive morning.
Days 1–2 — Murchison: Transfer from Entebbe or Kampala, about 305 kilometres and five to six hours via Masindi and Kichumbanyobo Gate. Optional rhino stop at Ziwa. Day two: morning game drive on the Buligi tracks, then the afternoon Nile launch cruise — UWA boats depart Paraa at 09:00 and 14:00.
Day 3 — Transfer: Drive south via Hoima, Kyenjojo and Fort Portal — roughly 336 to 435 kilometres and six to eight hours. Break for lunch in Fort Portal or overnight there rather than arriving at Queen Elizabeth after dark.
Days 4–5 — Queen Elizabeth: Morning game drive on the Kasenyi Plains, then the afternoon Kazinga Channel cruise from Mweya — UWA departures at 09:00, 11:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Day two: drive to the Ishasha sector for tree-climbing lions, roughly two to three hours from Mweya.
Days 6–8: Return to Entebbe via Mbarara, or extend with chimpanzee tracking at Kibale, a Murchison delta shoebill cruise, or a third game-drive morning. See our best Uganda safari itineraries for longer circuits.
Getting between the parks
The standard route runs south from Murchison through Hoima and Fort Portal to Queen Elizabeth’s northern gates at Katunguru or Kasenyi, avoiding back-tracking through Kampala. From Mweya to Paraa, plan seven to eight hours in a pop-up-roof 4×4 — not a distance to compress if you also want a game drive at either end.
Aerolink Uganda flies from Entebbe to Murchison’s Pakuba airstrip and to Mweya near Queen Elizabeth — about 60 to 90 minutes in the air versus a full day on the road. Our fly-in vs road safari guide compares options. Most travellers start at Murchison and finish at Queen Elizabeth if continuing west to gorillas.
Wildlife highlights at each park
At Murchison, Rothschild’s giraffe browse among Borassus palms on the northern plains — a species absent from Queen Elizabeth entirely. Elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard concentrate along the Buligi Peninsula and Queen’s Track, while shoebill stork haunt the Nile Delta swamps.
At Queen Elizabeth, Kasenyi Plains deliver reliable lion and Uganda kob sightings. The Kazinga Channel puts you within metres of hippos and crocodiles without leaving the boat. Ishasha’s tree-climbing lions — lounging in fig branches during warmer afternoon hours — are the park’s headline and occur nowhere else in Uganda.
Park fees and activity costs
Under the UWA tariff valid July 2024–June 2026, foreign non-resident adults pay US$45 per 24 hours at Murchison and US$40 at Queen Elizabeth (children aged five to fifteen pay US$25 and US$20; under-fives free). Activities are charged separately: day game drives US$25 per guide at both parks, the Murchison launch trip and Kazinga Channel cruise each US$30, and the Top of the Falls hike US$15. Ziwa rhino tracking adds roughly US$50 per person.
A mid-range six- to seven-day safari with road transfers typically runs US$2,200–3,800 per person, depending on lodge tier and whether you add Ziwa, Ishasha or a fly leg.
Best time to travel
The dry seasons from June to September and December to February concentrate wildlife at the Nile banks and Kazinga Channel and keep murram roads firmer on the Hoima–Fort Portal corridor. April–May and October–November bring green scenery, excellent birding and fewer vehicles; allow extra time after heavy rain on park tracks.
Accommodation and pacing
At Murchison, base near Paraa on either bank — north-bank lodges require the Paraa ferry (07:00–19:00). At Queen Elizabeth, Mweya suits Kazinga cruises and Kasenyi drives; Ishasha lodges put you close to tree-climbing lions. Two nights at each park is the practical minimum — one full day per park for drives and cruises, plus the transfer day between them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many days do you need?
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Plan at least six days — two nights at Murchison, one transfer day, and two nights at Queen Elizabeth. Seven or eight days allows Ishasha lions, a delta shoebill cruise, or Ziwa rhino tracking without rushing.
- Which park should you visit first?
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Most travellers start at Murchison because it is closer to Entebbe. Either order works; breaking the transfer in Fort Portal matters more than the sequence.
- Can you see tree-climbing lions and Rothschild’s giraffe on the same trip?
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Yes — giraffes occur only at Murchison and tree-climbing lions only in Queen Elizabeth’s Ishasha sector. That contrast is the main reason to combine the parks.
- Is the transfer too long?
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It is a full day, but the Hoima–Fort Portal route passes productive Rift Valley scenery. An overnight in Fort Portal or a fly leg via Entebbe keeps it manageable.
- Can the itinerary be customised?
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Yes — add Ziwa rhinos, a delta cruise, chimpanzee trekking, Ishasha as an overnight, or fly-in legs.
Plan Your Safari
A well-paced Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth Safari is Uganda’s strongest two-park savannah week — Nile thunder and giraffe plains in the north, Kazinga density and fig-tree lions in the west. Browse our Murchison Falls safaris and Queen Elizabeth safari pages, or tell us your dates and we will build a quotation around the pace that suits you.