5 Days Murchison Falls Safari

Your 5 Days Murchison Falls Safari begins with an early morning pick-up from your hotel in Kampala, Entebbe or Entebbe International Airport. After meeting your professional safari guide, you will receive a short briefing about the journey and the activities planned for the safari.

Depart Kampala and drive northwest toward Murchison Falls National Park. The journey takes you through Uganda’s beautiful countryside, passing roadside markets, small towns, traditional villages, farms and plantations.

You will stop along the way for lunch before continuing to the southern entrance of Murchison Falls National Park.

Upon arrival, visit the spectacular Top of Murchison Falls, where the mighty River Nile is forced through a narrow seven-metre-wide rocky gorge before plunging approximately 43 metres into the turbulent Devil’s Cauldron below.

Walk along the designated viewpoints and experience the thunderous sound of the Nile as it crashes through the gorge. The rising mist, powerful currents and surrounding rocky landscape provide excellent photography opportunities.

After visiting the falls, continue toward your lodge while enjoying an introductory game drive through the park. Depending on your lodge location and wildlife movements, you may encounter elephants, buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kobs, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbucks, warthogs, olive baboons and several bird species.

You may also have an opportunity to see lions or other predators becoming active as temperatures begin to cool.

Arrive at your lodge in the evening, check in and enjoy dinner before settling in for the night.

Wake up early and enjoy breakfast before departing for a morning game drive across the northern section of Murchison Falls National Park.

The game drive normally explores the wildlife-rich Buligi Peninsula and surrounding tracks, where open savannah, acacia woodland and seasonal wetlands support a wide variety of animals.

Early morning is one of the best times to search for predators because lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and other carnivores may still be active before the day becomes hot.

Your guide will search for African elephants, Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kobs, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbucks, oribis, bushbucks, warthogs, patas monkeys, olive baboons and vervet monkeys.

Murchison Falls National Park is especially known for its large population of Rothschild’s giraffes, which are frequently encountered across the northern savannah.

Your professional guide will explain animal behaviour, identify birds and position the safari vehicle for the best possible wildlife viewing and photography opportunities.

After approximately three to four hours of game viewing, return to your lodge for relaxation and lunch.

In the afternoon, transfer to Paraa Jetty and board a boat for the scenic Victoria Nile cruise to the bottom of Murchison Falls.

The boat travels upstream along the Nile toward the base of the falls. Along the journey, you are likely to encounter large pods of hippos, enormous Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks and other animals coming to the river to drink or cool themselves.

The riverbanks also support an impressive variety of birds, including African fish eagles, pied kingfishers, giant kingfishers, Goliath herons, African jacanas, cormorants, egrets, saddle-billed storks and red-throated bee-eaters.

As the boat approaches the falls, you will see the Nile emerging from the narrow gorge and crashing into the pool below. The boat stops at a safe viewing point, allowing you to photograph the waterfall and the surrounding cliffs.

After the cruise, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

After an early breakfast, transfer to the jetty and begin a scenic boat cruise downstream toward the Lake Albert Delta.

Unlike the upstream boat cruise to the bottom of Murchison Falls, the delta cruise follows the Victoria Nile toward the point where it enters Lake Albert.

The journey passes through calm river channels, papyrus wetlands, riverine vegetation and open waters that support abundant wildlife and birdlife.

The Lake Albert Delta is one of the best locations in Murchison Falls National Park for searching for the rare and prehistoric-looking shoebill. Although sightings cannot be guaranteed, the delta provides one of the park’s strongest opportunities to encounter this highly sought-after bird.

Other birds that may be observed include African fish eagles, Goliath herons, saddle-billed storks, African open-billed storks, grey crowned cranes, malachite kingfishers, pied kingfishers, African jacanas, cormorants and numerous egrets.

The river is also home to hippos and Nile crocodiles, while elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks and other animals may be seen along the banks.

The peaceful cruise provides excellent opportunities for birdwatching, wildlife photography and appreciating the scenery of the Nile.

After the cruise, return to your lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, you may choose to undertake another game drive through the northern savannah or spend the remainder of the day relaxing at the lodge.

Guests who choose the afternoon game drive will explore additional wildlife tracks in search of lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes and other animals.

The evening hours provide beautiful golden light for photography, while cooler temperatures encourage many animals to become active.

Alternatively, you may relax at the lodge, enjoy the swimming pool where available, watch wildlife around the lodge grounds or admire views of the Nile and the surrounding wilderness.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

After an early breakfast, check out of your lodge and travel to Budongo Forest for an exciting chimpanzee trekking experience.

Budongo Forest is one of Uganda’s largest and most ecologically important tropical forests. It is known for its impressive mahogany trees, diverse birdlife and habituated communities of wild chimpanzees.

Upon arrival at the trekking centre, register and attend a briefing conducted by an experienced ranger. You will learn about chimpanzee behaviour, trekking regulations, forest safety and the conservation measures designed to protect both visitors and the chimpanzees.

Enter the forest in a small group accompanied by professional trackers and rangers.

The trek may last between two and five hours, depending on the chimpanzees’ location and movements. As you walk through the forest, listen for their calls, movement through the canopy and the sound of breaking branches.

Your ranger will also help identify trees, medicinal plants, butterflies, birds and other primates encountered along the trail.

When the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to observe them for the permitted period. You may watch them feeding, grooming, resting, playing or communicating through vocalisations and facial expressions.

Other primates found in Budongo Forest include black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys and olive baboons.

After chimpanzee trekking, enjoy lunch and begin the drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

The journey takes you through the countryside around Masindi and onward toward Nakasongola District. Arrive at Ziwa in the late afternoon or evening and check into your selected accommodation.

Spend the remainder of the day relaxing before dinner and overnight.

Wake up for breakfast before beginning a guided rhino-tracking experience at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Ziwa is the only place in Uganda where visitors can observe southern white rhinos on foot in a protected natural environment.

After a safety briefing, you will enter the sanctuary with an experienced ranger and walk through the bush in search of the rhinos.

The walk usually lasts between one and two hours, depending on the animals’ location. Once the rhinos are found, you will observe them from a safe distance while your ranger explains their behaviour, feeding habits, family relationships and the sanctuary’s conservation work.

The sanctuary’s rhinos live in a large natural habitat and are monitored by trained rangers for their safety and protection.

Besides rhinos, you may encounter Uganda kobs, bushbucks, waterbucks, oribis, monkeys and several bird species.

Rhino tracking completes your opportunity to encounter Uganda’s Big Five, following the possibility of seeing lions, leopards, elephants and buffaloes in Murchison Falls National Park.

After the activity, return to the lodge, check out and begin the journey back to Kampala or Entebbe.

Stop for lunch or refreshments along the way before continuing through Uganda’s countryside.

Your guide will drop you off at your hotel in Kampala, accommodation in Entebbe or Entebbe International Airport, marking the end of your 5 Days Murchison Falls Safari.

Travellers departing on an international flight should preferably book an evening flight or arrange an additional night in Entebbe.