Day 01: Transfer to Murchison via Ziwa
Day 02: Game Drive, boat cruise and  hike to the top of the falls.
Day 03: Game drive and delta boat trip
Day 04: Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest

Your driver-guide will pick you up from your accommodation early in the morning for the drive to Murchison Falls NP. On the way, you will stop for a rhino trek at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – the only place to see rhinos in the wild in Uganda!

In 1983, both black and white rhinos were declared extinct in Uganda. The Rhino Fund Uganda, a non-governmental organization set up in 1997 to repopulate Uganda with wild rhinos through a breeding and release program.  After this visit, we have a hot lunch at Kabalega Diner and then continue our drive to the park.

See the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Video

Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – a privately owned ranch comprising of savannah and woodland was leased to the Rhino Fund for the sole purpose of breeding rhinos. It was here that the first six southern white rhinos were translocated in 2005. This is quite an exotic breed since Uganda only had northern white rhinos.

Most of the wildlife is found in the northern part of the park. If you are staying on the south side, you will have to board the ferry and cross to the northern side.

After an early morning breakfast, you have a full morning of spectacular game viewing. Murchison Falls NP is probably one of the most visited national parks. The park is home to different wildlife including several mammals such as Rothchild’s giraffes (an endangered species), hyenas, lions, antelopes, buffaloes, elephants and so much more as well as plenty of bird species. These are widely spread over the park and will make a game drive worthwhile.

After this extensive game drive, you return to your accommodation for a hot lunch.

The afternoon will be spent on an extensive exploration by boat on the Nile river, upstream towards the Falls. This is where the Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and cascades down to become a placid river. You can admire on the slopes of the Nile river, the big number of hippos, elephants and the Nile crocodiles. The launch trip is a unique adventure, full of activity and constant surprises!

You will then get off the the launch cruise and hike to the top of the falls. This hike may be tough for some people but it is greatly rewarding as you near the top and hear the roaring sound of the water as it falls and taken in the breathtaking views of the falls.

Your driver-guide will pick you up from the top and you will have a short game drive back to your accommodation.

Meals & overnight at your accommodation

After an early breakfast, we continue the exploriation of the park with a game drive in the Pakuba area near the lodge ruins towards the Tangi Gate.  Look out for buffaloes, giraffes and big herds of elephants.

You return to your accommodation for lunch and in the afternoon, you have a boat cruise to the delta. The Victoria Nile Delta is a peaceful stretch where the River Nile flows into Lake Albert and it is here that the park’s prime wildlife is explored by boat.  During the boat cruise, you are will see the hipppos and huge Nile crocodile basking in the morning sun. As you go further, you will also see fishermen on the banks of the river as they prepare to head out for a night of fishing. The delta cruise may also provide you an opportunity of spotting the rare shoe bill.

Meals & overnight at your accommodation

Today, you visit Budongo Forest. After an early breakfast, you depart the park and drive to Budongo Forest for chimpanzee trekking.

Budongo Forest is part of Murchison Falls NP and it is the largest natural forest in Uganda.  The forest hosts a large population of chimpanzees. Other than the chimpanzees, the forest is home to unique tree species, mammals, bird species and several other primates. 

Find out about the Conservation challenges of Chimpanzees in Budongo Forest.

Of this large population of chimpanzees, some have been habituated for tourism purposes. You will be trekking these. While on the trek, look out for other mammals such as buffaloes. You are like to see several monkeys such as the blue monkeys, the red-tailed monkeys and the black and white colobus monkeys. The trail is also a birder’s paradise. Look out for Forest Robins, Kingfishers, Pygym Crakes among the many species that reside in this forest.

Trekking chimpanzees in Budongo Forest will start with briefing at the Information Centre and then you head into the forest. During the dry season, the activity will take not more than 3 hours since most of the chimps usually roam around the Information Centre. It is only in the wet season that they move further away in search for food.

After this activity, you will continue your drive back to Entebbe/Kampala. We shall have a stop over for a picnic lunch in Masindi. Your driver-guide will drop you off at the airport or at your accommodation in Kampala. 

This is the end of what has been hopefully a memorable tour of Murchison Falls NP!