3 Days Murchison Falls National Park Wildlife Safari

1. Stopover visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
2. Game drive
3. Launch cruise along the River Nile
4. Hiking to the top of the falls

Day 1: Travel to Murchison Falls – Stopover at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

After your breakfast, a guide from Mission Africa Safaris will pick you up from your hotel by 7:00am. The guide will brief you and share with you other vital information about your Uganda safari. You will then begin your 6 hour journey to Murchison falls national park. The countryside is teeming with farms and banana plantations. Get ready to see fruits, roasted meat/chicken, roasted cassava and bananas sold along the roadside or brought right up to your car window – if you stop. You will pass through Luwero district which was once a war zone ending with the current regimes assumption of power.  Along the way, as you are about to reach Murchison falls, you will stop-over and branch to track black and white Rhino at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Rhinoceros are among the big 5 and due to heavy poaching had disappeared from Uganda since the early 1980s. The sanctuary was set up in 2005 to breed and later introduce Rhinos to Uganda’s major game parks. You will then head to Masindi district for lunch then to the Murchison falls national park to check in at your hotel.  Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari lodge (Luxury) or Pakuba safari lodge (Mid-range) or Heritage Lodge/Red Chilli (Budget).

Day 2: Game drive, Launch cruise along the river Nile and Hiking to the top of the falls

The day begins with early breakfast. At 7:00am, you will be taken for your first morning game drive (Usually along the Delta of Lake Albert) where you will finally see the parks great Savannah grasslands and overlooking Budongo forest. Throughout the safari, you will be escorted by a park guide/ranger who is familiar with the area and where to find the animals. You will also see several mammals including warthogs, antelope, lions, hyenas, giraffes and primates among others. You will then head back to your lodge to have lunch, freshen up and prepare for the mega launch cruise.

While on the cruise, be prepared to spot more than 200 bird species (Kingfishers, the shoe billed stork etc), Nile crocodiles, hippos, monitor lizards, elephants and many of the animals seen during your early morning safari drinking along the river Nile shores.  The boat slowly takes you up to the foot of the Murchison falls were you will climb to the top of the falls. You will be awestruck by these great falls with wonderful surrounding vegetation. The water from the falls generates mist which has colors of the rainbow.  After these activities, our guide will pick you up and take you back to your lodge.

Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari lodge (Luxury) or Pakuba safari lodge (Mid-range) or Heritage Lodge/Red Chilli (Budget).

Day 3: Second Game drive – Return to Kampala

You will get up early to a sumptuous breakfast and then go for another game drive in a different sector of the park. The game drive marks the end of your Murchison falls  safari. The Mission Africa Safaris guide will take you back to the lodge for  check out. By 11:30 the guide will start the 6 hour journey back to Kampala. Your safari will be crowned with lunch in Masindi from where you will continue to Kampala arriving at you hotel late in the evening. If you want a shorter safari, you can check out our 2 Days Murchison Fall Safari.

End of Safari

Safari Includes: Full time English speaking driver/guide, Rhino tracking permit, Park fees, any ferry crossings, Boat cruise, park guide/Ranger, Hiking, Bottled water, Transport in 4X4 vehicle, all meals in-between journeys and full board accommodation while on safari.

Safari Excludes: International flights, Visas, Kampala accommodation, Personal expenses like laundry, crafts, drinks, cigars, souvenirs and tips

1. Bird watching
2. Fishing
3. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest

Nile Safari Lodge: This is a family owned lodge which has been in operation for more than twenty years. The lodge offers luxury facilities with high quality services. The lodge has 8 self-contained bandas. Of the 8 bandas, one was built for a family with two master bedrooms, a sitting room and a private swimming pool. There is a special honeymoon suite for lovers which is designed with extra luxury. Nile Safari lodge has a large restaurant offering both European and local cuisines. The Chefs are very innovative and experienced.

Recipes are fresh and got from the hotels own gardens. If you are a vegetarian, expect to be served with special African vegetables, fruits and other internationally known combinations. Nile Safari Lodge has a large salt-water swimming pool overlooking the majestic River Nile. Visitors can use the pool after a long day of activities in the park for relaxation. The pool has a bar built close to it and a thatched lounge to protect swimmers from the extra heat during the dry season. Other facilities include Spa, a bar and a private lounge for residents. Nile Safari Lodge is an excellent choice for luxury clients interested in game drives, birding, sport fishing, a boat cruise along the Nile, chimpanzee trekking and biking.

Parkside Safari Lodge: This lodge is built close to the park with great views of the River Nile. The lodge offers self-contained cottages with private balconies, bathrooms and clean toilets. Each cottage is built with local materials and in traditional style in order to give that feeling of being out in the African wild. The cottages are spaced in order to offer residents privacy.  Because of the scenery around the lodge, it is perfect for nature walks and birding. Residents can actually see some of the wild animals drinking from the river banks. Park Safari Lodge also has a well-stocked bar and restaurant which serves both local and continental dishes. Other amenities and facilities include wireless internet, security, constant electricity, a kitchen and laundry.

Heritage Safari Lodge: Heritage safari lodge is built outside the park but very close to the northern gate of Murchison Falls National Park and Pakuba airstrip. The lodge offers triple, double and single rooms which are built on raise platforms. The cottages are built with local material and architecture. The rooms are furnished with mosquito nets, free Wi-Fi and flushing toilets. All the rooms offer beautiful views of the Rive Nile.  The lodge serves both international and local cuisines. You can visit the bar in the evening to check out alcoholic/soft drinks from local and international brands. If you are not interested in the bar, you can simply relax by the main lounge/deck to enjoy views of the park or wait for cultural performances by the local Acholi dance groups in the evening. The lodge is built close to the River Nile and you can see herds of elephants and hippos in the water. Backpackers are given an opportunity to set up their own tents at the camping site. Apart from international tourists, Ugandans use the lodge for birthday parties, company retreats and family get-together.